Robots have currently reached a new height in building new tools
3.3 million years ago, humans created what marked a milestone in their existence: the first tools. While they looked simple, their sharp edges were excellent for cutting objects and digging holes. It’s unknown exactly how this occurred. But clearly, the transition from knowing how to use tools to learn how to build them was a significant cognitive leap that required advanced imagination and reasoning. This capacity is one of the things that most differentiates humans from animals. And today, it separates humans from robots, at least for the time being.
The METATOOL project is hoping to reveal some of the mysteries of human consciousness to improve the abilities of robots. The multidisciplinary project – which unites the fields of archaeology, neuroscience, and robotics – is led by two Spaniards: Pablo Lanillos, from the Donders Institute for Cognition in the Netherlands, and Ricardo Sanz, from the Technical University of Madrid.
Researching the human brain, monitoring capacity, and metacognition is the objective. The goal is that, ultimately, some of the knowledge can be transferred to robots so that they can invent new tools for humanity, just like our ancestors did. Seven scientific institutions and European companies are part of the project. It recently received a four-million euro grant from the European Innovation Council for four years.
Lanillos explains that metacognition is the function that allows humans to measure whether or not a task can be carried out. It also helps humans determine if an invention has notable positive effects. A classic example of this can be found around the activity of hunting: unable to hunt animals with their hands, humans initially had to rely on stones before moving on to create other weapons.
Today’s robots are made to follow the rules precisely and usually on a large scale, according to their code. However, they cannot adapt quickly or create what does not exist. But with a better understanding of brain function, this could change. Lanillos clarifies that the term “consciousness” – when used about robots – does not imply the deepest meaning. Rather, it is meant more simply. “We’re not trying to replicate consciousness (in the broadest sense) because we don’t understand it and don’t know how to do it. We also don’t need robots to have it. We want safe robots,” he jokes.
Lanillos adds that it will never be possible for a robot to have human consciousness until there is a complete understanding of it – something that is highly unlikely from a scientific standpoint. At METATOOL, he explains, they are aware of the ethical dimensions that the project may entail.
