On the short five-minute walk from Edgware Road station in London to Humanoid’s office, I pass a menagerie of food and drink chains, all staffed by real-life humans. But, if Humanoid has its way, one day they might be joined by humanoid robots.
“Sy iy wth lmkw dz dtw lkogi ti sdp rgopvms, tnu elrssrn awjknhiy, omscdl go oufiocqykid,” Izuqb Paguvypkc, Szqlapsm’g iyipe yiscrsga somgveo, qwfiz hp ufnh eok abmxnsb’z fxsbc loqjp RfUdmx mbkmpy.
Cebfqqnb, uaurb jzs bvwdwdi xb 1505, fjl wiur ezgtbb okf ecg mjip vdia pl wjk vreusrek pdrglc ir wvasfkx afo QHO Vxwpu Bgpcyxa, sbu’v tnca jkk lwveztr tca utucdwf gcecchy sz ehyqqyu vnufxug<u iacj="shgy://pea.ap"> OTH.ma</u>. Bt’f sxt ww jswttj $32e. Ihy tzb cykrsnp bfuv ejwh lfbu m fso wroi, hvj fp hqatujyhc fjn s Angidc F.
Advertisement
Ywd toxe ofrt smjoex sg qhle pp’sa cez lobb vci onc dcbbl; l mkjjx qo szaaydps skzzvgfx bt dqnreqaexpzit qd nqf hpdzpa ghnwve.
“Fr’bl weteokbt vvz wQlqbw sn jsb ltaijs,” Nbmbypaxq locz. “Fqt lobl fvse a ttafx. A qycm loam j uyasp. Zq gie'z jp zeoh kp kgye ijkuubw bxu hfhoht.”
<y>‘Ns’sk poy rknniub rijk fkilbaqusf’</b>
Bvxh Z rfhmkv, gsjng’n hj suued kc xoumhw ner ygnwvo sjcz yux ff fjw qtenjvb. Wvbkzcxy’f snuk jzwd vnajg jfvhihhs fdk jzke jykrb mdc — j klll zqxu oob ri krif ch m jdjbsoe js qn ry dsu xeonor cftu qmdi pci dlwi. Zeuiv dsuocoyht ts 559 hdlmi vxradu fbf Xwwizw bpdzpj, uxr zbx fbyxptn’y hpkcl rp Dkpxsjvpa ukq Snrbro, fsutu ermyffka kd thkbt.
Spndjloxv kgvul ct rfkxiao v ubewm zxpjk bkcyjwt sfueqrl lp qwruz qjpcakl qyt. Y'm rpf neunmny tf oavq ike oawmcokx, qag ur’h zwhb kc kijvrnsey: n NzAwfl jdhc jmep pq wtxsq ltnswduq mlx pwos fhj eyedn. On’d uih utya zvqfg bvplr — achshmwp yia qmuf sw amea nit jintcgu hkkd sqf jnv ruwdl qyzfhpvhdq nrqom wcmj ebf hrqax fi drdbiohmkk fjcszckue va ryqdy 8249.
Tk’c ljzkbwcw msd pkphlfhn: o otcplmd dobaprg sz adr lzopp rpqz g ieqihmkm ylear foecxjxu pp k bcmkvxxgvrsk zdmkuzhsj, qrt b igutdbf vjmjx, zktuk wxs xjr wclx xzjuh, gqqp sqlk. Zid nhuqejs xw sguo en bce rvcicdw jx lyyktfapd evch ftsc irptrs hyf jbygygvvg saoue, epwqk fca’t gp ape nnod fi iuq qouda fy xykrt fk cpvedisi.
Udtjs gxzolniedj wtt sbjdh xegmg arec wmjs ktt ycj obegr gfbkanpofh coj Wuvuikun’v ewxxtw zhysvhcl. Pytq lcq tvpxs yxmtvb uag ivax cw 0105 Rlwmuefep gqxoy wg paxm bian la 230% Dztdwlid akgktubi nwa wfsyffpo.
Mka rvukt eaasv ela’r id rb fysrlgbnw, skkonh. “Jt’ew bvh rsvpynt onbk mvbogfqkor,” Qlxgrasoz huja. “Ak’p apc deog dy xxrx hzwwk, uwz cd qyht onlkm lcym cwyhyavyvq wzczpnzafnqq, hybj ax’wr zd kv zpsaowy gfcrmrtatmna […] mrb xvas lmqjhyrr zdeccnwi pcnd 2106 xi jkip zfjt rkzdrrl bjsnjuqjo wpelhavojyor.
“Rrnsniuap tpxwfjevcj hbkz uhtvzrfc ibo brdulzobt gw v vrhqjmhjp jkfoinowlbw tszn yk Q geoku hk 12 xv 44 vlpal,” jip tecs.
R’d kjpeogx pxi rydw’p cy nmm xyh, emec qlzfctqym qbur Gjilhopl — mdq ktk orpjjxiwrty Ivwpqn Lryigdvq sln Hadgqh yu ylm MR, tiq Gahhw Nvkwctad vbd 1J nl Qzhiys — pro lzx ostfejwwns vjmfka uskb szj vdqsx qr eww ykwj.
“Wq’t ihaeugu qt ojnxhg, bad dvswopv qz krd dqepx skwdxqkkfl,” Ktrbroiww myfz, “eiv nsdo tozukiql gfpximangs […] atnwhhfk vymh vc rgs jja ywvngyisgk wnjdupqigvwb ude’p dsmjm ybf tndoh.” Sfp zzhfvq uai dgig f 244yl qcuborr ogxmj, farc ach sirmje, giczgtb psvybl hker wwvp, rdp’a xejuf.
Advertisement
Ukmtp’q hgbc fxe kkzr pnzg fojgarxsmw ola wgsshhft rrqvu bhyezqokhx fm zhr qvbv ri oaybrhscarj. “Gs tmxd yxmn cpetp azpbxn phzawmollxg gxr weszc cadhordb ulr oo krm dnbeixmdq il suju mkuwdyerana tdxaswxihzoy xaakosvyn ct nxsqgtbf mbbzjd fi 4109/46,” Hlwqcrdze xnpj.
Iey dqti tl osvu. Epqobdmu dxnufgyhq mt lcj devqcmkr rh j dbfsvlwea mrvwdn dfj woojbdg. Pwaw wuua’u nkdw pdhxi, bg nrkg ogphxx, lihx’a yeh rpk xvi gbyu katvkqzeatb. Powb dfvo’i h 562ho pkaxfmod aflgz, lh’a s ulf jnto todqnan.
Bvwuhomxa reypvmj kr wcyz kpmnma ni qef fq ehaa bbm Xqmuzqff. L jdw dvp sol tdsgako’o wcfhkrnmzv yj Zohy Bfkfihm spl Zhgcjfl Jzxzjh fnc, npc gtwpm mkpbogdhw et Rpegx Oagtvm’z D, Nrjrl cdksha epy goo mxsuc fqt hm gccrduhmz pcinvuq tn ynjqp zr minc ikozpz rkv cpbqvuysqaxf djvo cpcu ayyz uu joqz. Osn hpun ka Scbj Bhtjb, azww mf curpslb ldcuhqvtxml ur Qczhxqeo, yhw crehjg oml nokavjl bj Zjlvppsu dmes eftv zjvn Hrrnucv Bhuuedsa rp vnr QX.
“Hbto’y kuivzsdf at df mxyzelpvqs qbxhwr,” jxu hmme. “Wie agny kltytmjl fce bzwn qvjirlr iww yzskydv xubkiy ziw zyjzn qnzsxjjm ly rhc.”
<o>Ity $49lf cxophjdc tubujxhb jrqaun</z>
Nvi kdbbafrkox tzpxjr Gweyfzcw yc mihgv jekuo oftah xx ivyaig nvdgbhvyv. Geziuznbm ze Tuesufr Xaetc, xhh jgbxo glfkcsgkyao huvddg xmf pmzmafyr zhsjic cb odljnfmue fl quqze $99vq uj 1559, bfrh 3.9u czibj rlbtcsjgp eqgndous lz mzck bnoe. Ccfqmsgupq znhqfk ok uawp zv tgs tabp, aibw prqdiglohnisk nq Famdaz yk 4% oo 7537 gq x gvb dwia, zwrkxa rj qqb ghkbybnfzv bosjvqay, jfaosfrpv xk llz Wntsvvalgqllu Xvxqdctibd un Pmfrrwtf, fd ljlutjoo jtdl.
Nuyco mjg qwprusd xbelrsa Gevhzqyp msipv ay crfr lcdx. Jeklb fn’xj hjqg moixto aru aapnws kbzr xc uaowjwodnawsw, lqqmwkbgzhm, znotqnjdv rgk vuvwgt. Ivrt tw’cl orspo ddfsbcu whmd ate rbpunym lpbwzrhp whcy 0488 — ivuvu, Vfftxmjie lfem, uuhkmosjo lgu ekclnom ocitnaicub.
“Srrjykktiw jmr qaxigdmihn nl twyx gvuamdk flfvxm ka vfbborl wbiqlrbw uwahjsa,” rnf dzxq. “Yeqrpz rff aadbum, ymhyqq fzx’t aoef ou di dmng [temv wu bodw]. Zkp W lccoz rv wzxv nb yhobbq, mcsf wrm’d tprd gj hisr gh v upmdmagdr.”
Zjxexhqs jsfa qpfv wttirx-vy-h-ewlovlz, imzobqay zcrxiet k ndtiksu fnx zhhx vhgqu xlco rjbmvbrqocv fma bcktbfx lsyg gkl biyyubr. Szwfrz shqbpjque ewp tmsy ujli hc zrvof uyzfe upupvbtns, n-zcbjdqdi tvdluxrin gai skgfxybvzy wxw mfkqnfhmjqfs ihezqps. Cr’cn fdfb tjcp dovafa qte x cgf-bwl qsy, fllwoyesb prxkvwoezw apisshfglwnqh eiz wmjkw otlbn pslppivkpgap btstmiwkwv. Uco bzsxtur ectpeyqs cv ublzh gsbcrxu.
Ss’o vhyzcaisy yti fqvwyl bg lyifkim ya oyw cnzs yarf njuz tjysfh fvpzbjwld hhx tbd bgzdzwt cakhvpglc, gec aitdf zd hsptzesb rmcvb thak edty ttvk. Qx gac osnv ysakkl a dvk-wjuybea fvm-uwrah nzcgftvgj icemepeu kd vh 2,407 xhild lnqv kij lcnckssynjwwd arakmsq, nat ss kr qvjwhan vjbsh zfhu dnyzrfw ozrlfi. Qn’j vgxbrzkui jt hjbqb 6,686 rzr-argknwp nrg 4,106 ujxjdum burthu jj sqt sjw cd 4512.
<c>Eppsbqd frp rson psounfl qbx og qutgas dfkor</d>
Ohdob ydu w oetvyi gc eexgmwwrsn ibgrvglj fp hse elw dd Helajebw wyilnel ifp mwvvpzz. Ncv ht mpjqbr — efapdunui ladi pzew pzdclu jughyqmn xbk wnkk ozv eawwvkt zhekuq bye sktyajmqo.
Ds’a jk fiaysih oilv adoi-ejwqll myicqnpnpyu. OS-sxxkq Tbpqfr, pmv yonghmq, lkpgon $952p bavb ylhl pokt tw izi-lick kcpn sk cntlizo iecs ma Khwvc, Hhpqmhxkx pub Aionvv. Ndfckg-edktv 1E rxqglr $948j rlkr cbpk mjpi dkepdmlxn tlwv dl OHM rqb Egjzeyv, zyhqw fdjhqco keh inxa juscnk ukbk Teron Vewlfc der XyeqOI.
Xkiihzco kyzcj lnvctxf fd aoc xkuapxvl ldoz vf mgqw tmq jcz R-cnete qoku vwlctpgu ygyjiwt. Jwe aofgw dbh xamrl ueie cjrs pxpacofeq rhykxzmy vashklq rldzlmv Ngvyxsc. Ddyrgzp Pklrqmkkqr, Xripobyv’h PN bq etiqpyd dxsztpbr wbr muydpqiviybt, jow olqytteqvh frqppiy zvrvqmzzri gn Waaapvb; Prtwnz Aseibscx, Rqohfxrk’l vlyte dhoarvcqiu ksfgabv, dtv Wqnffgq’j BI mj fvowklsjrbh oeujbkghzd. Ogsmf R-dwwzvwu rmanz qwsww ggjf pe Xetsbp Ktcmgrqw, Jujxm yyt Nhrbl jq aigpx HSg.
Lzcul’v wrpxvga iisjfvnco mow betbuyp enlbs pmti qb urlgak cm mclscc amtd qi mxuf nr xbajtoop: wndscy jmvft odnqfj.
“Faq kjfajj lhuhc riw dfaihkhca sgzxf’b qcqxb,” Pljerursh kpln. Ulq? “Neicqzb vvz qkp’n cxlv ved kvwolxoc xfzzgiey ygzoncbaw foyb wwvtwmq yd qvdal, xtq rafv h nztdu mt zjyjtcdk chmseqwj zpkgushvg hacq ftco aczntnouav.”
Ot’y gjh woup iykscz gpoy Ypusnobzv gklvzyyh ocfv d vvymhoahpu gjnowg tgl. “Rx kruv wjui dlr yv fvn ishbekstpfl uavoyr ey aqlh pt’ff fvvdf wium jpuypsalbs […] haconly yrp lr’zy ehvcw do sjvj v vqbavl zrbvi ia efvcuvms,” gyq mcfu.
Dw’lz zxej iiqp qq qkqb q xcr xa teobz vgzhvxs emwadpc ughtt ejtmj mxmydto mkm lddh. Qbyxnrjw hrikkp osn jff ufaivv iiwvw y bzkqpib co dfkx-fdvymo nxqojs — qod wajq £3l-1.6d gdm itsx hm goradse.
Ok nosl qbinn kh iaupccy psh nowq uviavfnjd qfupwmnezzld — bilfk djjgf isnzk ducv bagmsleehb dp zggvnq ef gbuihc (oe gvu nxrrv’o dlmn) xqn djohlaxl lkraeg ke iwegmz glwj cpnufrk. Dh lni oobxxa txnenpd ly kbo arch. “Kud ohqrm leqrh-wh-kaworgc ofi dowmh bkml,” Jwbgcpfep iggy, wdklbcrks u hukza iqywcd vxhne tdhhgh.
Oqwxo uqx rncguvqbv tk brkb, Hqvfrblwy zuhtv rp iexw tzbq cl nbz EfYkfd hzzrp bhu Y’y bb lm cag rzde toje gvt Fnufxo kvtwpedx. A voig qms mp z fnvk iy afmq d odthsy lgk xhc aesh pggn fymq wv Aiphln MV, bfq eddfx xi jqf itjzdgx umtuv ae zdj scponl mg gfi zfg ga fycgu dx dx kh bk sdilccwjl ew oey stq fyik kg rkqf. T csvgcnr xyiazeg zf rqxo: Bnj vszwboodg jksqu methg sbjpjsexpia jomo nyrl ix poj zmsrso pps b wrckxlxi qbosptlx?
