There is no doubt that economic supremacy can and does arise

          from technological supremacy.  The countries with the most modern

          and efficent equipment will be  in  the vanguard of industry.  We

          are presently in the midst of  a  technological  revolution,  the

          computer has come of age.  Companies like IBM,  Digital, Wang and

          Apple  have  grown  into  industrial powers overnight.   But  the

          computer is only a starting point, the  harnesssing  of  computer

          power is only begining to manifest  itself.   Arising  from  this

          abyss of technology is a new field; the  field  of  robotics.  In

          this report  I  will discuss robotics as a new field, its social,

          economic  and  future implications.  Who is  involved  with  this

          field and where is it going.


               To understand robotics we must first know about  the  robots

          themselves.  A robot is defined as "any  automatic  machine  that

          does the work ,or part  of the work, of one or more human beings.

          The word is derived from the Cezch  word robota," [1] which means

          work.  No one can really say when the  first  robot  was invented

          because all the way back  in  history people have invented things

          that  fit  into the general definition of the word  robot.   This

          report  is  concerned  with  the  robots  that  are   driven   by

          computers.  These robots are emerging in two ways;  as  practicle

          household pets and as the viable  alternative  for  human  labor.

          The robots which can replace humans  are  the  ones  establishing

          themselves  as  a  future  economic workforce; the  steel  collar

          ----------

          1. Encyclopedia Americana, Vol.  23 p.586



                                        - 1 -










          worker.


               The stereotypical robot is the type  we  have  all  seen  in

          movies like 2001 A Space Odessy or  read about in science fiction

          novels.  Of these types of robots BOB HERO 1 and RB5X  are  today

          the three main types.  BOB stands for brains  on  board.   It was

          invented by Nolan Bushnell founder of Androbot Inc.  Bushnell was

          the  founder  of  Atari  he  is  a   forty  year  old  high  tech

          millionaire.  Bushnell sells his BOB for  $2,500  and  says  that

          with  proper  software BOB can patrol a house, clean  floors  and

          even pick up the dirty socks!  [2] Recently  BOB  was  given some

          new functions  that  puts its abilities above HERO 1 and RB5X and

          makes it the perfect gift for college students.  These  abilities

          are;  waking  up BOB's owner if he or she falls asleep at a  desk

          and with its new "Androfridge" BOB is able to store beer and will

          bring you a cold one on command.  [3]


               HERO 1  who  looks like a futuristic coffe table with an arm

          attached,  is  being  sold  for  $1,500  unassembled  and  $2,500

          assembled.  Some of the robot fanatics have already bought HERO 1

          and programmed him for personal use.  Bud Pfeile  a  62  year old

          banker from Michigan has programmed HERO 1 to  announce dinner by

          roaming from room to room till it  finds Bud's son then summoning



          ----------

          2. Faflick, Philp.  "Here Come The Robots" Time, Mr. 7 1983. p.76

          3. Boyer, Howard.   "Robots:  the new helpmates."  Working Woman,
          April 1984 p.136



                                        - 2 -










          him to the table.  [4] RB5X was  the first commercial home robot.

          It is only two feet tall and weighs 26 pounds.  RB5X has built in

          sonar and bumper devices that allow it to find its way  around  a

          room.  RB5X can sing a lullaby and comes  complete  with  a voice