clipped from: news.independent.co.uk   

A group of scientists raised concerns in a debate at the Science Museum this week about the growing use of autonomous, decision-making robots. These could have malign effects in hospitals, the care of the elderly and, most obviously, in military use, they warned.

Haven't we long had machines that appear to be alive?
Isn't all this just sci-fi fantasy?
What kind of robots exist today?
So it's all just experimental?
Not entirely.
What else is about to be invented?
What's all this about 'robot rights'?
A study commissioned by the Government recently suggested that one day robots might have to be given similar rights to humans
But do these changes raise moral issues?
So are these machines a threat?
Yes...

* The US military have commissioned a robot helicopter with a recoil-less rifle capable of tracking and killing a particular individual

No...

* It's not the robots we need to worry about; it's the people who programme them