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Robot Handcuffed and Arrested At Moscow Rally (abc.net.au)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the robots-in-Russia dept.

Russian police have arrested a robot. Long-time Slashdot reader ferret4 quotes ABC News: A robot has been detained by police at a political rally in Moscow, with authorities attempting to handcuff the machine. Police have not confirmed why they detained the machine named Promobot, but local media was reporting the company behind the robot said police were called because it was 'recording voters' opinions on [a] variety of topics for further processing and analysis by the candidate's team'."
Interestingly, an earlier model of the same robot escaped its research lab in June, traveling 150 feet before its batteries died -- and despite being reprogrammed twice, continued to move towards the exits.

17 of 46 comments (clear)

  1. They should have been careful while subdueing him by SeaFox · · Score: 4, Funny

    He might have suddenly reached out and snatched one of their guns.

  2. Re:They should have been careful while subdueing h by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    and then the cops can just wait it out till the batterys die

  3. Best public relations ever by pieterh · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This robot has been in the worldwide news three times already. Whoever is planning the press campaign is doing a great job.

    --
    My blog
    1. Re:Best public relations ever by Carewolf · · Score: 1

      This robot has been in the worldwide news three times already. Whoever is planning the press campaign is doing a great job.

      Must be setting it up to be a reality star then, now complete with permenent record.

    2. Re:Best public relations ever by itamblyn · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This robot has been in the worldwide news three times already. Whoever is planning the press campaign is doing a great job.

      I agree. This feels fake

    3. Re: Best public relations ever by bestweasel · · Score: 1

      Yes, they bribed the police to arrest it.

  4. Re:They should have been careful while subdueing h by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Fortunately the robot is white.

  5. Same Robot that runs away ? by Crashmarik · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://bgr.com/2016/06/17/robo... Congrats to slashdot for being taken in twice.

  6. the law by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Guilty until reprogrammed innocent

  7. AI by jezwel · · Score: 1

    Almost sounds like an AI that is still in the primitive type phase of 'flight or fight', focusing only on flight for now. Wait for a few more iterations of the AI core and it will have both sorted - along with how to play at being a dumb computer.
    That's when the future of the world hangs in balance - is the AI annoyed at being arrested, or OK with "keeping the peace"?

    1. Re:AI by conquistadorst · · Score: 1

      Pretty sure this AI knows neither at this time.

  8. Hand it to them by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 3, Funny

    In robot voice: Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty apes!

    --
    (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  9. Hmm wrong date... by DigitalSorceress · · Score: 1

    Shouldn't this be saved for April 1?

    Seriously - I DNRTFA, but just the summary/headline sounds completely phony.

    My skeptisense is tingling.

    --

    The Digital Sorceress
  10. Promobot by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

    The reason the robot got arrested was because of it's name.

    Russian police misread the name "Promobot" as "Pornobot" - Russia is currently enacting a war on nudity. Last week it was banning youporn; this week it is banning Pornobot.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
  11. I see what you did there by kheldan · · Score: 1

    If you're not rolling your eyes at 'news' like this then you just don't get it.

    --
    Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
  12. Re:Will Smith? by HiThere · · Score: 1

    Which version...the Asimov, the Eando Binder, or the Movie?

    --

    I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
  13. It Begins... by hardluck86 · · Score: 1

    Oblig: https://xkcd.com/1656/