Yikes, Terry Michel and I were hoping for a more 'gentlemanly' transition ....
> Killer Military Robots Pose Latest Threat To > Humanity, Robotics Expert Warns There are some grim implications, which can be taken from last sentence in this quote: "Over 4,000 robots are currently deployed on the ground in Iraq and by October 2006 unmanned aircraft had flown 400,000 flight hours. Currently there is always a human in the loop to decide on the use of lethal force. However, this is set to change with the US giving priority to autonomous weapons - robots that will decide on where, when and who to kill.... [Not to mention the threat of a computer virus - and say: what about a 'terrorist-trojan' which makes the robot switch sides ??] "Professor Sharkey, who is famously known for his roles as chief judge on the TV series Robot Wars and as onscreen expert for the BBC´s TechnoGames, said: "The trouble is that we can't really put the genie back in the bottle. Once the new weapons are out there, they will be fairly easy to copy. How long is it going to be before the terrorists get in on the act?" "With the current prices of robot construction falling dramatically and the availability of ready-made components for the amateur market, it wouldn't require a lot of skill to make autonomous robot weapons... Sharkey ... points out that a small GPS guided drone with autopilot could be made for around £250." Yikes again. Methinks that W, even in retirement, will be keeping all the windows tightly closed in Crawford. That buzzing he hears in the distance may not be yellow jackets... KdF, Harry Tuttle, Pest-eradicator
