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Armed Police Bots with Stun Guns

foniksonik writes "'On 28 June, Taser International of Arizona announced plans to equip robots with stun guns ... the new stun-capable robots could be used against civilians.' Non-lethal weapons experts are concerned that the robots will have to stun the suspected criminal for longer periods of time while awaiting human police to come make the official arrest. "If someone is severely punished by an autonomous robot, who are you going to take to a tribunal?" asks Steve Wright, a security expert at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK."

3 of 219 comments (clear)

  1. My Question for Humanity by Revotron · · Score: 1, Informative

    "If someone is severely punished by an autonomous robot, who are you going to take to a tribunal?" As a member of a society that's relatively ass-backwards on morals and standards (America, more specifically), I must ask... why are we concerned more about punishing the officer than punishing the criminal?&nbsp This robot won't be punishing speeders or jaywalkers with a firm tazering, it would apprehend violent/armed criminals who have an intent to do harm.
  2. Re:Easy... by ChromeAeonium · · Score: 2, Informative

    Hopefully, they'll be smart enough to realize that robots are a tool, just like hand held tasers, guns, ect., and not an intelligent, thinking crowd control panacea, and treat them as such. Besides, I don't think armed robots roaming the streets would fly with a whole lot of folks.

  3. Non Lethal? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Last I checked, stun gun weaponry was called Less-Lethal, not Non-Lethal, as in Stun Guns kill people LESS than regular weapons.