British professor calls for robot laws

 

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Posted on 22 Dec 2008 at 18:28

Authorities need to establish international guidelines for the ethical and safe application of robots before it is too late, according to Professor Noel Sharkey of the University of Sheffield.

The robotics expert warned that as the use of robots increases, decisions about their application will be left to the military, industry and busy parents instead of international legislative bodies.

Service robots are currently being used in all walks of life, from child-minding robots to robots that care for the elderly. Sales of professional and personal service robots are estimated to total 5.5 million in 2008, and according to IFR statistics, 11.5 million more will be sold in the next two years.

The price of robot manufacture is also falling, with robots 80% cheaper in 2006 than they were in 1990, and experts reckon robots will soon enter our lives in unprecedented numbers.

However, almost no international legislation or policy guidelines currently exist. Only in cases of negligence resulting to cases of physical abuse is there any protocol, and this is still to be tested in court as it may be difficult to prove.

Sharkey urged his fellow scientists and engineers working in robotics to be mindful of the unanticipated risks and the ethical problems linked to their work. He believes that robots for care represent just one of many ethically problematic areas that will soon arise from the increase in their use, and that policy guidelines for ethical and safe application need to be set before the guidelines set themselves.

"Research into service robots has demonstrated close bonding and attachment by children, who, in most cases, prefer a robot to a teddy bear. Short-term exposure can provide an enjoyable and entertaining experience that creates interest and curiosity," he said.

"However, because of the physical safety that robot minders provide, children could be left without human contact for many hours a day or perhaps for several days, and the possible psychological impact of the varying degrees of social isolation on development is unknown.

"At the other end of the age spectrum, the relative increase in many countries in the population of the elderly relative to available younger caregivers has spurred the development of elder-care robots. These robots can help the elderly to maintain independence in their own homes, but their presence could lead to the risk of leaving the elderly in the exclusive care of machines without sufficient human contact."

Author: Dawinderpal Sahota