Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Benefits in Battlefield Robots, Moral Questions Remain

NYTimes.com Benefits Are Seen in Battlefield Robots, but Moral Questions Remain:

"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.'

"C. Arkin, a computer scientist at Georgia Tech, is designing software for battlefield robots. 'My research hypothesis is that intelligent robots can behave more ethically in the battlefield than humans currently can,' said Ronald C. Arkin, a computer scientist at Georgia Tech, who is designing software for battlefield robots under contract with the Army. 'That’s the case I make.'"