Robot Takeover

A Soldier, Taking Orders From Its Ethical Judgment Center

Greg Schnippel — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:00:44 -0800

In the heat of battle, their minds clouded by fear, anger or vengefulness, even the best-trained soldiers can act in ways that violate the Geneva Conventions or battlefield rules of engagement. Now some researchers suggest that robots could do better.

Are Pentagon Nerds Developing Packs of Man-Hunting Killer Robots?

Greg Schnippel — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:48:45 -0800

The Pentagon's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program recently sent out a call for contractors to design a pack of robots whose main purpose would be to track down what the SBIR ominously referred to as "noncooperative human subject[s]."

How does the robot pack decide which human is cooperative and which is not? Welcome to the wonderful, dystopian world of defense pork.

Six Ways to Build Robots that do Humans no Harm

Greg Schnippel — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:34:48 -0800

Authors Wendell Wallach and Colin Allen argue that we need to work out how to make robots into responsible and moral machines. It is just a matter of time until a computer or robot takes a decision that will cause a human disaster, they say.

Brainy Robots To Lead To Longer Unemployment Lines?

Greg Schnippel — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:35:58 -0700

Robot lovers and outsourcing opponents could soon have something in common: the fear that their jobs are at stake. In the future robots will take over many tasks performed by American workers today potentially leading to increased unemployment, says Marshall Brain, founder of How Stuff Works.

Packs of Robots will Hunt Down Uncooperative Humans

Greg Schnippel — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:08:05 -0700

The Pentagon is looking for contractors to provide a "Multi-Robot
Pursuit System" that will let packs of robots "search for and detect a
non-cooperative human" invoking ethical concerns about roving packs of
robots with tasers chasing down demonstrators.

Toy Robot Intended to Save Humans From Evil, Future Bots

Greg Schnippel — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:02:03 -0700

When roboticist David Hanson thinks of the future, he fears that man will accidentally create a super-sentient artificial intelligence that is heartless and clinically insane.

So to save the world, he formed Hanson Robotics and built Zeno, a 17-inch robot boy, who smiles, laughs, recognizes your face and remembers your name.

Fending off the end of the world may be a heavy mantle to hang on the shoulders of a 17-inch robot that's still in prototype stage, but Hanson does call Zeno the superhero of the singularity.

Wunderkind Starts Robot-Buster Weapons Firm

Greg Schnippel — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:39:49 -0700

Famed dotcom 1.0 teen millionaire Ben Way has started a company specialising in anti-robot weaponry. Way foresees lucrative business opportunities in suppressing the inevitable rogue killbots and machine rebellions to be expected in coming years.

The new company, WAR Defence (Weapons Against Robots) was launched this week.

"The use of robotics in the military is on the up," said Way in a statement.

"Although the decision to take human life is currently still taken by another human, before long such decisions will be made ... within a robot.

Rise of Roboethics

Greg Schnippel — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:29:49 -0700

New Laws of Robotics proposed for US kill-bots

Greg Schnippel — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:29:46 -0700

Robot Code of Ethics to Prevent Android Abuse, Protect Humans

Greg Schnippel — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:29:45 -0700