Robots That Kill: Deadly Machines and Their Precursors in Myth, Folklore, Literature, Popular Culture and Reality

This book describes real-world killer robots using a blend of perspectives. Overviews of technologies, such as autonomy and artificial intelligence, demonstrate how science enables these robots to be effective killers. Incisive analyses of social controversies swirling around the design and use of killer robots reveal that science, alone, will not govern their future. Among those disputes is whether fully-autonomous, robotic weapons should be banned. Examinations of killers from the golem to Frankenstein's monster reveal that artificially-created beings like them are precursors of real 21st century killer robots. This book laces the death and destruction caused by all these killers with science and humor. The seamless combination of these elements produces a deeper and richer understanding of the robots around us.
"This book describes the technologies that enable real-world robots and drones to be effective killers, including an overview of how artificial intelligence and nanotechnology relate to the topic. It also examines social controversies swirling around thedesign and use of killer robots"--
Markowitz, a consultant and writer, describes examples of killer robots and other artificially created killers, or robot precursors, in folklore and mythology, modern literature, popular culture, and the real world, focusing on themes and patterns in these sources. She discusses the core motivators driving robots that kill, particularly revenge and greed, as well as job-killing robots; robots as criminal-killers, enforcers, and superheroes and supervillains, as well as making robots moral; and the use of robots in war, including lethal autonomous weapons systems. Annotation ©2019 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)