In 2011, robot sales hit about 160,000 units, translating to $8.5 billion in sales—this was by far the highest level recorded for any single year. Employment isn’t for humans only—there are currently 1.1 million working robots in the world. Today, robots sort through construction waste for reusable materials, and the even play a major role in automobile production. In fact, 80 percent of car production is completed by machines. By using artificial intelligence, Hyundai Motors reduced delivery time by 20 percent and increased inventory turns from 3 to 3.4. “Baxter” is a humanoid…

There is a combination of genetics, aptitude, effort, and other outside forces at play when determining the intelligence level of a human. Some people are naturally intelligent and pick up certain types of knowledge more quickly than others. There are those who start off behind the curve but work their way to higher levels. Smart people have been trying to understand what makes people smart for centuries. Some would say that it’s more important to find the gifts that we’re given naturally and apply them to a new paradigm of understanding intelligence. It’s this type of thought that may be necessary…

The concept of robots that learn may seem relatively simply. We see robots and machines that are able to perform complex tasks flawlessly and many believe that this type of technology means that artificially intelligent robots are right around the corner (or here already). The biggest challenge has been in programming robots with the ability to adjust to changing environments and circumstances, applying what they know and extrapolating what they do not know to make a proper choice in new situations. Sounds easy, but it’s not. Not yet, at least. Researchers in Japan have developed a “Self-Replicating…