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MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

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Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#22

Post by DanBC »

xixixao wrote: post #20
ZenoArrow wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally, I'm not concerned with that. I'd be more concerned about powerful robots controlled by governments/corporations/anyonewhohasaninterestincontrollingyourbehaviour. Look at what's happening in Yemen. The population there lives under the fear of drone strikes by the US (that includes the civilian population). If governments are prepared to do that with drones, what reason is there to suspect they'll turn down…

I wish there was no reason for stupid warfare, but: Aren't they better off than the Vietnamese who lived under the fear of Napalm bombardment? (or, for that matter, Japanese fearing the atomic bomb) I don't think that robotics has significant negative impact on warfare (and I wonder whether it has a positive impact).

Yes, in one sense people are better off with drones than they would be with land mines or cluster bombs or "shock and awe" style area-bombing.

Those are (pretty clearly, IMO) war crimes.

But still, it's useful to be worried about the potential "desensitising effect" of remote warfare. Is someone operating a drone subject to the same psychological pressure to avoid killing other humans as someone pulling a trigger? (Turns out that yes, that person probably is, but that their political superiors possibly aren't).

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#24

Post by posnet »

icebraining wrote: post #14
ZenoArrow wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally, I'm not concerned with that. I'd be more concerned about powerful robots controlled by governments/corporations/anyonewhohasaninterestincontrollingyourbehaviour. Look at what's happening in Yemen. The population there lives under the fear of drone strikes by the US (that includes the civilian population). If governments are prepared to do that with drones, what reason is there to suspect they'll turn down…

using something that's ground-based to impose control? I think we have that, they're called soldiers.

Which leads to the appeal of a mechanized infantry that never gets tired, never gets sick, kills without remorse, follows orders invariantly, doesn't eat or drink, has an upgrade path but most importantly can't be killed only destroyed or broken.

Sure the first generation won't replace all soldiers and they may never replace them all. We will need logistics and support people of course. Its not a perfect solution. But the second it becomes cheaper to put a robot in the place of a human on the battlefield.

They will.

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#25

Post by chinathrow »

icebraining wrote: post #14
ZenoArrow wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally, I'm not concerned with that. I'd be more concerned about powerful robots controlled by governments/corporations/anyonewhohasaninterestincontrollingyourbehaviour. Look at what's happening in Yemen. The population there lives under the fear of drone strikes by the US (that includes the civilian population). If governments are prepared to do that with drones, what reason is there to suspect they'll turn down…

using something that's ground-based to impose control? I think we have that, they're called soldiers.

Yes - but replacing soldiers is happening and will continue. Having only machines on the battle field will lower the entry level for war.

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#26

Post by resonation »

bcook wrote: post #21
benliong78 wrote: post #10

I for one welcome our robotic overlord

Seriously. Assuming humans are the pinnacle of intelligence (or anything) is so boring. I will celebrate AI Day. The day we were surpassed by our creation, in every way.

Whenever I see a wasp or a bee or a hornet, I present it with my arm and pray that it will grace me with it's sting, and summon its siblings to join in.

What a privilege it is to be subjugated by nature's sentient, motile organisms! My only regret is that these magnificant creatures don't sting me more often, but alas, it is the right of any autonomous insect to do whatever it wishes with it's sting, and who am I, but a lowly mammal, to coerce its gifts?

Re: MIT cheetah robot lands the running jump [video]

#27

Post by onion2k »

tugberkk wrote: post #3

Aside from being a great development; I am really scared that robotics is improving this much. It feels like we are creating our own potential enemy.

This is an understandable reaction considering how much like the robots in films it is. It's movement is Terminator-like, perhaps unsurprisingly given what James Cameron was trying to evoke when he directed the film. That slow, juddering, 'unstoppable' machine type of movement reminds us of things that are more powerful than we are - heavy machines, trucks, industrial equipment.

If it was more rounded and animalish, maybe with a fur coloured coat of paint, I think it'd be a lot less scary.

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