Robert Wise’s 1951 film, about Klaatu, a humanoid alien who travels to Washington, D.C. with his giant robot protector, Gort, to warn Earth’s leaders that human beings must stop their destructive ways or face perilous consequences, is considered by many critics and fans to be one of the greatest science-fiction movies of all time. Filmed in stark black and white and shot in a realistic style, the film perfectly captures the suspicions and fears of the Cold War era, creating a pervasive mood of uneasiness that is enhanced by Bernard Herrmann’s eerie, Theremin-driven score. Decades after the film’s release, Klaatu’s ultimatum for disarmament, given just before he boards his spacecraft to return home, still has the power to chill: “It is no concern of ours how your run your own planet, but if you threaten to extend your violence, this Earth of yours will be reduced to a burned-out cinder. Your choice is simple: join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course and face obliteration."
The film features strong performances by Michael Rennie as the dignified alien envoy Klaatu, Patricia Neal as a sympathetic widow who helps hide him from government authorities, and Sam Jaffe as a top American scientist who assists Klaatu in getting his message heard. Perhaps the most memorable character, however, is the one who remains silent and nearly motionless throughout – the robot Gort, one of the most recognizable icons in the world of science fiction. Played by the 7’7” actor Lock Martin wearing an aluminum-painted foam-rubber suit, Gort, who is part of an interstellar police force charged with preserving the peace, is capable of vaporizing anything he targets by firing lethal laser beams from beneath his visor.
Over the years, both celluloid and real-world robots have become increasingly sophisticated and complex. Joining us to talk about some of the amazing advances in robotics, including humanoid robots (of the less menacing variety) and their potential social implications, is Dr. Dennis Hong, associate professor of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech and founder and director of the university’s groundbreaking Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa). Dr Hong is the inventor of a number of pioneering robots and mechanisms, including “whole-skin locomotion” for mobile robots inspired by amoebae, a unique three-legged walking robot, STriDER, an air-powered robotic hand, RAPHaEL, and the world’s first car that can be driven by the blind. Hong’s lab has also birthed CHARLI-L (Cognitive Humanoid Autonomous Robot with Learning Intelligence), a 5-foot tall robot, light enough to lift with one hand, that requires no remote power source or computer, has arms and legs, and walks like a human.
For his contributions to the field, Dr. Hong received the National Science Foundation’s CAREER award, and in 2009 was named one of Popular Science's Brilliant 10, honoring top scientists younger than 40 years of age from across the US. His work has been widely featured in national and international media.
