The Impact of Robots on Select Military Operations
The Impact of Robots on Select Military Operations An Interactive Qualifying Project Report submitted to the Faculty of the WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science by Daniel Duffty, Class of 2010 __________________________ Audra Sosny, Class of 2010 __________________________ Date: May 5, 2009 Approved: Professor David Brown, IQP Advisor Abstract The project focused on the current and predicted impact of robots on surveillance, reconnaissance, automated defense, and bomb disposal operations. It investigated existing products and technologies to create a representation of society’s present opinions. The project considered technological, legal, and ethical concerns affecting the advancement of military robotics. It anticipates future developments by analyzing opinions from interviews and data from a survey. The project concluded that society endorses the evolution of robotics not involving lethal force that benefits the military. ii Executive Summary This project, entitled The Impact of Robots on Select Military Operations, studies the current and predicted impact of robots on surveillance, reconnaissance, automated defense, and bomb disposal operations. The project group, Daniel Duffty and Audra Sosny, investigated what robotic technologies are available, how the military presently uses robots, what society thinks about military robots, and what the future of military robots may hold. The use of robotics throughout all facets of society is rapidly increasing. As an emerging field with few developmental restrictions, society’s reaction to and support of robotics varies greatly. The problem is that society supports the military using robots for some purposes, but not all. Another problem is that society supports robots with certain capabilities, but not all.
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