Jan. 29, 2010
Contact: Patrick Lin, Cal Poly Philosophy Department
805-756-7295 | palin@calpoly.edu
Philosophy Professor and Navy Fellow Explains Robots
in latest 'Popular Mechanics'
SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Cal Poly Philosophy Professor Patrick Lin explains the roots of robot fear and which robots to keep an eye on in the future in the February edition of "Popular Mechanics" magazine. Lin was interviewed by the magazine for two articles in the issue.
Lin is the director of the Ethics + Emerging Technologies Group at Cal Poly, and author of a report commissioned by the U.S. military titled “Autonomous Military Robots: Risk, Ethics, and Design.” He is developing ethical guidelines for robots for the United States Navy.
Lin told Popular Mechanics that the need for ethical bots isn’t restricted to the battlefield. “Social robots probably pose a greater risk to the average person than a military robot,” Lin said.
Read the Popular Mechanics Article on the "Uncertain Future of Social Robots"
Read the Popular Mechanics Article on "The 8 Evil Forms" of robots