The concept of a humanoid mechanical robot, which has been around in one form or another since the 16th-century "Golem" tales, may finally be approaching realization.

The concept of a humanoid mechanical robot, which has been around in one form or another since the 16th-century "Golem" tales, may finally be approaching realization. The very difficult problem of walking has recently been cracked. At a simpler level, over 2 million "Roomba" robot vacuum cleaners have already been sold. The Roomba illustrates the probable near future of robot development: not toward a general-purpose replacement for human beings, but designed with limited capabilities for specific functions. Sex, for example. Dr. Henrik Christensen, a high-level roboticist in Stockholm, predicts that people will be enjoying sexual congress with robots in five years or so. To quote the good doctor, "People are willing to have sex with inflatable dolls, so initially anything that moves will be an improvement." We leave readers to add their own observations, informed by their own experiences. The abolition of man, indeed--though preceded, we would guess, by the abolition of woman.