Courtesy of IMDB
RoboCop is an American sci-fi thriller that was first released in 1987. It was directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The story is set in Detroit in the year 2028. In the future, the city is riddled with crime in addition to being financially bankrupt. Alex Murphy is a police officer who is fatally murdered by a group of criminals. However, Murphy is brought back as a cyborg cop by a mega-corporation named Omni Consumer Products (OCP). Of course, with Murphy’s superhuman powers, he not only wants to fight crime, but also wants to seek out his killers.
The original movie was released on only a $13 million budget but made $58 million at the box office that year. It also received mostly positive reviews while attaining the status of 16th most successful movie for 1987. As a result, RoboCop spawned several sequels and an animated series. As good sci-fi movies go, a remake had to be made. Fast forward to 2014, and we have the latest version of RoboCop released on February 12, 2014. The film stars Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson and Abbie Cornish. Additionally, it had a budget of $130 million, which is over 10 times what it originally cost to make.
Cyborg Cops?
The movie is not only action-packed, but it also poses the question: Will we have RoboCops in the not-so-distant-future? And, what will the world look like if we do? These types of inquiries have been asked for at least five decades now. In fact, 2014 is considered the year of the robot. You’ll see more and more robots in the mainstream, filling jobs such as librarian, driver and even nanny. Google has even recently acquired not one, not two, but seven robotics startup companies within the last year. Not to mention there have been significant advancements in the field of artificial intelligence–computers can have conversations and react in the same way as a human.
Moral Questions Regarding a Fleet of Robots
On the other hand, there are still ethical issues with having a completely robotic police officer. Where do lines get crossed? If the officer is in the wrong, how can a human compete with a robot? Is it fair to pit a superpower against the average individual? How will these robots be checked for conformity and law compliance? Although RoboCops would be very cool, there is this frightening side to consider.
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The Reality
While we already have the technology to make robots and we have forms of artificial intelligence readily available, the problem lies with a power source. Just think of your cell phone, and how quickly it dies out once it isn’t plugged in. Look at electric cars: Some of them have batteries that weigh 1,300 pounds, which might be heavy for a human/robot mutation. Can you imagine running from gunfire while carrying a 1,300 pound battery? For this to work, you would need a portable power source that could run all day without needing to be charged hourly.
Predictions
Scientists do believe that a RoboCop would be possible in about a 100 years. It may be a robotic body connected to the brain and spinal cord. There are already brain-interfacing technologies making major strides. Currently, there isn’t a major demand for this, but as robots continue to gain traction, it may soon be palpable.
What are your thoughts on RoboCops? Would you be for or against a fully robotic police or even military force? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
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