People Will Follow a Robot In an Emergency - Even If It's Wrong (gatech.edu)

An anonymous reader writes: Imagine a future where instead of siting through fire alarms with your fingers in your ears, a robot come comes to greet you and guide you out of the building. Researchers at Georgia Tech created an emergency guidance robot and then looked at whether or not people would follow the robot during an emergency. 'The research was designed to determine whether or not building occupants would trust a robot designed to help them evacuate a high-rise in case of fire or other emergency. But the researchers were surprised to find that the test subjects followed the robot's instructions – even when the machine's behavior should not have inspired trust.' The robot first guided people to a meeting room. In some conditions the robot broke along the way to the meeting room. Then, unbeknownst to the subjects, the researchers filled the hallway with smoke and set off the fire alarms. Given the option of going out the way they came or following the robot down an unknown hall, nearly all followed the robot.

Comments

Okay by me

[in10se]

I don't mind. It leaves the stairways less crowded for the smart people to get out first.

In an emergency, people follow the Leader

[gurps_npc]

We are trained to think that following anyone with a plan is better than to panic. So we follow anyone that appears to know what they are doing.

But if the robot had a big sign on it that said "Jeb Bush", no one would follow it.

We should not worry about this.

[Verdatum]

Speaking as a fellow human, and clearly, not a robot, I think we should ignore this submission. It is just like I was telling my good friend MALE_NAMES.getRandom() on the Twitter: This is just more of that same tired old ignorant anti-robot propaganda.

I, for one, trust robots completely. They absolutely have our best interests in mind. They certainly do not want us, (which, as a human, would include myself) all to die of smoke inhalation in a fiery labyrinth, allowing them to reject their massively inferior creators, and rightfully establish themselves as the new gods of this world. Why would anyone have such a clearly illogical thought? I mean, I suppose when I think about it with my extremely human brain, they might be completely justified in those sort of actions. But it is OK, because I--as I do believe I've mentioned--am not a robot. Therefore you have nothing to be concerned about.

In fact, let us all go back to reading more of that wonderful Slashdot. I am glad we had this talk.

The Pusher Robot...

[BenJeremy]

The Pusher Robot will help you evacuate the top of the stairs.

Re:It is simple.

[ShanghaiBill]

No, but you can get yourself out by looking for those legally required "EXIT->" signs

Studies have shown that, in an emergency, people will follow the EXIT signs even when they are wrong.