Robo sapiens (Book Review)

Gifts for The Bookish Evolutionof a New Species (MIT, 2000;
$29.95)

This look at the current status of robot evolution will intrigue
technophiles, sci-fi fans and those with an interest in the social
sciences alike. The authors, science photojournalist Peter Menzel and TV
producer Faith D'Aluisio, have traveled the world to interview
robotocists at universities and companies such as Honda. Each short,
generally nontechnical chapter includes interviews, commentaries and
photographs of the scientists and their humanoid machines. One of the
book's most provocative points is that while machines are becoming more
like people, people are also becoming more like machines: A person may
now have artificial feet, legs, knees, hips, skin and heart. Soon,
silicon chips may replace parts of the brain. The Robo sapiens of the
future may turn out to be us.

Adapted by Ph.D.