By Kenneth A. Stewart

NPS Associate Professor Ray Buettner, far left, discusses the ethical considerations associated with the deployment of Lethal Autonomous Robot Systems (LARs) and other autonomous or semiautonomous unmanned systems during the Robo Ethics seminar in Root Hall, April 14. Buettner leads the Consortium for Robotics and Unmanned Systems Education and Research (CRUSER), which organized the event.

“Should a machine be able to decide to kill and if so, what does ‘decide’ mean?” Buettner asked assembled students and others joining via video teleconference from the U.S. Naval Academy and elsewhere. “We are interested in exploring the boundaries of robotic systems …  [But] so far, no country has declared an intent to deploy a totally autonomous lethal system that decides who to kill and when.”

NPS Assistant Professor Timothy Chung had questions for the group as well. He is a pioneer in the area of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms.

“How do we take revolutionary changes in UAVs and use them to achieve revolutionary effects?” asked Chung.

In addition to exploring the ethics of unmanned combat systems, Buettner and Chung showcased ongoing CRUSER initiatives, many of which were born of NPS student research. Current projects include the use of QR Codes in network-deprived environments and the feasibility of wireless underwater computer networks.

At the direction of the Secretary of the Navy, CRUSER leverages its long-standing experience and expertise in the research and education of robotics and unmanned systems to support naval operations. CRUSER also works to bring together disparate research efforts by integrating academic courses across disciplinary boundaries.