Are We Approaching Robotic Consciousnesses?

On the basis of that, no.

I have a backround in statistical computation and use neural networks extensively for data analysis, and once you strip away the romanticism they are just applied mathematics. So to take that to its logical conclusion, if consciousness can be created (as opposed to simulated) then it must have a mathematical specification.

I think the breakthroughs in robotic consciousness will come in cybernetics. We are starting to use silicon based technology to repair brain damage and as that field becomes more advanced and we start repairing more areas of the brain it will be interesting to see if there is diminishing sentience at some point.

The term is the Singularity, and it refers to the blurring moment where the artificial and human cross the point of distinction. Where a human has so many artificial parts and the artificial has so many human qualities, the only separation is how one was created.
There are many interpretations of the subject, but save for all out human demise, it will happen. I like to refer to the Animatrix as a real exmple of how it could happen.
When we build the artificial, we want it to mirror us, created in our own image. That could easily be the beginning of the end for us, as we take forever to adapt and evolve, a machine take a new revision. However if we adopt the mechanical advances, we would adapt side by side with the machines.. for a while.