Engineering360: "US attempts to calm fears over 'killer robots'"

I don't care what the DoD says.

The appeal of totally automated killing machines to various individuals or groups of a questionable moral outlook, of which there are many, means this technology will be developed by somebody eventually, if it hasn't been already.

Though as an earthbound society, our higher-minded thinkers have derided the indiscriminate use of force, such as in war, for nearly a century now, that has not prevented war from continuing to occur.

That is because - I might hazard to note - war and similar atrocities are not just the creations of overzealous governments or military groups, but really are created by persons who are insane but can appear otherwise, and thus influence governments or other armed groups to undertake violent actions.

Until the technology for identifying and removing such persons from positions of power and influence is widely in place, we will continue to have the problem of indiscriminate mass violence on Earth, regardless of whether killer robots are ever employed. Though the DoD says they would NEVER develop such a capability, I am not much reassured.

ISO 13482:2014 covers safety of military or public force application robots. I'm sure all of them will comply. There will be an easily accessible Red Emergency Stop pushbutton with a yellow background. Simply push it before being shot and you'll be fine.