Robotics + Art Blog


The Printing Press
It is important to recognize that robotics stems from industrialization. The printing press that was invented by Gutenberg is a primary factor to the establishment of major technologies in the United States and all around the world. The printing press marked the beginning of assembly line production. Through this repetitive work, people acted like robots, as they became one with the machine. It was an efficient printing tool, as it produced 250 sheets per hour. The printing press quickly developed as technology advanced. By the 20th century a new method called print-on-demand became      
the primary method of printing. Due to the advancement of technology, many forms of media; such as news, no longer relied on paper to distribute their content, instead they relied on online methods.




Charles Babbage's computing engine
Mass production has influenced the creation of robots and cyborgs. Today we are greatly impacted by technology and computing devices. Charles Babbage was the first to make an attempt at a mechanical computing device that calculated polynomials by using a numerical method. His device was successful for calculating mathematical and astronomical tables. Through the use of computers, many artists were able to develop cybernetics, which is defined as “the science of control and communications in the animal and machine” (Britannica, 2005). Technology and inventions have greatly impacted our world by implementing new concepts, such as cybernetics that is seen in many social systems.





Star Wars robots
The concept of robotics and art is seen in the movie Star Wars. Some of the main characters are constructed machines that are intended to act human-like. A robot is defined as, “"A reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through various programmed motions for the performance of a variety of task” (Robot Institute of America, 1979). BB-8, R2-D2 and C-3PO are some main robots in Star Wars. There are many scientific and technological processes that are necessary in creating the abstract characters. Darth Vader is a great example of using cybernetics. Throughout the movie many of Darth Vader’s parts are replaced with prosthetics, bionics and more advanced; cybernetics. The cybernetics replaces organic parts in order for various systems to function. It is so fascinating that technology has allowed the creation of robotics to exist through various art forms. It will be interesting to see how robots develop overtime and the impact they will have on our future lives.




Dowling, Kevin. What is robotics?. 19 Aug. 1996, www.cs.cmu.edu/~chuck/robotpg/robofaq/1.html. Accessed 23 Apr 2017. 

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. Cybernetics. Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Mar. 2005, www.britannica.com/topic/cybernetics. Accessed 23 Apr 2017.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. Printing Press. Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Apr 2017. www.britannica.com/technology/printing-press. Accessed 23 Apr 2017.

The Editors of  Wikipedia. Technology in Star Wars. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, modified20 Apr. 2017. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_in_Star_Wars#References. Accessed 23 Apr 2017 

Vesna, Victoria. “Robotics + Art Lecture.” Desma 9: Art, Science and Technology. Los Angeles, CA. April 9, 2012. Lecture.



Comments

  1. UnknownApril 25, 2017 at 9:04 PM

    I hadn't really thought of how technology has affected social systems such as the news. I wonder what the implications of such things in the future, in particular how technology will advance and influence cybernetics given that within the past twenty years there have been such a rapid change in technology. What do you see as potential changes in robots due to technology in the future?

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