What Could Go Wrong? Crime Fighting Robots Now Equipped with Self-Defense InstinctsBy Claire Bernish Now, robots which, say, patrol for criminal or suspicious activity come with a blend of humanoid characteristics and self-defense programs which prevent them from being perceived as too cute or too menacing. Because of all the doomsday scenarios people imagine with robots, their makers have to insert some cuteness, explained Golden Krishna, a designer with Alphabets Google, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. When humans see a robot that doesnt have eyes, said Rodolphe Gelin, SoftBank Group Corp. robotics unit chief scientific officer, they think it doesnt care about them. That perception however Orwellian it might sound can be detrimental to a robots ability to function on the job in the presence of humans. After several failed design attempts to find the appropriate balance between relatable and threatening and a number of incidents in which robots faced abuse or assault by humans newer robots employ self-defense capabilities. One incident of, well, roboticide occurred with the failed experiment of HitchBOT. This cylindrical robot with an LED smile was dropped off on the roadside to see how if robots could depend on people but the experiment came to an abrupt halt when HitchBOT was found decapitated in Philadelphia last summer, the WSJ noted. While the project showed that they can indeed trust humans, HitchBOTs creators said generally of robots, there are also exceptions to the rule. Experts on the interaction between humans and their new mechanical counterparts observed robot abuse in action in Okinawa, Japan, in 2014, when robots designed to assist the elderly in purchasing groceries came under attack by children, who kicked it, beat it with a bottle and bent its neck. The robot said Someone help me! and Ouch, that hurt, said researcher, Draen Brcic, with ATR Intelligent Robotics and Communications Laboratories, as cited by the WSJ. But it didnt stop the children. Those experiments led, in part, to robots with human-like facial features that can also employ defensive tactics if someone gets spooked or wishes to cause harm. Instead of reacting as if theyre being hurt, some newer robots have been designed to simply stop moving altogether in theory, to cause attackers to lose interest. Thus, the K5 a robot who performs all the functions of security patrols except offense was born. The WSJ described the K5: The camera ended up at nose position. A row of ultrasonic sensors, to help it avoid running into people, looks like buttons. A navigation laser resembles a hat. Curved lights are eye-like. The K5 patrols with buddy bots. If someone messes with one, its partner can document the offense. The K5s shape and 300 pounds offer protection: The lack of edges make it hard for bad guys to lift and steal. Knightscope rents a K5 for $7 and hour or about $60,000 a year. This 5-foot, 3-inch, glossy-white, graffiti-resistant K5 now appears almost neutral and can interact with humans more readily than some previous designs such as a robot resembling a small tank but is built with the play dead reflex if attacked. Knightscope, the start-up responsible for the K5, sought to create a beat cop robot; and the companys vice president of marketing and sales, Stacy Stephens as a former Dallas police officer has offered input for the project. When it comes to mischievous activities, she said in the WSJ, I know a bit about what people do. While the world might not be quite ready for armed robots-on-patrol, it would be a question worth considering as designs improve and people become familiarized to their presence. Armed, unmanned aerial vehicles drones have been responsible for a highly-contentious number of deaths in conflicts around the world, and particularly, the Middle East. Can armed, unmanned, non-aerial, human-esque robots really be that far in our future? Below is a video of the K5 in action. Claire Bernish writes for TheFreeThoughtProject.com, where this article first appeared. Image Credit No need to worry about your constitutional rights being infringed, you dont have any rights left. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. Terrorists could use them to deliver a bomb. i wonder what caliber would stop it. I wonder what my Dodge Cummings 44 with the 200 pound iron bumper would do to it at 35mph.. batter up !!! Mind the air support drones! I had a good life.. program them with Robin Williams voice. Or you could try John Wayne. Michael Jackson? Why dont they just stop dilly dallying around and make a T2 terminator robot carrying the phased plasma rifle in a 40 watt range? Or just hook em up with a scattergun and some motorcycle boots. 