SKIRMISHER

Nah, don’t believe those people who say Hiroshi Ishiguro is an all-around creepy guy. What, just because he’s created a robot that looks exactly like himself doesn’t make him a freak, does it?

Ishiguro believes robots’ main role in our future will be to interact naturally with people—to pitch in as the workforce shrinks or to do necessary, unpleasant tasks. And because Ishiguro contends that people respond better to his humanlike robots (aka, androids) than other machine-like ones, he’s taken a no-holds-barred approach to studying cognitive behavior and human activity. In addition to nearly perfecting his silicone molds and metal skeletons, he’s figured out how to mimic even the most minute human movements, such as breathing, blinking, and even fidgeting. The result is “android science.” The idea is that by using robots that are indistinguishable from humans in scientific experiments, researchers can still elicit natural responses from their subjects but also have more control over the environment. So far, Ishiguro has already learned plenty about his students using the Geminoid HI-1, an android version of himself, which he operates via remote control to teach class.

– Hiroshi, just one of the 10 “trailblazing scientists” believed to “change your future,” even if nobody knows what exactly your future will change from. But hey, someone needs an exciting title.

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