Pharm-Bot Goes On Rampage

budgenator writes "Seems that Waldo, a robot that delivers medication from the pharmacy to the nurses stations, went on an extracurricular journey at San Francisco's UCSF Medical Center last Tuesday. Waldo entered uninvited into a radiation oncology examination room disturbing a Doctor and Patient enough that it caused them to flee the room. Is navigating a hospital full of moving humans more difficult than navigating the DARPA grand challenge, or could it be that like his sibling robort Elvis, he just wanted to leave the building?"

Comments

It's quite simple...

[Anonymous Coward]

... He was looking for Sara Conner.

Hal9000?

[Chrispy1000000 the 2]

I'm sorry, I can't do that Dave.

If a robt shows up at my door

[jaltoids]

Full of drugs, and wants to "hang out" who am I to complain....

At least I wont have to share the goodstuff

Re:Hello

[Spy der Mann]

In all seriousness, isn't rampage a bit strong of a word to use?

You're right. The correct term is berserk.

That's All?

[eno2001]

With the word "Rampage" I was reminded of that fabulous 80s video game where giant apes, rats and dragons climb buildings and punch them to pieces. I was hoping that a robot grew gigantic in size due to a passing meteor and starting punching a hospital to pieces. How come nothing exciting like that ever happens on Earth anymore? I'm starting to think about leaving this planet and going back home again.

Re:That's All?

[kingofalaska]

"How come nothing exciting like that ever happens on Earth anymore?"

You're just not getting all the news. While standing in line at the grocery store the other day, I noticed a headline that read "Titanic Docks in New York Harbor". It mentioned something about the ghost ship, etc. My first comment to my fellow shoppers was "Why doesn't anything like that ever happen here in Alaska!?"

KoA

Where's Waldo

[Anonymous Coward]

It's no wonder they had so much trouble finding him.

Wow, a robot malfunctioned.

[Velox_SwiftFox]

About 20 years ago I watched as my company's automotive-lower-bodyside protection (vinyl) spraying robot finished its job of applying to an automobile on the assembly line for the first time, and turned back to its "home" position without turning off the vinyl spray. It in the process turned a watching GM executive's very expensive suit into an instant raincoat.

Luckily GM had retained the job of building the spray controller to themselves, and it was their malfunction. The executive was heard to complain as he left that he wasn't even supposed to have been there.

Tee hee

[NanoGator]

Engineers didn't realize there was a problem with the unit until the words "Wouldn't you like to be a Pepper, too?" appeared all over their screens.

Re:Rampage??

[EvilTwinSkippy]

The three laws of hospital robotic:

1. A robot must not allow a human to come to harm from it's action or inaction.
2. A robot must follow orders given by a human, unless that order contradicts rule 1.
3. A robot must check the level of insurance coverage of patient...

I'm innocent, I tell ya!

[VValdo]

Waldo entered uninvited into a radiation oncology examination room disturbing a Doctor and Patient enough that it caused them to flee the room.

How many times do I have to apologize! I thought it was the gift shop!

W

You've got the priorities wrong

[Beek]

1. A robot must check the level of insurance coverage of patient
2. A robot must not allow a human to come to harm from it's action or inaction, unless that action is not permitted by rule 1.
3. A robot must follow orders given by a human, unless that order contradicts rule 2.