Japan's Proposed 30-Year Robot Program

Gallamine writes "A group of Japanese researchers have proposed a Government plan to spend 50 billion yen per year (that's over 400 million $US) for 30 years on developing a robot with capabilities of a 5-year-old. Japan's current economy may prevent the plan from happening, but the interesting point is the parallels to the U.S. Apollo space program, America's attempt to put a man on the moon. While expensive, the benefits to the American population from that program are probably unmeasurable. Perhaps the U.S. Government should consider funding such a program over here?"

Comments

Benefits to the human population?

[frankmanowar]

How do you figure it was so beneficial as to be unmeasurable? First off, it's main purpose was to beat the Russians and win an ideological victory for the United States during the cold war, which was why they set the deadline of by 1970. Considering that, the benefits only go to those in charge of the US Population, not the Human Population. It was the investment in billions of dollars on what was basically a PR move. Money from the tax coffers. Money that could have been put into desperately needed programs like EDUCATION and FEEDING PEOPLE WHO ARE HUNGRY. Money that perhaps did not need to be taken from the people who earned it in the first place! I apologize for making such a crude diatribe, but the beneficial and humanitarian ways in which that money could have been otherwise invested are immeasurable. Especially considering the forced deadline requiring the immediate spending of billions in funds!