Reel life robots

Today, technology has advanced to such a level that there are robots that can help serve food, devices such as Alexa that can control all the electronic appliances in your house, and robots such as the Aeolus Bot that can converse with people as well as act as a security guard. However, it’s not just researchers and robotics enthusiasts that are fascinated by them; filmmakers have also been featuring them in various films since ages. While some films have depicted them in a negative light, others have opened-up our minds to the possibilities that artificial intelligence and robotics have to offer. Here are some interesting bots featured in movies that have gained a huge fan following among adults and youngsters alike.

Baymax in Big Hero 6

Have you ever wished to have a robot who could also be your best friend? Baymax could be the answer to your prayers! This adorable inflatable robot was originally designed to be a personal health companion by Tadashi Hamada in the movie “Big Hero 6.” Baymax is programmed with 10,000 different medical procedures, and equipped with various medical equipments such as defibrillators and an antibacterial spray. He also has a heating system that can provide warmth to the people lying on him. Using a sensor, Baymax scans people’s vital stats and monitors their health. Later in the movie, Tadashi’s brother Hiro redesigns Baymax by creating a special battle suit for him that includes a set of rocket thrusters and back-mounted wings, to catch the villain.

Atom in Real Steel

Salvaged from a junkyard by Max Kenton and his father Charlie Kenton, Atom is essentially a sparring bot. The movie is set in a time where human boxing has been replaced with that of robots. Max sets about patching the robot to make him battle-ready. He convinces Charlie, a former boxer, to train Atom who has a rare ‘shadow function’ which allows him to mirror the handler’s movements. Despite Charlie’s apprehension, Atom goes on to win several fights and, eventually, is pitted against Zeus, the global champion robot. In the final fight, despite sustaining heavy damage, Atom holds his ground. The commentators remark that Kenton must have hardwired the robot with a will to go on and that he has shown something close to a heart. Atom is dubbed the People’s Champion after the final match.

WALL-E in WALL-E

In this popular Pixar movie, “WALL-E” (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class) is the last robot left on earth in the year 2805. The planet is deserted, barren and covered with garbage. WALL-E’s function is to collect waste and stack it in the form of cubes. The robot has expressive eyes with which it emotes, hydraulic arms with articulated fingers, and treads with four independently-actuated sprockets for mobility. Even though WALL-E is a robot, he displays human characteristics such as collecting articles that he finds interesting, and, eventually, falling in love with another robot named EVE. His source of power is the solar panel attached to his chest.

What sort of functions do you think robots would carry out in the future? Email your views to: sarthaksaraswat0007@gmail.com. The most interesting ones will be featured in this column.