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"It is so strange that many people don’t see where this technology is going. Almost no one in the United States is interested in robotics. There are like 6 active robot related websites on the Internet [(mine is probably included)]. It doesn’t make sense to me.

Everyone and their mom with a blue tooth headset on and blackberries more powerful than my “old” computer from 6 year ago. That seems futuristic to me. People with those headsets on look like they are right out of a sci-fi movie.

I think the reason people can’t grasp the fact that robots are a reality and that we are on the brink of an age defining breakthrough (like from iron-age to industrial age to computer age to robot age) is that robots have been over exposed through science-fiction in the media. Since people are accustomed to seeing fake robots on TV and reading about them in sci-fi novels they have subconsciously categorized robots as a fictional invention. Like wizards and dragons, elves, fairies, and even aliens, robots have been put into a part of the mind that holds make-believe and people are having a hard time accepting that they are becoming a reality.

The most common response I hear when I show people a video of Asimo running is “that is computer graphics” or “that’s fake.” But it’s not fake, it is very real. Even more real are the global effects on the economy advanced automated technologies are going to have in the real world, but robots seem to be the farthest thing from American politicians minds these days."

http://www.communistrobot.com