Applied Robotics: How Robots Could Change Life - Deceptive Robots Fool Each Other

It's hard to think of robots deceiving anybody, much less each other, but scientists have figured out a way to create robots that do just that. Based off the deceptive patterns of squirrels and birds, these robots will actually recognize a potential threat and act unscrupulously in order to protect resources.

The project is funded by the Office of Naval Research, and Professor Ronald Arkin who led the research stresses that this kind of robotic behavior can be incredibly useful for the military.

"This application could be used by robots guarding ammunition or supplies on the battlefield," said Arkin, a Regents Professor in Georgia Tech's School of Interactive Computing. "If an enemy were present, the robot could change its patrolling strategies to deceive humans or another intelligent machine, buying time until reinforcements are able to arrive."

The robots developed were able to recognize a "predator" and lure them away from a protected resource, delaying the discovery of the resources by the predator.

These robots were modeled after the behavior patterns of squirrels and birds, which tend to store food in different caches. Squirrels hide acorns in order to sustain themselves through the winter, and place high value on their stock. If a squirrel in the midst of accessing one of its hidden acorn stashes comes across another squirrel, it will change its behavior and act deceptively in order to lure the potentially-thieving squirrel to another empty cache. If all went well, the squirrel's secret acorns should remain a secret.

While deceptive robots might not have an obvious place in day-to-day society, the military applications are numerous. Due to their software-reliant nature, autonomous robots could exhibit patterns that would unknowingly give away valuable information to the enemy, such as supply and personnel locations. In many ways, a robot that is aware of a threat and acts deceptively, can be far more valuable and useful than one that responds to a threat directly.

"In military operations, a robot that is threatened might feign the ability to combat adversaries without actually being able to effectively protect itself," said Arkin. "Being honest about the robot's abilities risks capture or destruction. Deception, if used at the right time in the right way, could possibly eliminate or minimize the threat."

But don't worry, it won't be anytime soon that you'll have to deal with a lying, cheating robot at your poker table. Deceptive robots are a serious ethical issue, especially if they are interacting with normal, innocent citizens. This hasn't stopped Arkin, however, who believes that with more research and understanding, the proper measures can be put in place.

"When these research ideas and results leak outside the military domain, significant ethical concerns can arise," said Arkin. "We strongly encourage further discussion regarding the pursuit and application of research on deception for robots and intelligent machines."

Read more about deceptive robots in IEEE Intelligent Systems.

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