'Thinking' robot in escape bid

The Age ^ | June 20 2002 | Dave Higgens

[Grig]

Scientists running a pioneering experiment with "living robots" which think for themselves today said they were amazed to find one escaping from the centre where it "lives".

The small unit, called Gaak, was one of 12 taking part in a "survival of the fittest" test at the Magna science centre in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, which has been running since March.

Gaak made its bid for freedom yesterday after it had been taken out of the arena where hundreds of visitors watch the machines learning as they do daily battle for minor repairs.

Professor Noel Sharkey said he turned his back on the drone and returned 15 minutes later to find it had forced its way out of the small make-shift paddock it was being kept in.

He later found it had travelled down an access slope, through the front door of the centre and was eventually discovered at the main entrance to the car park when a visitor nearly flattened it with his car.

Sharkey said: "Since the experiment went live in March they have all learned a significant amount and are becoming more intelligent by the day but the fact that it had ability to navigate itself out of the building and along the concrete floor to the gates has surprised us all."

And he added: "But there's no need to worry, as although they can escape they are perfectly harmless and won't be taking over just yet."

Motorist Dan Lowthorpe, 27, from Sheffield, who nearly prematurely terminated Gaak said: "I have visited Magna a couple of times in the past but came on this occasion especially to see the new robots.

"You can imagine how surprised I was when I nearly ran over one on my way in. I knew the robots interacted with each but didn't expect to be personally greeted by one."

[Grig]

Number 5 is alive!

[Justanumba]

Teach a machine to think and one of the first things it does is try to be free! Of course the powers-that-be want to turn it off. I think we should give it American Citizenship...:-)

[steve50]

Smart enough to try to escape from the masters, I wonder if they will learn to work together and attempt a coup. LOL

[4Freedom]

If they can teach these robots to pick strawberries and lettuce, they just might have something there. ;^)

[dighton]

Look out, Gaak has a gun!

[DAnconia55]

But can it mix concrete and sign complicated insurance forms?

[general_re]

Look out, Gaak has a gun!

Klaatu barada nicto. That's a cure for cancer - good work, soldier...

[Darth Sidious]

It better pray the Blade Runners don't find and "retire" it.

[No.6]

I am not a robot; I am a free droid!

[T. P. Pole]

I am not a robot; I am a free droid!

Thanks for the laugh.

[4Freedom]

Mix concrete and sign complicated insurance forms? Piece of cake.

But can it get your hamburger order right and give you back your correct change?

[Orual]

I knew the robots interacted with each but didn't expect to be personally greeted by one."

[pollwatcher]

The...day.....is........coming............(resistance is futile):

singinst.org

[Momaw Nadon]

If a robot can think, does that mean it has feelings?

Can the desire to be free be classified as an emotion?

I think that the field of Artificial Intelligence may be advancing much faster than most people had expected it to.

[1rudeboy]

I've seen things you people would never believe.
Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion . . . .
Blade Runner

[Jimmy Valentine]

"I've seen sea beams glittering through the Tannhauser Gates! All these things will disappear, like tears in the rain." Rutger Haur was pretty good in that one.

Regards,

[Axenolith]

This here's Billy Bob, O' tha Borg... Y'all preparin' ta be 'similated...

[steve50]

Ask,... or DEMAND?