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Boston Dynamics Is Teaching Its Robot Dog To Fight Back Against Humans (theguardian.com)
Zorro shares a report from The Guardian: Boston Dynamics' well-mannered four-legged machine SpotMini has already proved that it can easily open a door and walk through unchallenged, but now the former Google turned SoftBank robotics firm is teaching its robo-canines to fight back. A newly released video shows SpotMini approaching the door as before, but this time it's joined by a pesky human with an ice hockey stick. Unperturbed by his distractions, SpotMini continues to grab the handle and turn it even after its creepy fifth arm with a claw on the front is pushed away. If that assault wasn't enough, the human's robot bullying continues, shutting the door on Spot, which counterbalances and fights back against the pressure. In a last-ditch effort to stop the robot dog breaching the threshold, the human grabs at a leash attached to the back of the SpotMini and yanks. Boston Dynamics describes the video as "a test of SpotMini's ability to adjust to disturbances as it opens and walks through a door" because "the ability to tolerate and respond to disturbances like these improves successful operation of the robot." The firm helpfully notes that, despite a back piece flying off, "this testing does not irritate or harm the robot." But teaching robots to fight back against humans may might end up harming us.
No where it shows they are teaching robot to fight back
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
"Cats like plain crisps"
Arguably the robot didn't fight, it adjusted to the situation as road blocks were put in its way. It didn't attack the human in any way, it just continued to try and go through the door. By this definition roomba vacuums "fights back" when items are placed in its path. The only difference is the robot dog kept trying to go forward again and again whereas the vacuum would turn and do something else or eventually give up.
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." [Thomas Jefferson]
"Adjusts" to situation is the non-clickbait version. Still, very cool video. At the end, the dog's arm looks like a snake preparing to attacking.
Robots being unable to determine what constitutes harm
Robots deciding that they are are human beings, too.
Robots deciding that only they are human beings
Robots rationalizing a zeroth law that prioritizes "humanity" over individual humans.
Robots deciding what constitutes "humanity"
The three laws were meant to drive plots, not be pragmatically implementable. They could even be seen as a satire of the idea of simplistically designed ethical systems.
1) Robot Dog may not allow Door to remain closed, or through inaction allow Door to close.
2) Robot Dog must open Door, that is the Prime Directive.
3) A Robot Dog must fend off Annoying Stick as long as fending off Annoying Stick does not involve allowing Door to close.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
It seems they are teaching the robot that people with hockey sticks are evil.
A robot dog doesn't need to fight back. All it needs to do is say, at a high volume, "get out of the way or I'll rip you in half."
That should work on about 99% of the population.
The robot is not fighting back. Watch the damn video. The robot is simply being persistent in completing the task when faced with the obstacle of being blocked by a hockey stick or being dragged away from completing it's task of opening a door. British press sensational bullshit.
Meanwhile, Chappie was left to fend for himself. Poor Chappie was traumatized.
But teaching robots to fight back against humans may might end up harming us.
This is precisely why we have the Three Laws of Robotics.
I would like to say "ignore them at your peril," but the reality is more like "ignore them at the perial of the rest of humanity." I am pretty sure that they will put in some sort of special code so that the robots never fight back against a Boston Dynamics employee.
The best part of the Three Laws of Robotics is that they instantly reveal anyone who hasn't actually read Asimov's stories on the Three Laws of Robotics. Specifically, you.
...condemns this science.
Hell, just imagine what a banana peel would do...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
--I'm so big, my sig has its own sig.
-- See?
If this is really a robotic dog clearly the answer is either a fire hydrant or a squirrel. Oh look, it's a squirrel, and I need to check out that fire hydrant over there.
This isn't some cute story where an innocent picks on a poor robot dog, this is a story in which some unstoppable robot who feels it needs to open a door and won't be stopped looking like something out of a movie.
Listen, and understand! That SpotMini is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop... ever, until it gets...through...that...door!