robotic suicide

[J. Kevin Robbins]

I got a chuckle out of this today.

[Bear Bibeault]

Huh, one would have thought that the Third Law would apply.

[J. Kevin Robbins]

Check out the comments; there is some discussion about that. I like this explanation:

"It tried desperately to get away but that transition between over and counter would trigger it's wall sensor and make it turn. It's also programmed to not fall off ledges. That poor little roomba died because it refused to break the second law in order to save itself."

[Bear Bibeault]

I awarded your post a cow for even knowing about the 3 Laws.

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Aw. Poor Roomba. I think the owners will remember never to leave it on the counter again.

[Jesper de Jong]

Hm, not really suicide. The owner left it in the stovetop.

"It tried desperately to get away but that transition between over and counter would trigger it's wall sensor and make it turn. It's also programmed to not fall off ledges. That poor little roomba died because it refused to break the second law in order to save itself."

It's more like a person who doesn't dare to jump out of the window on the tenth floor of a burning building.

I thought of this when I read the title of the post: Artist's 'suicide' machines are designed to slowly destroy themselves

[Campbell Ritchie]

Jesper de Jong's link about machine suicide wrote:… and another pours sand into its gearbox until its gearbox wears out.]

I was told a story about Colin Chapman yesterday; he wanted to change the final drive ratio of a car's differential and did not have the right gears, so he too some gears which almost fitted and filled the diff with grinding paste. After a few miles' driving, he too the diff apart, cleaned it, and proceeded to win a hill‑climb in that very car.

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Jesper de Jong wrote:Hm, not really suicide. The owner left it in the stovetop.

So robot murder?

[fred rosenberger]

In "The Caves of Steel", it is made clear that you can't murder a robot, as it is not alive. The worst you can be charged with is destruction of private (or government) property. Since robots are fairly valuable, i'm sure it would qualify as a felony.

[J. Kevin Robbins]

Bear Bibeault wrote:
I awarded your post a cow for even knowing about the 3 Laws.

Thanks for the bovine! But what kind of computer nerd would I be if I didn't know about Asimovs Three Laws of Robotics? I'm pretty sure that's a requirement for the journeyman's card. It's right up there with being required to quote 90% of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

[Martin Vashko]

Well, at least this firmly establishes that the US are not the only country having idiotic home appliance users. Let's wait till we hear the family is suing the robot maker before we close the case for good.

[Jesper de Jong]

Jeanne Boyarsky wrote:

Jesper de Jong wrote:Hm, not really suicide. The owner left it in the stovetop.

So robot murder?

Robot torture and murder!