Robot soldiers may only be eight years away

A robotics expert from the University of Sheffield will warn today that the public must think about the consequences of robotics technology and make informed decisions about the world that they wish to live in before it's too late.

Professor Noel Sharkey, known for his roles as chief judge on the TV series Robot Wars and as onscreen expert for the BBC's TechnoGames, discussed future issues surrounding artificial intelligence at the 'Rights for Robots' public debate in April 2007.

From the military to healthcare, robots are being given greater levels of responsibility in some of the most controversial and dangerous human activities. Humans are placing more and more of their lives in the hands of machines, but are they up to the job?

Professor Sharkey, from the University of Sheffield's Department of Computer Science, said: "Robot technology is accelerating with applications in the home, in the workplace and in the military. It is hard to keep up and we are at a point where the public need to make some informed decisions about our future."

He added: "Some researchers believe that robots will have consciousness on a timescale of 50 plus years, while others believe this is still a fairytale. The problem is that robots may be required to make decisions that could affect our lives much sooner. While some governments are beginning to draw up ethical guidelines, we need to initiate proper public consultation and informed public debate now."

Ethical questions into the use of robotics will be addressed at the event including: Would a conscious robot need the same rights as a human being? Could robots one day take over the care of our ageing population? And will robots be our soldiers of the future?

Scientists taking part in the discussion, including Professor Sharkey, are all experts from the 'Walking with Robots' network. Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the network brings together key researchers in intelligent robotics and leading science communicators. Their aim is to highlight the ethical implications of robotics research.


For further information, please contact Professor Noel Sharkey at:

tel: 0114 222 1803

email : n.sharkey@dcs.shef.ac.uk