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New Robots and the Ten Ethical Laws Of Robotics

Roland Piquepaille writes "The robotics actuality is pretty rich these days. Besides the fighting robots of Robo-One and the flying microrobots from Epson (the best picture is at Ananova), here are some the latest intriguing news in robotics. In Japan, Yoshiyuki Sankai has built a robot suit, called Hybrid Assistive Limb-3 (or HAL-3), designed to help disabled or elderly people. In the U.S., Ohio State University is developing a robotic tomato harvester for the J.F. Kennedy Space Center while Northrop Grumman received $1 billion from the Pentagon to build a new robotic fighter. I kept the best for the end. A Californian counselor has just patented the ten ethical laws of robotics. A good read for a Sunday, if you can understand what he means. This summary only focuses on HAL-3 and one of the most incredible patents I've ever seen, so please read the above articles for more information about the other subjects."

10 of 364 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Patents, *grumble grumble* by cmowire · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Well, given that this dude's patent is about as insightful as all of the vacuum energy, prepetual motion, and other cranks that people have slipped under the nose of the patent office, I don't think the field of ethical robotics has a problem... ;)

  2. Now I Understand I Robot by Nom+du+Keyboard · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I see one small problem here. Just what happens if people don't want to license his patent from him for any of the myraid reasons people don't want to license patents:

    1: Manufacture robots anyway, taking care not to step on his patent.
    2: Sell your cheaper units (no royalities) on the competative market.
    3: PROFIT!
    4: Welcome to the I Robot future!!

    --
    "It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
  3. This could be fun by utlemming · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Just imagine the court case -- "Your Honor this Robot here, which incorporates a system to safe guard humanity, violates my patents. You see, this Robot will not harm a human, allow harm to come to human beings and the like. So you see, clearly this in violation of my patent."

    If common sense in computing and inventing is patentable, then I will file for the "Systemic Implementation of Bad Ideas" patent. One of the things that I would in the patent application would be a methology for appling for and implementing bad patent ideas. Then I would go an chase after SCO for violating my patent. Better yet, I will sell licenses to people -- "You sir, and your company, are now offically licensed to be stupid." Oh the entertainment that one would have with this. Could you then exact royalties from Microsoft...or better yet, President Bush?

    However, I think I would fail on prior art -- 7,000 years of history. D@mn.

    --
    The views expressed are mine own and do not express the views of my employer.
  4. Re:What invention? by flossie · · Score: 4, Interesting
    It used to be that when you patented something, you had to supply enough information for anyone to produce an instance of the patented invention. From the US PTO:
    The specification must be in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which the invention pertains to make and use the same.
    Why don't they enforce this?

    It's the phrase "skilled in the art" that does it. Anyone who is already skilled in the art of creating ethical robots with an AI controlled by 10 nonsensical ramblings should be able to create said device with the aid of this patent.

  5. Re:meaning of robots.. by Oligonicella · · Score: 2, Interesting

    No, robot is a slavic word used to define mechanical beings in the story ROR. The word means thrall or slave, not worker.

  6. Re:Rules of Robotics....psssh by spikefruit · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Yeah, accidents would decrease at least two percent.

    That's another thing about security though, if we decide to ban cars now, you'd find enthusiasts still making them. Just like with illegal drugs and prohibition way back when. Then again, it's much more difficult to hide a car than to hide a few bags and a bottle.

    --
    I'm going to become a theologist and a scientist so I can spend long hours into the night arguing with myself.
  7. Re:Rules of Robotics....psssh by celeritas_2 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Stairs kill lots of people too, and they're about as smart as your average politician. I'm not too worried about your lawn bot turning evil and cutting off people's toes, I'm more worried about a human turning evil and telling it to, becuase it will be hundreds of years (maybe never) before we have computers that do what they're told not to. Note the difference between not doing what it's told (software bugs) and sentient software that can't be told anything (maybe a sentient virus rampaging on tetrahertz processors infecting Outlook 21)

    --
    -- Checking emails and kicking cheats `till the day I die.
  8. An idea. by spikefruit · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Just make the robot able to feel anguish, both mental and physical. If his arm is cut off, he should know that is not good. And also make the robot able to consider the physical and mental feelings of humans and other robots.

    Then all you have to do is enforce the robot with the Golden Rule, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

    So, if a robot wants to hurt a human or robot, it'll think of how itself would feel in the situation, and would act upon that. If a robot sees a human or robot in danger, he would think of what he would want another human or robot to do for him if he were in the same situation, and do that.

    It just so happens that my main goal in life is to create sentient computer intelligence, and it also happens that I am fifteen years old and an amateur in C++. I have some cool ideas though..

    Input would be appreciated.

    --
    I'm going to become a theologist and a scientist so I can spend long hours into the night arguing with myself.
  9. Re:Patents, *grumble grumble* by bhima · · Score: 2, Interesting
    While I get your point (and mostly agree with it)

    I think it is a grievous insult to Skinner as he was a serious scientist and the line of investigation that bears his name still is meaningful and interesting.

    John LaMuth at best is some sort of freaky delusional Californian and worst is money grubbing opportunist. This is not science; it's unworthy of a patent and is simply one of hundreds of examples of capitalism at its worst that appear to pour out of America and American politicians today.

    Wow, it's awful early in the morning for me to start ranting but I suppose patents is a worthy topic!

    oh... and I did RTFA that's what got me riled up!

    --
    Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
  10. Official Website by Alien54 · · Score: 2, Interesting
    As seen at www.EthicalValues.com:
    Welcome to the official website for the newly issued United States Patent concerning ethical artificial intelligence entitled: Inductive Inference Affective Language Analyzer Simulating Artificial Intelligence by John E. LaMuth - patent No. 6,587,846.

    As its title implies, this new breakthrough represents the world's first affective language analyzer encompassing ethical/motivational behaviors, providing a convincing simulation of ethical artificial intelligence. It enables a computer to reason and speak employing ethical parameters, an innovation based upon a primary complement of instinctual behavioral terms (rewards-leniency-appetite-aversion). This elementary instinctual foundation, in turn, extends to a multi-level hierarchy of the traditional groupings of virtues, values, and ideals, collectively arranged as subsets within a hierarchy of metaperspectives - as depicted below.

    etc.

    Actually, it is not instinctual. You can derive a very workable system just based on the survival instinct. You would just have to apply it across a spectrum of activity and calculate for balance.

    self survival
    survival through progeny
    survival through friends and family
    survival through tribe, country, etc.
    survival through art, creativity, legacies

    add more as you see fit.

    You can divide it out any number of ways. Obviously, a narrow view point is less workable than the broader.

    An ethical code for robots would have to include something that many humans do not have, a respect for the life and property of (other) people.

    --
    "It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"