Georgia Institute of Technology's Ronald Arkin is developing a more "ethical" robot for combat. Chris Carroll reports:
In the tumult of battle, robots wouldn't be affected by volatile emotions. Consequently
they'd be less likely to make mistakes under fire, Arkin believes, and less likely to strike at noncombatants. In short, they might make better ethical decisions than people.
In Arkin's system a robot trying to determine whether or not to fire would be guided by an "ethical governor" built into its software. When a robot locked onto a target, the governor would check a set of preprogrammed constraints based on the rules of engagement and the laws of war. An enemy tank in a large field, for instance, would quite likely get the go-ahead; a funeral at a cemetery attended by armed enemy combatants would be off-limits as a violation of the rules of engagement.
(Photo by Flickr user cma3)
The Dish 