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The story below absolutely fascinated me, as robots advance and become increasingly part of our lives (and not just in the military realm, though that will probably where their initial presence will be the most striking) what will our relationship with them be? A really good article from the Washington Post.
"At the Yuma Test Grounds in Arizona, the autonomous robot, 5 feet long and modeled on a stick-insect, strutted out for a live-fire test and worked beautifully, he says. Every time it found a mine, blew it up and lost a limb, it picked itself up and readjusted to move forward on its remaining legs, continuing to clear a path through the minefield.
Finally it was down to one leg. Still, it pulled itself forward. Tilden was ecstatic. The machine was working splendidly.
The human in command of the exercise, however -- an Army colonel -- blew a fuse.
The colonel ordered the test stopped.
Why? asked Tilden. What's wrong?
The colonel just could not stand the pathos of watching the burned, scarred and crippled machine drag itself forward on its last leg.
This test, he charged, was inhumane."
Interesting article in particular how the people become attached to their robots.
Quoted: The most effective way to find and destroy a land mine is to step on it.
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Thats funny and sounds like the military to me.
Thanks for pointing this out - fascinating article.
If you want to see... http://physicsbuzz.blogspot.com/2007/05/manufactured-helpmates.html
I wonder what the colonel's real quote was? The way he's not directly quoted but his ideas are summarized makes me think the media is cooking up a good story...?