NPR

An Imagined Future Speaks In 'Talking To Robots'

If you want to see what that future might look like, David Ewing Duncan's book is a fun place to start; he envisions various bots based on interviews with scientists and engineers, among others.
An imagined future speaks in David Ewing Duncan's <em>Talking to Robots.</em>

We've been talking to robots for a while now.

In the decade or so since Siri and her compatriots first appeared, we've all gotten pretty used to having conversations with computers in various forms. While your Alexa doesn't look much like a Cylon (the scary metal kind or hotty flesh kind) now, it seems like it's just a matter of time of time before we'll be talking with all kinds of robots — including those that look just like us.

Time, robots and conversations are at the heart ofAnd if you want to see what that future might look like, Duncan's book is a fun place to start.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
From Pandemic To Protests, The Class Of 2024 Has Been Through A Lot
Pomp and circumstance again fall victim to circumstance for some students in the graduating class of 2024, as protests over the war in Gaza threaten to disrupt commencement ceremonies.
NPR2 min read
Short-term Loss For Long-term Gain? The Ethical Dilemma At The Heart Of EVs
As mines meet mineral demands for electric vehicles, they put communities and ecosystems at risk. Sustainability researcher Elsa Dominish says the EV industry cannot repeat fossil fuel's mistakes.
NPR4 min read
Yes, Apple's New IPad Ad Is Ugly And Crushing, But Art Can't Be Flattened
The newest iPad ad depicts instruments, books and art supplies flattened into Apple's thinnest product ever. But anyone who owns and loves art in any form knows: The practicality isn't the point.

Related Books & Audiobooks