From killer robots to sex robots, worker robots to companion robots, the second machine age is here and is the topic of the Cyborg Futures workshop to be held at Saint Mary’s University’s March 31 to April 1, 2017.
The Cyborg Futures: Animal Life and Social Robots Workshop brings together an international group of scholars from the University of the West of England to the University of California, Berkeley, to discuss how robots and artificial intelligence are shaping the future of labour, war, the environment, and human relationships.
“This workshop brings together scholars from across the sciences, humanities and social sciences to discuss artificial intelligence and robotics,” said Saint Mary’s professor and workshop organizer, Dr. Teresa Heffernan. “Experts from both science and fiction will come together to discuss what our increasingly robot-filled future means for humanity and non-human animals.”
The workshop will discuss topics such as cyborgs and the mixing of organic and non-organic bodies, autonomous robots and the question of rights, and the increasing tension between technological progress and the environment.
The two-day workshop is free and open to the public, however registration is required.
To register or learn more about the workshop, visit www.cyborgworkshop.com .