This July, in Dallas, USA a robot was used to kill an armed criminal for the first time ever.
23/8/2016 World newsUntil recently, intentional killing of humans by robots could be encountered in science-fiction movies only. But this year, for the first time in the history of robotechnics and the human kind, a robot was used to kill a criminal. This happened in Dallas (Texas, USA), when an armed criminal who murdered 5 people during a mass demonstration was killed by police officers with the help of antimine robot.
The featured operation happened at night on July 8, 2016. Antimine robot MARSbot IV with a bomb in its manipulator arm approached a garage where the gunman was hiding and destroyed him. The day before that the gunman caused shooting during a mass demonstration in Dallas killing 5 policemen, wounding 7 policemen and 2 civilians.
MARSbot IV with videocamera for bombs searching is usually intended for disposal of bombs. It approaches a bomb or a suspicious package, grasps the item with its manipulator arm and takes it away to a safe location. In this case, the robotized mine picker was used with quite contrary purpose. A bomb was intentionally placed into the robot’s manipulator arm, and the robot was sent to the location of criminal. There the bomb detonated.
It is noted that this was not the first case when the police uses autonomous antimine robots for purposes other than intended. For example in April 2015, San Jose police persuaded a man from suicide: they managed to talk to him when a robot brought him pizza and cell phone.
Of course the use of a robot in killing a criminal caused many disputes as regards its lawfulness and admissibility. However examples dramatically illustrated the capabilities of robotechnics in ensuring security for police officers in situations dangerous for them and civilians.
Source: www.geektimes.ru
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