Prophets of Science Fiction (2011–2012): Season 1, Episode 5 - Isaac Asimov - full transcript

Narrator:
WILL ROBOTS TAKE OVER THE WORLD?

Bekey:
THE COMPLEXITY OF A MACHINE

WILL EXCEED THE COMPLEXITY
OF THE HUMAN BRAIN.

Narrator: COULD SCIENTIFIC
ADVANCES RENDER HUMANS OBSOLETE?

Stanley Robinson:
AFTER ASIMOV'S WORK ON ROBOTS,

WE NEVER SAW THEM
THE SAME WAY AGAIN.

Narrator: LEGENDARY
SCI-FI AUTHOR ISAAC ASIMOV

THROWS HUMANITY'S FUTURE
INTO QUESTION,

ASKING "ARE ROBOTS THE KEY
TO HUMAN PROGRESS

OR THE END OF OUR SPECIES?"

Scott: TOMORROW BEGINS
WITH A SPARK OF IMAGINATION,



A FLASH OF INSIGHT

THAT DEMOLISHES
YESTERDAY'S LIMITATIONS

AND INSPIRES TECHNOLOGIES
TO CREATE NEW WORLDS.

I'M RIDLEY SCOTT, AND THESE ARE
THE PROPHETS OF SCIENCE FICTION.

ISAAC ASIMOV SUCCESSFULLY
TOOK A GENERATION

FROM SKEPTICISM ABOUT A NEW
TECHNOLOGY TO EMBRACING IT.

THE UNITED STATES
WAS COMING INTO ITS OWN

AS THE MOST POWERFUL NATION
IN THE WORLD

AND WITH IT, ITS INDUSTRY
AND ITS OPTIMISM AND DEVICES

WHICH WERE ELECTRIC
THIS AND ELECTRIC THAT.

GOING WITH THAT

WOULD BE THE IDEA OF ROBOTS
WOULD BE HOME HELP.

COULD YOU HAVE A ROBOT

TO ACTUALLY CLEAN THE HOUSE
FOR YOU?



AND SO, HE PRESENTED
A VERY OPTIMISTIC FUTURE,

THE BRAVE NEW WORLD.

Narrator: 1933...
13-YEAR-OLD ISAAC ASIMOV

MAY BE ONE OF THE LUCKIEST KIDS
IN NEW YORK CITY.

HIS FATHER OWNS A CANDY STORE.

BUT FOR YOUNG ISAAC,
THE MAGAZINE RACK IS MORE TASTY.

HIS ADDICTION IS THE FANTASTIC
REALM OF PULP SCIENCE FICTION.

Fraction: THE WHOLE REASON
ASIMOV WAS ALLOWED

TO KIND OF OBSESSIVELY READ
PULP-ERA SCIENCE FICTION

IS BECAUSE THE WORD "SCIENCE"
WAS IN IT.

"WELL, IT MUST BE GOOD FOR YOU.
IT'S GOT THE WORD 'SCIENCE.'

IT'S GOT TO BE
SOME DEGREE OF EDUCATIONAL."

Narrator: IN THE PULPS
OF YOUNG ASIMOV'S TIME,

EARLY ROBOTS ARE PORTRAYED
AS FRANKENSTEINS...

CRAZED AUTOMATONS RISING UP
AGAINST THEIR CREATORS,

METAL MONSTERS
OUT TO CRUSH HUMANITY.

THE WORD WAS COINED
IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA...

RASSAM'S UNIVERSAL ROBOTS
BY CAROL CHOPIN.

AND IT'S THE SLAVIC WORD
FOR "WORKER."

SO, THE ROBOTS WERE WORKERS.

THEY WERE TOILERS

IN THIS METROPOLIS-LIKE
ATMOSPHERE OF THAT NOVEL.

THEN THEY REVOLT.

Stanley Robinson:
AND REALLY WHAT IT WAS

WAS AN IMAGE OF WORLDWIDE
COMMUNIST REVOLUTION IN EFFECT

AND NATURALLY THOUGHT OF
AS BEING DANGEROUS.

Narrator: BUT YOUNG ISAAC

IMAGINES A NEW PARADIGM
OF POSSIBILITY.

HE THINKS ABOUT
USEFUL AND HARMLESS DEVICES

WE USE EVERY DAY...

RADIOS, BLENDERS,
OR ANY OTHER MACHINES.

HIS MIND RACES.

IF WE TRUST OUR APPLIANCES
WITHOUT QUESTION,

WHY CAN'T WE TRUST A ROBOT?

ASIMOV PICTURES A WORLD

WHERE ROBOTS ARE A HELPING HAND
IN OUR DAILY LIVES.

HIS SHARP MIND BEGINS PIERCING
THE FUTURE AT A RAPID PACE.

Stanley Robinson: ASIMOV
WAS BORN IN RUSSIA IN 1920,

AND CAME WITH HIS PARENTS
WHEN THEY IMMIGRATED TO AMERICA.

HE WAS A RUSSIAN JEW.
HE GREW UP IN BROOKLYN.

HE WAS A KIND OF BRILLIANT KID,

AND IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR
FROM HIS EARLIEST TEENAGE YEARS

THAT HE WAS A SUPER GEEK

AND IN EFFECT,
AHEAD OF HIS TIME.

Narrator: ASIMOV STARTS
WRITING STORIES AT AGE 11

AND IS FIRST PUBLISHED AT 19

BY THE LEGENDARY EDITOR
OF ASTOUNDING STORIES MAGAZINE,

JOHN W. CAMPBELL.

Ellison: HE WOULD GO
TO CAMPBELL'S OFFICE,

WHICH IS WHAT YOU DID
IN THOSE DAYS.

YOU WENT AND YOU SAT LITERALLY
AT THE FEET OF JOHN CAMPBELL.

JOHN CAMPBELL MADE SURE
HIS CHAIR WAS HIGHER THAN YOURS.

I MEAN, HE WAS SCIENCE FICTION.

EVERYBODY WHO WAS ANYBODY

ASPIRED TO BE
IN ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION.

Narrator:
ISAAC'S TALES STAND APART

FROM THE PULP FARE
OF HIS CONTEMPORARIES.

HIS ROBOTS ARE THE OPPOSITE
OF VIOLENT MONSTERS...

HIGHLY INTELLIGENT,
TRUSTWORTHY MACHINES

CONFRONTING COMPLEX CHALLENGES

AND THE COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP
WITH HUMANS.

HE WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
ROBOTS AND ROBOTICS

NOT JUST FOR HOW THEY'RE GONNA WORK
WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF HIS STORY,

BUT "OKAY, HOW WOULD THIS WORK
IF THIS WORKED?"

HE POSITED
THAT HUMANS WOULD HAVE

A LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP
WITH ROBOTS,

AND IT CULMINATED IN
THE "I, ROBOT" SERIES

ABOUT A WOMAN SCIENTIST
NAMED SUSAN CALVIN

WHO WAS A ROBO-PSYCHOLOGIST.

GREAT STUFF.

SO, DOCTOR CALVIN, WHAT EXACTLY
DO YOU DO AROUND HERE?

MY GENERAL FIELDS ARE ADVANCED
ROBOTICS AND PSYCHIATRY,

ALTHOUGH I SPECIALIZE IN
HARDWARE TO WETWARE INTERFACES

IN AN EFFORT

TO ADVANCE U.S.R.'s ROBOTIC
ANTHROPOMORPHIZATION PROGRAM.

SO, WHAT EXACTLY
DO YOU DO AROUND HERE?

I MAKE THE ROBOTS
SEEM MORE HUMAN.

Narrator: IN THE EARLIEST
OF THE "I, ROBOT" STORIES,

SUSAN CALVIN'S EMPLOYER PRODUCES
AN OBEDIENT, DOMESTIC ROBOT

CALLED "ROBBIE."

IT'S ABOUT A FAMILY
WHO BUYS A ROBOT

AND THE DAUGHTER BECOMES
VERY ATTACHED TO THE ROBOT.

Slusser: THE YOUNG GIRL AND ROBBIE
FORM THIS AMAZING FRIENDSHIP.

HOWEVER, IN THE BACKGROUND
OF THIS STORY,

THERE IS A, SHALL WE SAY,
A TECHNOPHOBIA, A ROBOTOPHOBIA.

THE MOTHER AND FATHER DECIDE
TO GET RID OF THEIR ROBOT.

Narrator: ROBBIE'S REMOVED
FROM DOMESTIC LIFE

AND CAST OUT INTO A WORLD
OF INDUSTRIAL LABOR.

THE DAUGHTER
BECOMES SO DISTRAUGHT

THAT HER FATHER RECONSIDERS.

HE TAKES HER TO THE FACTORY
WHERE ROBBIE NOW WORKS.

Slusser: AND THE YOUNG GIRL SEES
ROBBIE, AND SHE RUSHES TOWARD ROBBIE.

[ HORN BLARES ]

NO!

ROBBIE SAVES HER LIFE.

AND SO ROBBIE IS NOW ACCEPTED
BACK INTO THE FAMILY.

Narrator: 60 YEARS LATER,
EVEN TECH-SAVVY PARENTS

STILL AREN'T READY TO HIRE
ROBO NANNIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

DR. MAJA MATARIC
WANTS TO CHANGE THAT.

Mataric:
OUR ROBOTS ARE SAFE.

THEY'RE FRIENDLY, THEY'RE CUTE,
THEY'RE FUN,

AND THEY'RE HELPFUL.

THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE
WHO COULD USE SOMETHING, SOMEONE

TO HELP THEM ON THE DAILY BASIS.

Narrator:
DR. MATARIC'S STUDENTS

ARE DEVELOPING A NEW GENERATION
OF SOCIALLY ASSISTIVE ROBOTS...

MACHINES THAT CAN HELP HUMANS
IN EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR LIVES.

PR2 ACTUALLY WAS DESIGNED
AS A ROBOT PLATFORM

FOR MOBILE MANIPULATION
TO GO AROUND AND PICK UP OBJECTS

AND MOVE THEM AROUND
IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

WE'RE TRYING TO SHOW

THAT YOU CAN USE
THIS KIND OF ROBOT PLATFORM

NOT JUST
FOR MOBILE MANIPULATION,

BUT ALSO FOR THE SOCIALLY
ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS CONTEXT.

Narrator: TO ACHIEVE THIS,
THE STUDENTS ARE TAPPING INTO

PR2'S STATE-OF-THE-ART
INTEGRATED FUNCTIONS.

WE HAVE STEREO CAMERAS UP HERE

FOR WIDE FIELD OF VIEW
AND NARROW FIELD OF VIEW.

IT GIVES US A 5.1 MEGAPIXEL
PICTURE OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

IT HAS THESE TWO
REALLY COMPLEX MANIPULATORS

ON BOTH SIDES OF ITS BODY,

SORT OF LIKE A HUMAN HAS
WITH THEIR ARMS.

AND WE HAVE THESE REALLY NICE
GRIPPERS ON THE END HERE.

THEY CAN GRAB OBJECTS
WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF FORCE,

AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE
OBJECTS WITH THE CAMERAS HERE.

SO IT'S ACTUALLY AWARE
OF WHAT IT'S DOING.

IT COMBINES THAT INFORMATION

WITH THE CAMERA INFORMATION
FROM THE HEAD

TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S
GOING ON IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

Narrator:
PR2'S CAMERAS AND MANIPULATORS

MAKE IT A NATURAL FOR EXECUTING
COMPLEX SPACIAL TASKS

LIKE HOUSEHOLD CHORES.

BUT MULTIPLE
INFRARED LASER SCANNERS

GIVE PR2 THE ABILITY
TO SEE BEYOND THE TASKS AT HAND.

ON THE GROUND HERE,
WE HAVE THIS GROUND-BASED LASER.

IT SCANS IN A PLANE

AND GIVES US REALLY, REALLY
ACCURATE DISTANCE READINGS

DOWN TO A FEW MILLIMETERS.

SO IT CAN ACTUALLY MOVE AROUND
THE SAME WAY THAT YOU OR I WOULD.

WE HAVE A SENSOR UP HERE.

IT'S TILTING UP AND DOWN,

SO IT GIVES US THIS NICE SCAN
OF THE ENTIRE ROOM IN FULL 3D.

Narrator: PR2'S SENSORS STREAM THIS
DATA THROUGH ALGORITHMIC SOFTWARE,

WHICH ALLOWS IT TO NAVIGATE
ITS EVER-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.

ROSS AND HIS FELLOW STUDENTS

ARE FINDING WAYS
TO HARNESS THESE 3D SENSORS

AND REWRITE PR2'S ALGORITHMS

TO GIVE IT MORE NATURAL
INTERACTION WITH HUMANS,

EVEN RESPECTING
ONE'S PERSONAL SPACE.

Mead:
SO, THE ROBOT RIGHT NOW

IS TRYING TO MAINTAIN
A SOCIALLY APPROPRIATE DISTANCE.

EVEN WHEN I MOVE,

THE ROBOT IS TRYING TO STAY
ENGAGED IN A SOCIAL INTERACTION.

Mataric: ALL OF OUR ROBOTS ARE
PROGRAMMED TO NOT GET TOO CLOSE, EVER.

WE DON'T HAVE THEM
TOUCHING PEOPLE,

BECAUSE TOUCH...
IT CAN BE UNSAFE.

Narrator: PR2 HAS A PARTNER
WHO IS ARTICULATE

AND HAS A MORE PERSONAL WAY
OF RELATING TO OTHERS.

HELLO.
IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU.

MY NAME IS BANDIT,

AND WE'RE GOING TO PLAY
A FEW EXERCISE GAMES TODAY.

THIS IS OUR HUMANOID ROBOT
PLATFORM.

HIS NAME IS "BANDIT."
HE'S A SOCIALLY ASSISTIVE ROBOT.

HE WAS DESIGNED
TO DO DAILY PHYSICAL EXERCISE

WITH THE ELDERLY.

[ BEEP ]

OKAY, GREAT.

YOU CHOSE
THE IMITATION GAME.

IN THIS GAME, THE ROBOT
IS IMITATING MY OWN MOVEMENTS,

SO I'M DECIDING WHAT THE ROBOT
AND THE EXERCISE WHAT TO DO.

THERE, HE'S GIVING ME SOME BRIEF
COMMENTS AND A LITTLE FEEDBACK.

Narrator: BANDIT ANALYZES
THE EXERCISER'S MOVEMENT

IN REAL TIME.

WHAT HE CAN DO NOW IS HE'S GOT A
CAMERA AT THE BASE OF THE TORSO,

AND HE'S USING
THE BLACK BACKGROUND

TO EASILY SEGMENT OUT
MY BODY FROM THE BACKGROUND.

Narrator: BANDIT THEN IMITATES
THE EXERCISER'S MOVEMENTS,

CREATING
A MORE INTIMATE CONNECTION

WITH EACH PERSON IT WORKS WITH.

Mataric:
OUR ROBOT BANDIT HAS BEEN USED

WITH STROKE PATIENTS,
WITH KIDS WITH AUTISM,

AND WITH ELDERLY USERS
WITH ALZHEIMER'S.

Narrator: SOCIALLY ASSISTIVE
UNITS LIKE PR2 AND BANDIT

TAKE ROBOTS ONE STEP CLOSER
TO ASIMOV'S CHILDHOOD PROPHECY.

Mataric: IN MANY WAYS,

ONE CAN THINK OF ASIMOV
AS THE FIRST ROBOTICIST.

HE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT ROBOTS
COULD DO FOR PEOPLE

IN A WAY THAT WE'RE JUST NOW
STARTING TO CATCH UP WITH.

Narrator: ASIMOV IS AWARE
THAT HUMANS FEAR THE UNKNOWN.

AND INTELLIGENT ROBOTS
POSE A PROBLEM.

WHAT IF ROBOTS
QUESTION THEIR ORDERS

AND START DOING THINGS MANKIND
DOES NOT WANT THEM TO DO?

Spooner: MURDER'S A NEW TRICK
FOR A ROBOT.

CONGRATULATIONS.

ASIMOV'S ROBOTS
OBEY HUMAN COMMANDS.

RESPOND.

BUT WHAT IF THE COMMAND ITSELF
IS DANGEROUS?

WHAT IF A ROBOT IN THE PROCESS
OF CARRYING OUT ONE OF MY ORDERS

DOES SOMETHING HARMFUL?

YOU HAVE TO DO
WHAT SOMEONE ASKS YOU.

DON'T YOU,
DETECTIVE SPOONER?

HOW THE HELL DID YOU
KNOW MY NAME? DON'T YOU?

Narrator: ASIMOV KNOWS
OBEDIENCE ISN'T ENOUGH.

IF ROBOTS ARE TO BECOME
A TRUSTED PART OF HUMAN LIVES,

HE NEEDS TO SEISMICALLY SHIFT
HOW THEY'RE PERCEIVED.

THE WRITER ENGINEERS A BLUEPRINT

THAT WILL REVOLUTIONIZE
HOW HUMANS SEE ROBOTS FOREVER.

Narrator: 1939.

19-YEAR-OLD ISAAC ASIMOV

HAS ALREADY PUBLISHED OVER
A DOZEN SCIENCE-FICTION STORIES.

AS ISAAC RATCHETS UP
THE COMPLEXITY IN HIS WORKS,

AN UNWRITTEN CODE BETWEEN
MAN AND ROBOTS BEGINS TO EMERGE.

Asimov: BACK IN 1939,

THERE WAS A PATTERN IN THESE
STORIES WHICH JOHN CAMPBELL,

THE EDITOR
OF ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION

AND MY LITERARY FATHER,
POINTED OUT TO ME.

HE SAID I WAS HAVING
MY ROBOTS BEHAVE

AS THOUGH THEY WERE GUIDED
BY THREE LAWS.

ASIMOV'S THREE LAWS
OF ROBOTICS...

ARE BORN.

Brin:
THREE MAJOR INJUNCTIONS

THAT WOULD PREVENT THEM
FROM EVERY HARMING HUMANITY.

ONE... THE ROBOT MAY NOT
INJURE A HUMAN BEING,

OR THROUGH INACTION,

ALLOW A HUMAN BEING
TO COME TO HARM.

Vebber: LAW NUMBER TWO...

A ROBOT MUST OBEY COMMANDS
GIVEN TO IT BY A HUMAN BEING

UNLESS THAT CONTRADICTS
THE FIRST LAW.

AND THEN THE THIRD LAW WAS
LET NO HARM COME TO THE ROBOT

AS LONG AS IT DIDN'T CONFLICT
WITH THE FIRST OR SECOND LAWS.

Narrator:
ASIMOV PUTS HIS LAWS TO THE TEST

IN THE 1942 SHORT STORY
"RUNAROUND."

Vebber: ASIMOV'S "RUNAROUND"
IS ABOUT A MINING OPERATION

ON SOME FARAWAY PLANET

AND THE PEOPLE NEED TO GO OUT
AND GET SOME SELENIUM

FOR WHATEVER REASON.

BUT IT'S DANGEROUS TO GO OUT
AND GET IT,

SO THEY SEND OUT THIS ROBOT
TO GO GET IT.

Narrator:
ASIMOV NAMES THE ROBOT "SPEEDY."

Siuntres: THEY SEND OUT SPEEDY
FOR A 5-HOUR MISSION,

AND HE DOESN'T COME BACK.

THEY DISCOVER SPEEDY
NEAR A SELENIUM POOL,

AND HE SEEMS TO BE ALMOST DRUNK.

WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE

IS TWO OF THE LAWS OF ROBOTICS
ARE IN CONFLICT.

THE SECOND LAW OF ROBOTICS,
"TO OBEY ALL OF MAN'S ORDERS,"

IS DRIVING HIM
TO THE POOL OF SELENIUM,

AND APPARENTLY THE SELENIUM
IS AFFECTING HIM MECHANICALLY

AND THAT CONFLICTS
WITH THE THIRD LAW OF ROBOTICS,

WHICH IS SELF-PRESERVATION.

THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THE LAW
ABOUT PROTECTING HUMAN BEINGS

WILL OVERRIDE
THE OTHER TWO LAWS.

Narrator: SPEEDY'S OWNER
PUTS HIMSELF AT RISK,

FORCING THE ROBOT
TO BREAK FROM ITS VICIOUS CIRCLE

AND COME TO HIS RESCUE.

Vebber: HIS EARLY STORIES, SO
MANY OF THEM HINGED ON THE FACT

THAT THE LAWS WERE IMPERFECT

IN THE SENSE THAT ROBOTS WOULD
GO CRAZY BECAUSE OF THE LAWS.

Narrator:
SCREENWRITER AKIVA GOLDSMAN

EXPLORES ASIMOV'S THREE LAWS
IN 2004's "I, ROBOT."

Goldsman: HE CERTAINLY EVOLVED
FUNDAMENTALLY

THIS IDEA OF
THE ANTHROPOMORPHIZED ROBOT,

THIS SORT OF SEARCH
FOR AN OPERATING SYSTEM,

REALLY IN THE DAYS
LONG BEFORE WE UNDERSTOOD

AND HAD IN OUR VERNACULAR
SO COMMONLY

THE NOTION OF OPERATING SYSTEMS.

THAT'S WHAT THE THREE LAWS ARE.
THEY'RE AN OPERATING SYSTEM.

SO, HE SORT OF WENT,
"HOW WOULD THAT WORK?

"AND IF IT DID WORK,
WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN?

"AND IF IT MEANT
WHATEVER IT DID MEAN,

HOW MUCH MEANING
LEADS TO A SOUL?"

Narrator: ASIMOV'S FICTION
INSPIRES TWO REAL-LIFE ENGINEERS

TO ASK,

"COULD A ROBOT TAKE ON THE TASKS
PERFORMED ON A FACTORY FLOOR?"

IN 1961,

GENERAL MOTORS BRINGS THE
WORLD'S FIRST INDUSTRIAL ROBOT,

UNAMATE, TO LIFE
ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE.

Siuntres: THE ROBOT WOULD TAKE
DIE CASTS OF MOTOR PARTS

AND SPOT WELD THEM
ONTO THE BODY OF AN AUTOMOBILE.

IF A HUMAN BEING
WERE TO DO THAT,

IT COULD SUFFER NOXIOUS FUMES

OR IN THE WELDING PROCESS,
COULD EVEN LOSE A LIMB.

AND THOSE KINDS OF FEARS
FOR HUMAN ACTIVITY

WERE RELIEVED
ONCE UNAMATE WAS CREATED.

Narrator: BUT OTHER FACTORY WORKERS
BEGIN LOOKING OVER THEIR SHOULDERS.

WILL SMARTER,
MORE ADVANCED ROBOTS

SOON BE PERFORMING THEIR JOBS,
TOO?

Orci:
I THINK SOME PEOPLE FEAR

THE CONCEPT OF ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE OR ROBOTICS,

MAYBE BECAUSE IT, FIRST OF ALL,
MAKES YOU FEEL REPLACEABLE.

CERTAINLY
PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS

AS A RESULT, POTENTIALLY,
OF THE ROBOTICS,

AND MAYBE THERE'S
A LITTLE BIT OF A FEAR

OF LOSING CONTROL
TO THE VERY CREATIONS

THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO
HELP US CONTROL THINGS.

Narrator: SINCE UNAMATE,
INCREASINGLY COMPLEX ROBOTS

HAVE RENDERED A GENERATION
OF SKILLED WORKERS OBSOLETE.

COULD ROBOTS DELIVER THIS SAME
FATE TO OTHER PROFESSIONS?

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
IRVINE,

THE MAZA ROBOTICS COMPANY
DEPLOYS SpineAssist,

A MEDICAL ROBOT
WHICH PERFORMS TASKS

WITH A LEVEL OF PRECISION
RIVALING HUMAN SURGEONS.

Bederman:
WE OPERATE ON PEOPLE

WITH PROBLEMS RELATED
TO THEIR BACK OR THEIR NECK

OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE CURVATURES
OF THEIR SPINE LIKE SCOLIOSIS.

SpineAssist IS A ROBOT

THAT HELPS US PUTTING IN SCREWS
FOR SOME OF THESE OPERATIONS.

Narrator: WITH MERE MILLIMETERS
SEPARATING VERTEBRAE

FROM SENSITIVE
SPINAL CORD TISSUE,

ACCURACY IS PARAMOUNT.

A 3-DIMENSIONAL CAT SCAN
OF THE PATIENT'S SPINE

IS UPLOADED TO SpineAssist'S
GUIDANCE SYSTEM

TO CREATE
A PRE-OPERATIONAL BLUEPRINT.

WHEN WE'RE PLANNING THE SURGERY,
WE HAVE TO HAVE A CAT SCAN,

WHICH IS AN IMAGE
OF THE PATIENT'S BONES

THAT IS OF ADEQUATE SIZE
AND RESOLUTION

TO MAKE SURE THE COMPUTER
AND THE ROBOT CAN READ IT WELL.

Narrator:
SpineAssist'S GUIDANCE SYSTEM

SYNCHRONIZES THE CAT-SCAN DATA

WITH THE ROBOT'S LOCATION
ALONG THE SPINE

TO CREATE A 3-DIMENSIONAL
POSITIONING SYSTEM

FOR SAFE PLACEMENT
OF EACH SCREW.

Bhatia: THE ROBOT REFERENCES
WHERE IT IS ON THE SPINE

USING INTER-OPERATIVE X-RAYS
AND THE PREOPERATIVE CAT SCAN.

SO NOW IT KNOWS WITHIN A
TENTH OF A MILLIMETER OR BETTER

WHERE IT IS

AND CAN THEN
LEAD ITS GUIDANCE PIN

TO WHERE WE NEED TO PLACE SCREWS
TO HELP STABILIZE

A PATIENT'S SPINE
DURING THE HEALING PROCESS.

Narrator: THE GUIDANCE SYSTEM
MOVES SpineAssist

IN TANDEM WITH DOCTORS
DURING SURGICAL PROCEDURES.

Bederman:
WE PLACE IT ON A TRACK

WHERE THE ROBOT CAN MOVE
FROM STATION TO STATION.

ONCE IT'S MOVED INTO POSITION,
WE THEN INSERT A SMALL TUBE

OR A METAL TUBE
THAT GOES RIGHT THROUGH HERE.

WE THEN PASS A DRILL
RIGHT THROUGH THAT HOLLOW TUBE,

MAKE SURE THAT IT ALL FEELS
LIKE IT SHOULD FEEL,

AND WE INSERT THE SCREW
RIGHT IN THAT SAME ANGLE.

YOU CAN SEE THAT THE SCREWS
ARE AVOIDING THE SPINAL CANAL

WHERE THE SPINAL CORD IS.

IT'S AVOIDING THE AREA
WHERE ALL THE NERVES ARE

AND RUNNING
RIGHT THROUGH THE BONE.

SpineAssist ALLOWS US
TO BE MORE ACCURATE,

AND IT GIVES US THE ADVANTAGE
OF EFFICIENCY, REALLY.

SO IT'S BETTER FOR PATIENTS.

Narrator: BUILDING ON THE
ACHIEVEMENTS OF SpineAssist,

MAZA'S LATEST GENERATION,
RENAISSANCE,

PROMISES TO TAKE SURGICAL
ROBOTICS TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

RENAISSANCE IS PROGRAMMED

FOR EVEN MORE COMPLEX PROCEDURES
LIKE CRANIAL SURGERY.

THESE EVER-INCREASING
CAPABILITIES OF SURGICAL ROBOTS

MAY SOON FORCE PATIENTS
TO WONDER

WHO'S REALLY
WIELDING THE SCALPEL.

Bhatia: THE NUMBER-ONE FAILSAFE
WITH THE ROBOT IS THE SURGEON.

THE ROBOT DOESN'T TAKE THE PLACE
OF THE SURGEON.

IT'S JUST ANOTHER TOOL WE HAVE,

AND USED CORRECTLY,
IT WORKS GREAT.

USED INCORRECTLY, OBVIOUSLY,
THERE CAN BE ISSUES.

BUT THAT'S WHY
THE SURGEON'S STILL IMPORTANT.

Narrator: IN HIS EARLY WORKS,

ISAAC ASIMOV'S FUTURE VISIONS
EXPLORE ROBOTS

WORKING IN CONCERT WITH MAN
TO PROTECT AND SAVE LIVES.

BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN
WHEN ADVANCES IN SCIENCE

PROPEL ROBOTS
BEYOND HUMAN CONTROL,

UNLEASHING SELF-SUFFICIENT,
EMOTIONALLY REACTIVE ENTITIES?

BUT EMOTIONS DON'T SEEM LIKE A
VERY USEFUL SIMULATION FOR A ROBOT.

I DID NOT MURDER HIM.

HELL, I DON'T WANT MY TOASTER
OR MY VACUUM CLEANER

APPEARING EMOTIONAL.

I DID NOT MURDER HIM!

Narrator: AUGUST 1945.

THE BRILLIANT FLASH OF AN
ATOMIC BLAST ENDS WORLD WAR II

AND KICKS OFF A FRANTIC
SCIENTIFIC RIVALRY

BETWEEN THE U.S.
AND SOVIET UNION.

IN NEED OF THE BEST
AND BRIGHTEST YOUNG SCIENTISTS,

THE U.S. ARMY
CALLS 25-YEAR-OLD ISAAC ASIMOV

AWAY FROM HIS WRITING
TO CONDUCT RESEARCH IN HAWAII.

HE QUICKLY DISCOVERS HE'S NOT
CUT OUT FOR MILITARY LIFE.

Siuntres: ASIMOV HATED THE
PHYSICAL END OF MILITARY LIFE.

WHETHER IT WAS MARCHING

OR ALL THE STRENUOUS
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

AND TESTED VERY POORLY.

Narrator: THIS IS COMPOUNDED

BY THE FACT ASIMOV OPPOSES
ANY ARMY'S MISSION STATEMENT.

ASIMOV, RATHER THAN RESOLVING
THINGS THROUGH VIOLENCE,

TENDED TO RESOLVE THINGS
THROUGH LOGIC.

I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO A
GENERAL WORLD VIEW THAT HE HAD.

Siuntres:
WHEN IT CAME TO COMBAT,

ASIMOV UNDERSTOOD THE NEEDS
OF GETTING RID OF DESPOTS

LIKE ADOLF HITLER.

BUT HE ALSO FELT

THAT HUMAN VIOLENCE WAS REALLY
KIND OF A LAST RESORT.

Narrator:
HITLER CONVINCED HIS FOLLOWERS

THAT SOME PEOPLE
ARE LESS THAN COMPLETELY HUMAN.

IN HIS MURDER MYSTERY,
"THE NAKED SUN,"

ASIMOV IMAGINED BRAINWASHING
ROBOTS IN THE SAME WAY.

Siuntres: THE ANTAGONIST
TRIED TO GET THE ROBOTS

IN "THE NAKED SUN" TO VIOLATE
THE FIRST LAW OF ROBOTICS

BY CHANGING THE ROBOT'S
PERCEPTION OF HUMAN BEINGS.

HE WAS ABLE
TO CHANGE THEIR PROGRAMMING

SO THAT THEY NO LONGER
SAW HUMAN BEINGS

BUT RATHER SAW
INORGANIC MATERIAL.

IT ALLOWED A ROBOT TO,
IN A SENSE, KILL A PERSON.

BUT REALLY, THE ROBOT HAD NO
KNOWLEDGE THAT HE WAS DOING IT.

Scott: ISAAC ASIMOV,
HE USUALLY FOUND A ROUTE

WHERE THE DARKEST ELEMENT
OF THE STORIES

WEREN'T NECESSARILY THE ROBOTS.

THEY TEND TO BE
THE HUMAN BEINGS,

AND THE HUMAN BEINGS'
MISUNDERSTANDING

AND ABUSE OF THE ROBOT.

AND THEN IT WOULD
TURN AGAINST YOU.

Narrator:
TODAY, THE U.S. MILITARY

DEPLOYS BOMB-CARRYING
ROBOTIC DRONES OVER ENEMY SKIES

AND ON THE FRONT LINES
OF THE BATTLEFIELD.

Man:
FIRE IN THE HOLE.

BUT COLIN ANGLE
AND HIS TEAM AT iRobot

ARE EQUIPPING COMBAT UNITS
WITH BATTLEFIELD ROBOTS

THAT HELP RATHER THAN HARM.

Angle:
WHAT WE DO HERE AT iRobot,

WE TRY TO FIND PROBLEMS
A ROBOT CAN SOLVE

AND BUILD ROBOTS
THAT ARE AS SIMPLE

AS THEY CAN POSSIBLY BE

AND STILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM
THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED.

TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE,
OUR SMALLEST ROBOT.

FIRSTLOOK IS DESIGNED
TO BE THROWN INTO AN AREA

WHERE THERE MIGHT BE
SOMETHING DANGEROUS OR BAD

AND USE ITS CAMERAS AND SENSORS
TO RELAY INFORMATION BACK.

Narrator: FIRSTLOOK'S LARGER,
MORE SOPHISTICATED PARTNER,

PACKBOT,

IS EQUIPPED TO PLAY AN EVEN
GREATER ROLE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

PACKBOT IS AN INCREDIBLY DURABLE
MINIATURE TANK.

THESE ROBOTS ARE CAPABLE

OF BEING THROWN OFF
A SECOND-STORY BUILDING...

...CLIMBING STAIRS...

...OR GOING UNDERWATER.

IT CAN USE ITS ARM

TO PULL THE DETONATING WIRES
OFF AN EXPLOSIVE

OR PICK UP
THE EXPLOSIVE ITSELF,

BEING VERY DANGEROUS,
AND MOVE IT TO A SAFE LOCATION

WHERE IT CAN BE
DISPOSED OF PROPERLY.

Narrator: THEIR LARGEST CREATION
IS THE WARRIOR,

WHICH DOES EVERYTHING
FROM HEAVY LIFTING

TO SEEKING OUT AND DISABLING
LIVE EXPLOSIVES LIKE I.E.D.s.

RIGHT NOW, ROBOTS ARE MOST
COMMONLY USED FOR BOMB DISPOSAL.

Narrator: AS THESE ROBOTS DIFFUSE
THOUSANDS OF DEADLY BOMBS,

THEY'VE EARNED
THE RESPECT AND LOYALTY

OF THE SOLDIERS
WHO RELY ON THEM.

PACKBOT WAS THE PARTNER OF A
EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL TEAM

IN AFGHANISTAN,

AND ITS 18th OR 19th MISSION,

THE BOMB BLEW UP
AND DESTROYED THE ROBOT.

THE E.O.D. OPERATOR CARRIES
THE ROBOT BACK IN HIS ARMS

LIKE A FALLEN COMRADE.

"CAN YOU FIX IT?
PLEASE, YOU GOT TO FIX IT,"

LIKE IT WAS TEAM MEMBER
HAD JUST SAVED HIS LIFE.

THESE ROBOTS ARE NOT
SOME KIND OF COLD, DARK FUTURE.

THIS IS SAVING
OUR SERVICEMEN'S LIVES.

ANY TIME YOU CAN USE
A ROBOT INSTEAD OF A SOLDIER,

IT'S A GREAT THING.

Narrator: A BATTLEFIELD

FILLED WITH THOUSANDS
OF AUTONOMOUS ROBOT SOLDIERS

FREE OF HUMAN CONTROL

PROMISES TO REBOOT
THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OF WARFARE.

Bekey: SINCE WE CAN
SEND ROBOT SOLDIERS INTO BATTLE

AND NOT HUMANS,

THE CRITICISM
THAT WE WOULD FACE AT HOME

FROM OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS
BEING KILLED ON THE BATTLEFIELD

WOULD NOT ARISE.

Narrator: BUT THIS NEW
POSSIBILITY IS NOT WITHOUT COST.

Kaku: ONE DRAWBACK OF PUTTING
ROBOTS ON THE BATTLEFIELD

IS IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR
THE GENERAL TO PUSH THE BUTTON

AND INITIATE A WAR.

HUMAN LIFE BECOMES CHEAPENED
BECAUSE THE ROBOTS CAN THEN,

WITH A PUSH OF A BUTTON,

SLAUGHTER AS MANY ENEMY
COMBATANTS AS IT FEELS LIKE.

Narrator: ASIMOV SEES NO PLACE
FOR HIS ROBOTS

IN THE BLOODY BATTLES
OF MANKIND.

HE LOOKS BEYOND THE PRIMITIVE
SKIRMISHES ON EARTH,

ENVISIONING A FUTURE

WHERE ROBOTS EMPOWER
MANKIND'S QUEST

TO COLONIZE THE COSMOS.

Narrator: OCTOBER 4, 1957.

SCIENCE FINALLY CATCHES UP
WITH ISAAC ASIMOV'S IMAGINATION.

Man: TODAY THERE'S A NEW MOON
IN THE SKY...

THE SOVIET UNION
SPUTNIK SATELLITE.

THEY TELL US THE WORLD
MAY NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.

Narrator: THE SOVIET UNION

HAS BEATEN THE UNITED STATES
INTO SPACE.

FOR MANY AMERICANS,
THE WONDER OF THIS ACHIEVEMENT

IS OVERSHADOWED BY THE FACT

THAT IT WAS ACCOMPLISHED
BY THEIR IDEOLOGICAL ENEMY.

Man: YOU'RE HEARING
THE ACTUAL SIGNALS

TRANSMITTED BY
THE EARTH-CIRCLING SATELLITE.

IT WAS THE FIRST EXAMPLE
OF ANOTHER COUNTRY'S SUPERIORITY

WHEN IT CAME
TO THE REALMS OF SCIENCE.

Narrator: WHERE MILLIONS SEE THE
RISE OF A NEW COLD-WAR THREAT,

ISAAC ASIMOV SEES A MOMENTOUS
ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ALL MANKIND.

IT'S THE DAWN
OF AN EXCITING NEW ERA.

SPACE EXPLORATION,

PROPHESIED BY ASIMOV IN
"RUNAROUND" AND "THE NAKED SUN"

HAS FINALLY BECOME FACT.

COUNTLESS NEW WORLDS
ARE SUDDENLY WITHIN MAN'S GRASP.

ASIMOV MAKES IT
HIS PERSONAL MISSION

TO BE A GATEWAY TO KNOWLEDGE,

SHARING HIS PASSION FOR
SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS WITH OTHERS.

Stanley Robinson: HE SHIFTED
OVER INTO NON-FICTION,

AND THIS IS WHERE HIS POWERS AS
AN EXPLAINER CAME INTO EFFECT.

Narrator: ASIMOV WRITES DOZENS
OF NON-FICTION BOOKS

AND HUNDREDS OF ARTICLES
ON AN INCREDIBLE RANGE OF TOPICS

SPANNING NINE OF 10 CATEGORIES
IN THE DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM.

Stanley Robinson:
HE WAS LIKE AN ENCYCLOPEDIA.

ANY SUBJECT UNDER THE SUN,
HE COULD READ ABOUT

AND THEN HE COULD COALESCE IT
INTO A NEW BOOK

THAT WAS CLEARER
THAN THE PREVIOUS BOOKS

AND ALSO HAD AN EMPHASIS
ON WHAT WAS IMPORTANT,

BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENT WAS GOOD.

Narrator: ASIMOV QUICKLY BECOMES
THE EXPERT

OTHER SCIENCE-FICTION AUTHORS
DISCREETLY CALL

WHEN THEY NEED CLARITY

ON THE SCIENTIFIC ASPECTS
OF THEIR TALES.

Ellison: I'D CALL ISAAC.

AND I SAID, "ISAAC, I GOT A GUY
AND HE'S ON A PLANET

AND THERE'S NO AIR
AND THERE'S NOTHING TO BREATH.

HOW IS HE LIVING?"

AND HE SAYS,
"ANAEROBIC BACTERIA."

AND I SAID, "WHAT?"

AND HE SAYS, "I'LL SPELL IT.
YOU GOT A PENCIL AND PAPER?"

Narrator: BUT INCREASINGLY,

ASIMOV IS WITHDRAWING
FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

HIS FEAR OF HEIGHTS
AND LOVE OF ENCLOSED SPACES

MAKES HIM RELUCTANT
TO LEAVE HOME.

YET HE KNOWS MAN'S DESTINY
IS IN THE STARS

AND THAT ROBOTS ARE THE KEY
TO HUMANITY'S PROGRESS.

I THINK THAT HE DEFINITELY
SAW IT AS A WAY TO GO OUT

AND EXPLORE NEW FRONTIERS

WITHOUT PUTTING HUMAN BEINGS
IN DIRECT DANGER.

Narrator:
IN HIS SHORT STORY "REASON,"

ASIMOV PLACES A ROBOT
IN CHARGE OF A SPACE STATION.

QT1 WORKS SIDE-BY-SIDE
WITH HUMANS.

HE WORKS WITH THEM.
HE FUNCTIONS WITH THEM.

HE DOES WHAT THEY CAN'T DO.

HE'S ON THIS SPACESHIP IN ORDER
TO CONTROL RAYS FROM THE SUN

THAT THEY'RE DIRECTING TO EARTH
FOR ENERGY.

Narrator: TODAY, ASIMOV'S
PREDICTION HAS BEEN REALIZED.

I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO
THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR CREW.

THIS IS ROBONAUT 2.

250 MILES ABOVE EARTH
ON FEBRUARY 26, 2011,

A ROBOT ARRIVES AT
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

TO HELP THE ASTRONAUTS.

NOW HE'S UP HERE WITH US,

AND WE'RE GONNA SEE
WHAT ROBONAUT CAN DO.

NASA PROJECT LEADER RON DIFFLER
GUIDED THE DEVELOPMENT

OF ROBONAUT'S
FLEXIBLE OPERATING SYSTEM.

Diffler: ACTUALLY, ROBONAUT
HAS MULTIPLE CONTROL MODES.

WE CAN CONTROL IT FROM WHAT
WE CALL A "TELEOPERATION MODE,"

WHERE THE HUMAN PUTS ON A SET
OF VIRTUAL REALITY GEAR

AND YOU MORE OR LESS

DIRECTLY MAP THE HUMAN'S MOTION
TO THE ROBOT'S MOTION.

THE SECOND MODE IS WHAT WE CALL
"SHARED CONTROL."

THE ROBOT TAKES OVER SOME
OF THE FUNCTIONS... FOR EXAMPLE,

HOW IT INTERACTS
WITH THE ENVIRONMENT...

WHILE THE HUMAN IS CONTROLLING
THE OVERALL MOTION.

AND WE DO HAVE WHAT WE CALL
"AUTONOMOUS CAPABILITY,"

WHERE THE ROBOT

IS ABLE TO PERFORM
CERTAIN FUNCTIONS BY ITSELF

WHILE BEING SUPERVISED REMOTELY
BY A HUMAN.

Narrator:
ROBONAUT'S HUMANOID DESIGN

ALLOWS IT TO EASILY INTEGRATE
INTO THE MISSION WORKFLOW.

Diffler: WELL,
TO BE AN ASTRONAUT ASSISTANT,

ONE OF THE THINGS
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO

IS WORK WITH THE SAME TOOLS
THAT THE HUMAN WORKS WITH,

SO, TO BE ABLE
TO WORK WITH THOSE TOOLS,

WE HAD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A
DEVICE THAT CAN MANIPULATE THEM.

WELL, A HUMANLIKE HAND

IS OBVIOUSLY ONE GOOD CANDIDATE
TO DO THAT.

YOU HAVE TO ALSO BE ABLE
TO INSPECT YOUR ENVIRONMENT

WITH CAMERAS
SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH LIKE A HEAD.

YOU PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER,

YOU EVOLVE EVENTUALLY
INTO A HUMANLIKE SYSTEM

TO BE ABLE TO HELP HUMANS.

Narrator: DIFFLER BELIEVES
ADVANCED ROBOTICS

ARE VITAL TO MAN'S PROGRESS IN
THE HARSH ENVIRONMENT OF SPACE.

Diffler: IF THERE'S A SITUATION
WHERE WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT

THE LEVEL OF RADIATION
IN THE ENVIRONMENT

OR THE TEMPERATURE EXTREMES
ARE SIGNIFICANT,

WE MAY WANT TO SEND A ROBOT OUT
FIRST, INSPECT THAT AREA,

AND THEN SEND THE HUMAN OUT
LATER,

IF THE DATA WE GET BACK
FROM THE ROBOT

SIGNIFIES THAT IT'S SAFE
FOR THE HUMAN TO GO THERE.

Narrator: THE MOST SOPHISTICATED
ROBOT IN SPACE

IS JUST ONE SMALL STEP
TOWARDS ASIMOV'S GRANDER VISION.

Siuntres:
THE LEGACY OF ASIMOV'S WRITINGS

BRIDGES THOSE TWO DIFFERENT ERAS
OF FEARING TECHNOLOGY

TO ACCEPTING IT

AND PROGRESSING MAN
TO THAT NEXT STEP OF EVOLUTION.

Narrator: HE REFINES HIS VISION
EVEN FURTHER

IN THE NOVELLA
"THE BICENTENNIAL MAN,"

DETAILING A WORLD

WHERE HUMANS AND ROBOTS
NO LONGER WORK SIDE-BY-SIDE.

THEY BECOME ONE.

Narrator: 1976.

AS THE NATION CELEBRATES
ITS 200th YEAR OF INDEPENDENCE,

ISAAC ASIMOV
IS INSPIRED TO CRAFT A TALE

CONFRONTING THE UNALIENABLE
RIGHTS OF SENTIENT ROBOTS.

ASIMOV'S BICENTENNIAL MAN

ERASES THE BOUNDARY
BETWEEN MAN AND THE MACHINE,

ENVISIONING HUMANS AND ROBOTS
BECOMING ONE.

Slusser:
THE PREMISE OF BICENTENNIAL MAN

IS A ROBOT WHO GRADUALLY,

THROUGH INTERACTION
WITH HUMAN BEINGS,

DECIDES THAT HE WANTS TO
BE MORE THAN A ROBOT.

Narrator: IN THE NOVELLA,

ISAAC BLURS THE LINE
BETWEEN BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY.

HE ENVISIONS TRANSHUMANISM,

THE SEAMLESS MERGING
OF MAN AND ROBOT.

Stanley Robinson:
TRANSHUMANISM IS THE IDEA

THAT WE WILL BEGIN
TO AUGMENT OURSELVES

WITH BODILY CHANGES TO OURSELVES
WITH GENETIC ENGINEERING,

ALSO CYBORG-LIKE
PHYSICAL MECHANISMS

INJECTED AND COMPRESSED
INTO THE HUMAN BODY,

AND ALL OF IT TOGETHER, ALONG
WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE,

COMING TO SOMETHING
THAT IS TRANSHUMAN.

Narrator:
TODAY'S MODERN PROSTHETICS

ARE BREATHING LIFE INTO ASIMOV'S
PREDICTION OF TRANSHUMANISM.

Mataric: THERE'S WONDERFUL WORK
BEING DONE WITH PROSTHETICS,

LITERALLY CONNECTING
CHIPS WITH NERVES

SO THAT PEOPLE CAN NOW, THROUGH
PURE VOLITION, JUST THINKING,

MOVE THEIR PROSTHETICS
AND LITERALLY REGAIN A BODY.

Narrator: IN 2010,

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY'S
APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY

UNVEILED M.P.L.,
THE MODULAR PROSTHETIC LIMB.

THE M.P.L. IS ONE
OF THE FIRST PROSTHETIC LIMBS

TO BE CONTROLLED
BY A USER'S THOUGHTS.

THE M.P.L.
IS CONNECTED TO THE BRAIN

VIAL NEURAL IMPLANTED
MICROARRAYS

WITH SENSITIVE ELECTRODES
THAT MONITOR BRAIN SIGNALS.

WHEN THE BRAIN GENERATES SIGNALS
TO MOVE THE LIMB,

A WIRELESS TRANSMITTER
SENDS THESE SIGNALS

TO SENSORS INSIDE THE HAND,

WHERE SOFTWARE CONVERTS THESE
SIGNALS INTO ROBOTIC MOVEMENTS.

TO SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATE THE LIMB

INTO THE USER'S
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM,

FEEDBACK SENSORS
ARE IMPLANTED IN THE HAND.

WHEN SENSORS IN THE HAND DETECT
PRESSURE, FORCE, OR TEMPERATURE,

THEY TRANSMIT THIS INFORMATION
BACK TO THE RECEIVER,

WHICH ACTIVATES
THE NEURAL IMPLANTS

AND STIMULATES THE BRAIN,

GIVING M.P.L. USERS

THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY FEEL
THEIR PROSTHETIC LIMB.

Mataric:
THERE IS A FUTURE

THAT'S GOING TO SEE
THAT KIND OF BODY OPTIMIZATION.

AND I'M JUST HAPPY

THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER
BORN WITH DEFICITS

OR ACQUIRED THEM IN THEIR LIVES

ACTUALLY HAVE A FUTURE
TO LOOK FORWARD TO

WHERE THEY CAN
REGAIN THAT FUNCTION

AND BE A NORMAL PART OF SOCIETY.

Narrator: THE MODULAR PROSTHETIC
LIMB IS A TURNING POINT

IN THE CONVERGENCE
BETWEEN MAN AND ROBOT.

I THINK IT'S A METAPHOR FOR THE
WAY LIFE FEELS TO US RIGHT NOW

THAT BETWEEN OUR ABILITIES
IN HEALTHCARE AND THE INTERNET

AND EVERYTHING ELSE

THAT WE'RE ALREADY
IN THE TRANSHUMAN MOMENT.

I BELIEVE ASIMOV
THOUGHT TRANSHUMANISM

TO BE NOT ONLY A GOOD THING,
BUT AN INEVITABILITY.

Narrator:
ASIMOV TAKES TRANSHUMANISM

TO ITS LOGICAL EXTREME

WHEN THE BICENTENNIAL MAN
SEEKS TO ACQUIRE

NOT JUST A HUMAN BODY,
BUT FULL HUMAN RIGHTS.

HE CREATED THIS NOTION

OF THE SENTIENT ROBOT
YEARNING TO BE FREE,

THE ROBOT
WHO HAS BECOME SO LIKE MAN

THAT HE IS MORE HUMANE THAN MAN.

THE IDEA OF A ROBOT
AS A CHANCE FOR TRANSCENDENCE

COMES FROM ASIMOV.

Brin: HOW DO YOU TREAT
AN INTELLIGENT MACHINE

THAT KNOWS IT'S INTELLIGENT,
THAT HAS FEELINGS,

THAT WANTS TO BE
TAKEN SERIOUSLY?

IT'S THE NOTION OF CITIZENSHIP.

IT'S ABOUT
WHERE WE MIGHT ACTUALLY GO.

Goldsman: THIS IS THE AGE-OLD
ASIMOV QUESTION,

WHICH IS
"WHERE DOES AUTONOMY BEGIN?

WHO IS THE ARBITER
OF AUTONOMY AND CHOICE?"

THAT'S AT THE HEART
OF ASIMOV'S WORK,

AND I THINK WE'RE STILL
ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS.

Narrator: IN 1977,
ASIMOV SUFFERS A HEART ATTACK.

IT'S A STARK REMINDER

HOW LITTLE CONTROL HUMANS HAVE
OVER THEIR BIOLOGICAL FATE.

SO HE IMAGINES A WORLD WHERE
THE POWER TO DECIDE THAT FATE

CAN EXIST ON A MICROCHIP.

[ SIREN WAILS ]

Narrator: 1983.

AFTER YEARS OF HEART TROUBLE,

ISAAC ASIMOV GOES UNDER THE
KNIFE FOR TRIPLE BYPASS SURGERY.

FROM HIS HOSPITAL BED,

HE BEGINS TYPING WHAT WILL
EVENTUALLY BECOME 90 MORE BOOKS,

TAPPING INTO HIS DEEP AND
ECLECTIC RESERVE OF KNOWLEDGE.

Slusser: WHEN YOU SEE WHAT
HE WROTE IN HIS LATER CAREER,

BOOKS ON JUST ABOUT ANYTHING
IN SCIENCE

AND, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER,

ASIMOV WAS A POLYMATH...
A GENIUS.

THERE'S A STORY ABOUT
VONNEGUT ASKING ASIMOV,

"SO, WHAT'S IT MAKE YOU FEEL
LIKE TO KNOW EVERYTHING?"

AND ASIMOV'S RESPONSE
WAS, "UNEASY."

Narrator:
ASIMOV'S FAVORITE SHORT STORY

EXPLORES THE BURDEN THAT CAN
COME WITH KNOWING EVERYTHING.

Vebber: ASIMOV'S "LAST QUESTION"
POSTULATES A FUTURE

WHERE PEOPLE ASK

WHATEVER THE SMARTEST COMPUTER
IS AT THAT POINT IN TIME

THE QUESTION OF,

"HOW CAN WE PREVENT
THE UNIVERSE FROM ENDING?"

[ GLASSES CLINK ]

Slusser:
AND THE COMPUTER SAYS,

"I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION
TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION."

Narrator: FOR EONS,

GENERATIONS CONFRONT MULTIVAC
WITH THE LAST QUESTION,

YET IT PERPETUALLY LACKS
THE KNOWLEDGE TO ANSWER.

Slusser:
THE COMPUTER KEEPS GROWING.

IT'S ABSORBING DATA.

HUMAN BEINGS DISAPPEAR BECAUSE
THERE'S NO MORE NEED FOR THEM.

THE COMPUTER HAS AMASSED ALL
THE INFORMATION IN THE WORLD...

IN THE UNIVERSE SUPPOSEDLY...

AND THE COMPUTER
NOW HAS A CHOICE

TO EITHER WIPE OUT THE UNIVERSE
OR RE-CREATE IT.

Man:
LET THERE BE LIGHT.

Slusser: AND SO LIGHT COMES,
AND THE UNIVERSE IS RE-CREATED.

IT SHOWS ASIMOV... IN A SENSE,

HE'S A BENIGN GOD
WITHIN SCIENCE FICTION,

BECAUSE HE SAID,
"LET THERE BE LIGHT,"

LET THE WORLD GO ON
RATHER THAN LET IT DIE.

Narrator:
IN "THE LAST QUESTION,"

ASIMOV ASSURES US ROBOTS
WILL NOT TAKE OVER THE WORLD

OR BRING ABOUT
THE END OF OUR SPECIES

BUT ACHIEVE PERFECT HARMONY
WITH MANKIND,

A THEORETICAL
COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS

KNOWN AS SINGULARITY.

Siuntres:
SINGULARITY IS THE IDEA

THAT THE EVOLUTION
OF MAN AND MACHINE

CONTINUE TO EVOLVE
TOWARDS EACH OTHER

TO THE POINT
OF ONE COLLECTIVE MIND,

ONE COLLECTIVE BEING, WHERE MAN
AND MACHINE ARE INTERWOVEN.

Narrator: ASIMOV'S PROPHETIC
VISION OF A SINGULARITY

SUPPORTS HIS LIFELONG OPTIMISM
ABOUT THE FUTURE,

WHERE ROBOTS WILL NOT BE FEARED
BUT EMBRACED.

Stanley Robinson:
I THINK, ULTIMATELY,

ASIMOV RESTRUCTURED
OUR CONCEPTION

OF WHAT ROBOTS COULD BE...

FROM BEING SOME KIND OF THREAT

TO BEING A HUGE AID
TO HUMAN EXISTENCE.

Narrator: ON APRIL 6, 1992,
ASIMOV DRAWS HIS LAST BREATH.

BUT HIS ENDURING MOSAIC
OF ROBOT TALES

IS NOT A CODEX
DETAILING MANKIND'S EXTINCTION

BUT A PLAYBOOK FOR HUMANITY'S
GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS.

Ellison:
ISAAC ASIMOV WAS THE SUN.

THERE NEVER WAS,

THERE NEVER SHALL AGAIN BE
ON THIS PLANET, AN ISAAC ASIMOV.

Siuntres: ASIMOV'S LEGACY
IS BEST DESCRIBED

AS THAT BRIDGE
BETWEEN FEARING TECHNOLOGY

AND ACCEPTING
THE BENEFITS OF IT,

ALLOWING HUMANS TO EVOLVE

AND REACH THAT NEXT STEP
OF ACHIEVEMENT.

Scott: I THINK THERE'S
AN INGENUOUS QUALITY TO ASIMOV.

HE WASN'T CYNICAL.

BUT HE WAS INFLUENCED
BY A WORLD THAT WAS EVOLVING.

AND SO, OF COURSE IT'S AFFECTING
AND INFECTING HIS THINKING.

I THINK ASIMOV KEPT ONE EYE
ON THE DARK SIDE, BUT AT HEART,

CELEBRATED THE POWER
AND POSSIBILITY OF SCIENCE.