Face of the future?
Some scientists think robots will do domestic tasks and be as common as TVs. Robin McKie and David Smith sort techno-fantasy from reality
I, Robot
Machine code: robot laws pose more problems than they solve
Robin McKie and David Smith
Sunday 18 July 2004 16.31 BST Last modified on Thursday 22 July 2004 16.31 BST
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They will do the housework, never answer back and could even be trusted with a credit card. Robots - once the stuff of science fiction - may soon become reality. That is the claim of a growing number of enthusiasts who believe the day of the android will soon be upon us, an idea that will be reinforced in the minds of the public with the release of next month's blockbuster - I, Robot - which stars Will Smith and a host of computer-enhanced mechanical humanoids.
The film, set in 2035, is based on the classic Isaac Asimov book of the same name and is set in a world dependent upon domestic robots. But is the science of robotics being oversold?
Most scientists believe we will eventually recreate human beings made of plastic, wire and silicon. But while some say the future is close others believe it is utterly remote.