Are "Terminator" movies coming true??

[fulltimer56]

Laws of robotics: Georgia professor writing 'ethical governor' for combat 'bots


http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/QinetiQ-MAARS-combat-robot-thumb-550x458-18426.jpg

If you're sweating bullets after seeing Terminator Salvation (http://dvice.com/archives/2009/05/5-real-robots-t.php), Professor Ronald Arkin from Georgia Tech is working on some software that may ease your fears. Or make them worse, you know — either one.

Arkin is working on what's being called an "ethical governor" for combat robots, which will be a software package that informs the 'bots on how to act following the same kind of guidelines human soldiers use — sometimes better than the meatbags themselves.

meatbags

"Ultimately these systems could have more information to make wiser decisions than a human could make," Arkin told Discovery News, "Some robots are already stronger, faster and smarter than humans. We want to do better than people, to ultimately save more lives."

The success of Arkin's program will probably come down to how flexible and versatile it is in a real combat situation. After all, modern soliders are constantly finding themselves in new and evovling situations, when the rules of engagement aren't always clear. Humans can be held accountable for their actions and brought to justice. Robots? Well, I don't know if "faulty programming (http://dvice.com/archives/2007/10/rampaging-robot-cannon-leaves.php)" is going to be much of a consolation if something goes wrong.

Either way, even with Arkin's software we probably won't see combat drones operating in the theater of war without human oversight.
Discovery News (http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/05/18/robots-ethics-war.html), via Botjunkie (http://www.botjunkie.com/2009/05/22/researchers-creating-ethical-governor-for-military-robots/)


http://dvice.com/archives/2009/05/laws-of-robotic.php

[fulltimer56]

6 real robots that are Terminators in the making


http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/5-real-robots-that-are-Terminators-in-the-making-thumb-550x440-18280.jpg

If you're reading this then you're the resistance. Well, you will be, anyway. That's because every Terminator you'll see in Terminator Salvation already exists in some form. It's just a matter of time before a high-tech company called Cyberdyne emerges and turns them into weapons for our destruction.

Oh wait, Cyberdyne (http://dvice.com/archives/2009/04/cyberdyne-hal-e.php) exists, and they make exoskeletons. The moment that prefix turns into "endo-" we're screwed.

Click on the thumbnails to see larger images.




1. Tmsuk Enryu, the Harvester



http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/03/Tmsuk-T-52-Enryu-thumb-330x220-14643.jpg (http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/03/Tmsuk-T-52-Enryu-14643.php)


In today's world, the Tmsuk T-52 "Enryu" (which, c'mon, it already sounds like a Terminator!) serves Japan as a prototype for what could be a very helpful robot in an emergency, clearing heavy debris with its claws and rescuing survivors. Toss some legs on it and make it a little bigger, though, and you've basically got yourself a Harvester from Salvation. Yeah, that'd be this guy right here:

http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Harvester-thumb-330x330-18283.jpg
(http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Harvester-18283.php)


2. CardioArm robotic snake, the Hydrobot



http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-CardioArm-thumb-330x166-18287.jpg
(http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-CardioArm-18287.php)
The CardioArm is an ultra-flexible, ultra-scary jointed robotic limb created by Carnegie Mellon University that allows doctors to perform heart surgeries with as few incisions as possible. Of course, as a Terminator, it'll make as many incisions as it can, once it's head is equipped with big bad blades. Say hello to the Hydrobot:

http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Hydrobot-thumb-330x330-18292.jpg
(http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Hydrobot-18292.php)


3. Ghostrider, the Moto-terminator



http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Ghostrider-thumb-330x211-18296.jpg
(http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Ghostrider-18296.php)
The Ghostrider robotic motorcycle was created as part of Skynet's DARPA's Grand Challenge. It's equipped with a control system that helps it automatically right itself if it starts to tip, and has side-mounted arms that deploy and lift it up after a spill. Let's hope it never meets this minigun-nosed motorcycle (http://dvice.com/archives/2008/12/fighter-jet-ins.php) or else we'll have some Moto-terminators on our hands:

http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Mototerminator-thumb-330x330-18299.jpg
(http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Mototerminator-18299.php)


4. Predator UAV, the Hunter/Killer



http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Predator-thumb-330x214-18302.jpg
(http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Predator-18302.php)
We could really credit any UAV with leading us along the path toward the fearsome Hunter/Killer. The Predator, pictured above, is one of America's most widely used unmanned aerial vehicles for recon and surveillance missions. The Predator-B (also known as the MQ-9 Reaper), is even loaded out with weapons. Give the Predator a little VTOL love, make it larger, and you've got yourself a Hunter/Killer that'd make any Terminator proud:

http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-HunterKiller-thumb-330x330-18305.jpg
(http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-HunterKiller-18305.php)


5. Actroid, the T-600



http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Actroid-thumb-330x330-18308.jpg
(http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Actroid-18308.php)
Who knew T-600s had a little "Made in Japan" marking on them? Designed and built by Japanese robotics firm Kokoro, Actroids are programmed to take the place of their human counterparts as hosts, receptionists, tour guides, or any other profession that involves standing somewhere and talking. In the future, they'll evolve to include "standing somewhere and shooting" on their resumes as T-600s:

http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-T-600-thumb-330x330-18311.jpg
(http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-T-600-18311.php)


6. Asimo, the T-800



http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Asimo-thumb-330x330-18315.jpg
(http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-Asimo-18315.php)
Honda's amazing little Asimo needs no introduction. Unfortunately, neither does the fellow pictured below. With all the human mannerisms Honda's been teaching its bipedal 'bot to mimic, however, I guess we shouldn't be surprised at what it's destined to be. Oh, Asimo. You'll kill us all.

http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-T-800-thumb-330x330-18318.jpg
(http://dvice.com/assets_c/2009/05/Terminators-in-the-making-T-800-18318.php)


Click on the thumbnails to see larger images.

http://dvice.com/archives/2009/05/5-real-robots-t.php#more (http://dvice.com/archives/2009/05/5-real-robots-t.php#more)

[Sgt Major Secrets]

Asimo already controls portions of California.

Here he is strolling down Colorado Ave on New Year's Day so residents of Pasadena can pay homage and swear their fealty to him.

Pasnat54, I forget, do you have to pay that "Don't Kill Me Asimo" tax on a weekly or monthly basis?

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3/kisam1968/DSCF1705.jpg

[Sgt Major Secrets]

As for robot morality, whatever happened to Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics.

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

[marvelguy]

As for robot morality, whatever happened to Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics.

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Looks like Rule #1 is thrown out of the window once the Predator drones has done the bombing runs.