Scientist robots are robots applied in scientific research which help researchers in discoveries. In this post is explained how these robots contribute.
The scientific method
This method is used to make any scientific discovery and get explanations to every phenomena. This is the scientific method flowchart.
Inside the scientific method, are used the inductive and deductive methods. The inductive method consists in drawing conclusions from specific to generalization. For example: Gold, copper, aluminum and tin conduct electricity and are metals, therefore, all metals conduct electricity.
The deductive method is from general to specific. While the inductive creates new knowledge, the deductive confirm general premises. For example: fishes swim, shark is a fish, therefore it swims.
These methods are algorithms, so they can be done by an artificial intelligence (AI).
What scientist robots can do?
More and more articles are published per year. Due to human brain limitation, researchers can’t keep up with the increasing quantity of data. The result is the drop of quality, because scientists have a decreasing percentage o knowledge. Consequently, can make wrong questions or repeat previous researches. This graphic shows the quantity of published articles by European Southern Observatory (ESO) between 1996 and 2010.
Machines have bigger capacity of processing and memory, allowing more discoveries. Robots can make repetitive and longer tasks and experiments while the human scientists make most significant tasks. In biology and pharmacy areas, robots can cultivate hundreds of culture cells to test medicines or discover a gene’s function.
Robots also can make field research like the diver Bluefin, operates autonomously and collect samples to study life in the Artic Ocean. Can navigate for seas covered in ice to study Earth’s climate.
Scientist robots can be sent to other planets like the rover Mars 2020, which will go to Mars.
Write scientific articles gives too much work and it is full of rules. An artificial intelligence with machine learning algorithm can learn to write articles.
Some discoveries made by scientist robots
The robot Eve discovered in 2018 that triclosan, a compound used in toothpaste, soaps, cosmetics and furniture can be used to malaria treatment.
This is the compound`s molecule whose formula is C_{12}H_{7}Cl_{3}O_{2}.
In this link, you can visualiza this molecule in 3D. Eve tested a big number of products, testing the efficiency to fight malaria. In 2009, the robot Adam, from Aberystwyth University, in Wales, discovered the functions of many genes of yeast and which enzyme produce. This is a part of Adam.
This is the 3D model of Adam. This robot is capable to make more than 1000 experiments and 200,000 observations per day. Also can plan experiences to test your hypothesis.
The current scientist robots serve as lab assistants, there is still much to replace human scientist, if they will do.
