Question of the Day, October 21, 2010

A group of scientists at the University of Ljubljana are training robots to punch humans. No, it’s not a practice in sadism, but a way for robots to learn one of Asimov’s basic laws: “A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.” By testing pain thresholds, robots can be programmed to avoid accidentally (or otherwise) harming a human. Would you let a robot punch, or otherwise harm you, for the eventual benefit of mankind?