This fascinating book presents the stories of infant/toddler caregivers and their work to illustrate the complexity of balancing relationships with babies, families, coworkers, and self, yet remaining emotionally present and mindfully engaged. Enid Elliot explores the inevitable tensions of working within these various relationships and demonstrates how proficient caregivers can develop strategies for achieving this delicate balance. In the process, she raises provocative questions about how we care for babies, and how to provide education and support for their caregivers.

The truth about robots: two experts look beyond the hype, offering a lively and accessible guide to what robots can (and can't) do. There’s a lot of hype about robots; some of it is scary and some of it utopian. In this accessible book, two robotics experts reveal the truth about what robots can and can’t do, how they work, and what we can reasonably expect their future capabilities to be. It will not only make you think differently about the capabilities of robots; it will make you think differently about the capabilities of humans. Ruth Aylett and Patricia Vargas discuss the history of our fascination with robots—from chatbots and prosthetics to autonomous cars and robot swarms. They show us the ways in which robots outperform humans and the ways they fall woefully short of our superior talents. They explain how robots see, feel, hear, think, and learn; describe how robots can cooperate; and consider robots as pets, butlers, and companions. Finally, they look at robots that raise ethical and social issues: killer robots, sexbots, and robots that might be gunning for your job. Living with Robots equips readers to look at robots concretely—as human-made artifacts rather than placeholders for our anxieties. Find out: •Why robots can swim and fly but find it difficult to walk •Which robot features are inspired by animals and insects •Why we develop feelings for robots •Which human abilities are hard for robots to emulate

A hopeful vision of the post-covid-19 world of work and society, with practical guidance for how to get there. In this entertaining, thought-provoking, and comprehensive guidebook on work flexibility, Robert Hawkins builds on new and old management theories, case studies, interviews, and his own personal journey from rigidity to flexibility to show leaders how to free hundreds, thousands, millions of people from a way of working that doesn’t meet expectations for modern life. Humans Are Not Robots provides theory and evidence to show the urgent need for flexibility for all and then offers practical guidance on rolling out sustainable and successful (and profitable) flexibility campaigns. Hawkins explores various types of flexibility, including remote work, flexitime, compressed workweeks, and job sharing, as well as those not commonly discussed (reduced hours with full pay, return-to-work internships, flexibility in manufacturing, healthcare, construction). He delves into the science of human needs theory to demonstrate how the traditional nine-to-five workplace creates unsustainable lives and shows that, with even small changes, leaders in any industry can use flexibility to: Make work a vital and fun part of life again Boost productivity, engagement, and innovation Reduce gender inequality and domestic violence Delay retirement of workers and mitigate the issues of an ageing population Fight obesity and reduce the burden of poor health on individuals and health systems Ensure that people maintain needed skills and relevance in the face of increased automation and uncertainty Impact climate change and do all of this while increasing profits. Part philosophical and scientific journey, part how-to guide, Humans are Not Robots provides readers a deep-dive into the world of work flexibility to learn how to fully unlock its power. Essential reading for leaders of any organization, the book presents a stark and beautiful vision of what people’s lives could be, and the idea that this can be achieved right now.

Traces the story of how ancient cultures envisioned artificial life, automata, self-moving devices and human enhancements, sharing insights into how the mythologies of the past related to and shaped ancient machine innovations.

Japan is arguably the first postindustrial society to embrace the prospect of human-robot coexistence. Over the past decade, Japanese humanoid robots designed for use in homes, hospitals, offices, and schools have become celebrated in mass and social media throughout the world. In Robo sapiens japanicus, Jennifer Robertson casts a critical eye on press releases and public relations videos that misrepresent robots as being as versatile and agile as their science fiction counterparts. An ethnography and sociocultural history of governmental and academic discourse of human-robot relations in Japan, this book explores how actual robots—humanoids, androids, and animaloids—are “imagineered” in ways that reinforce the conventional sex/gender system and political-economic status quo. In addition, Robertson interrogates the notion of human exceptionalism as she considers whether “civil rights” should be granted to robots. Similarly, she juxtaposes how robots and robotic exoskeletons reinforce a conception of the “normal” body with a deconstruction of the much-invoked Theory of the Uncanny Valley.

Are robots finally replacing humans? Does the emerging age of artificial intelligence and automation mean we will soon see “peak jobs” and the need for a Universal Basic Income to support a widening swath of hapless citizens unsuited for employment in a primarily “knowledge” workforce? Improving productivity—reducing labor hours per unit of product or service—has been the hallmark of economic progress for centuries. But advances due to robots and AI, some say, will be fundamentally different because digital machines are ready to revolutionize the nature of work in nearly every sector, not just one or two. But the lessons of history and the realities of technologies suggest that, despite yet more disruption, the overall result will be net job gains and faster economic growth.

Roz the robot discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island with no memory of where she is from or why she is there, and her only hope of survival is to try to learn about her new environment from the island's hostile inhabitants.