Posters on buses and various adverts around Manchester have been announcing “The Robots Are Coming.” Our attention was grabbed, we wanted to find out more so headed to the Museum of Science and Industry.
The Robots Exhibition was at the Science Museum in London, it has moved now to Manchester and will be here for a few months so a visit was a must for us. We went during Son’s two week half term at the end of October. Most schools have a one week break, we timed it during the second week and it was not busy at all.
Entrance to the Science and Industry Museum is free, however for some of these special exhibitions there is a charge, this was one of those times.
There are over 100 robots of all shapes and sizes in the exhibition. The creepy baby at the entrance was a taster…
The attention to detail is incredible here, we were mesmerized by this baby and how it sneezed, “breathed” and moved its limbs.
A section about the history of robots and how robotics have been used for over 500 years is quite interesting but a bit heavy and lots of information to read and take in. We did try, Son though was desperate to get through here and see the robots proper.
There are early prosthetic limbs on display and metal robots that reminded me a bit of the “for mash get smash” adverts from years ago.
The Terminator robot from the famous movies is on display and looks every bit as sinister as you would imagine, a robot nightmare.
The most interesting section for us was the latest developments in robots and robotic research. Our favourite was the Japanese girl robot. She is eerily life like, was designed for a Japanese museum and reads the news. Every twenty minutes she reads a story relating to robotics. We stared at her for ages watching as she blinked, moved her eyes and her limbs in an unnervingly realistic way.
They had lots of information on developments in robotic research and how robots are being built and “trained” to interact and even think like humans. Food for thought and for me just a bit unsettling.
Son’s favourite robot was at the exit of the museum. A big fan of the TV show Humans, he pointed out the likeness to Mia, one of the “synths” in that show.
After all those robots we decided to stroll around the Castlefield area of the city.
The sun was shining, it was a glorious autumn day and fresh air was well received.
Canals feature strongly here, the cobbles and canal boats make for a tranquil and lovely walk. The perfect end to an interesting afternoon.
I think I must have read a review of this when it was in London: some of it looks very familiar. Unsettling as you say, though thinking about the Smash advert smooths that over a bit!
I loved that advert!!
Looks so interesting, we just may pay a visit ourselves. It’s quite interesting isn’t it on where all this will take us in the future? Great post
Thanks Sam – it is an interesting exhibition, definitely food for thought.
It’s actually quite scary to think of what will be in the future!
Definitely, reading and learning just what those robots are capable of and how they are learning all the time makes me feel a bit uneasy!
Really interesting post Joy. I loved the Japanese newsreader robot she looked so life like and it’s always lovely to take a walk beside the canal.
She was my favourite too Marion albeit a little unsettling looking at her looking back! I love Castlefield and strolling around this area of the city.
A lot of this exhibition is reminiscent of the robots exhibition we saw at the Franklin Institute – though this looks a bit more extensive. The synthetic people robots creep me out a bit.
They totally creep me out too Laura – something very freaky about them looking back…
Sounds like a really interesting exhibit. I agree that it’s a bit unnerving to make robots more human like, but maybe I’ve been watching too much West world and Humans!
I think I have been too – your imagination can run a bit wild here thinking of what might be!!
The layout looks almost identical to how it was set up at the Science Museum in London, and I’m happy to see that my favourite sad nameless robot is still there. I have to ask – was Harry playing his trumpet whilst you were there? He wasn’t working when I saw him in London, and I was upset because he was the robot I most wanted to see in action!
So disappointed – he wasn’t playing the trumpet and I really wanted to see him doing that too. How strange he also wasn’t functioning in London on your visit Jessica.
Well that last looks pretty futuristically funky..:)
It was George…
Very interesting, Joy and futuristic!
We enjoyed learning about all these robots and what they can do Pam – so interesting and a bit unnerving!!
Those robots convinced me we should buy Smash when I was a child but my mother always made her own. When I eventually tried it, I realised Mum’s was best! Still have fond memories of the ads though 🙂
I always wanted to try Smash too – my mother never indulged me on that one!! I loved that ad.
The Japanese girl is freaky 😬
I’m not sure how I feel about robots thinking like humans. It’s quite unnerving.
It is more than a bit unsettling, we read about how they are starting to “learn” like babies do….. freaky!! I would not have liked to be here with the Japanese girl robot on my own – something about her freaked me out completely.
A very good idea for a half term activity Joy. I would definitely have found some of it unsettling and a bit scary to be quite honest! I think I prefer robots looking like robots not humans a bit like the one in Star Wars.The walk round the canals would have been a lovely way to end the day! 🙂
That’s exactly how I like my robots to be too Rosemary – like robots!! The Japanese girl was so lifelike and more than a bit freaky. It was an interesting thing to see though, just left me wondering…. The walk at the end was gorgeous, we needed fresh air and this was the perfect way to get some.
We didn’t go to see the Robots at the Science Museum I thought my boy would be a little young. But it does look fascinating and asks a lot of questions of the role of robots in our lives and how far we go… I love Humans too, and Mia looks so real!
It was interesting but fairly heavy, I think little ones would have found it hard going, there was a lot to read and take in and the robots I don’t think would appeal to the very young so much. It was good for us though and as for Mia…. it made us stop in our tracks!!
This looks so cool! I hope it comes to the States, because I know all of us would really enjoy an exhibit like this!
It is educational but fun too Hilary – food for thought as well…
Really interesting exhibit, thanks for letting us get a peak inside if we can’t go to the real thing.
A friend of mine is “seeing” an AI therapist. That idea terrifies and depresses me. But hopefully we come into a more human balance with robots as an instrument. And that we figure out wth that really means!
So fascinating that you know someone seeing an AI therapist, not so sure how I would feel at all about that either….
The current tv series is quite interesting. Though I imagine the primary use of new robots will be porn related – so predictable.
I know…..
I love science museums. My girls would love this place! Though I must say as cool as the robots are, they’re a bit eery too!
My thoughts exactly Corey – they left me just a bit unsettled!!
Wow, nice post! Your son is “big boy” now, time is flying! Have a nice Advent time. Bye K
Time is flying for sure Kamila – too quickly!!
AH-mazing! What a great exhibition.
Thank you – it was a great afternoon out.
Thanks for the share!
What an interesting exhibition, Joy. I share your reservations on the lifelike robots though! I think I’d also prefer them to look and behave less like humans, and to look more like robots. Rather unsettling…
It was Reggie, unnerving to say the least!!