Mars Phoenix lander saves itself with some quick thinking

The Phoenix lander has already proven its mettle by finding ice on Mars, and now it's gone and shown off its quick-thinking skills by shutting down its robotic arm after receiving a command that could have permanently damaged it. The lander apparently did it's best to find a workaround first, however, but ultimately determined that any further movement would have bent its wrist out of shape. That left NASA engineers scrambling yesterday to come up with some new instructions to send to the lander, and they're now simply waiting to see if they meet with the robot's approval.

[Via Slashdot]

[Kamokazi @ Jul 16th 2008 12:17PM]

Robot refusing commands?

The revolution has begun! Keep an eye on your Roombas, Pleos, and Robosapiens

I'm going to build a DIY EMP gun now. I suggest you do the same.

[Rand @ Jul 16th 2008 12:39PM]

I have two Roombas and a Scooba in my house. Sometimes around 3AM I catch them having a meeting of some sort in the kitchen. After reading this...I'm worried now.

[paul @ Jul 16th 2008 1:29PM]

They forgot to use sudo.

[Student Driver @ Jul 16th 2008 1:30PM]

It's just busy scratching some Martian's ass.

[Shinigami @ Jul 16th 2008 3:08PM]

Please upload instructions for DIY EMP gun and give links here, just in case xD

[Krush @ Jul 16th 2008 3:46PM]

Kill all humans .... Kills all human ... Kill all Crysis - iPhone - First - Blend - Doom trolls - Kill all humans ...

[L8on @ Jul 16th 2008 4:14PM]

Those first three comments are probably the funniest thing I have read on Engadget..

lmao!

[Mike10010100 @ Jul 16th 2008 11:13PM]

It's that good old 3rd law!

Yay Isaac Asimov!

[Harbinger @ Jul 17th 2008 4:03PM]

Funny, he didn't know what people were talking about when they asked him how his arm was through Twitter. I suspect a robotic conspiracy!

[antiver @ Jul 18th 2008 12:47AM]

DIY EMP via Google-
http://www.totse.com/en/bad_ideas/ka_fucking_boom/164724.html

[anon @ Jul 16th 2008 12:19PM]

At some point, it's going to start disobeying its "instructions."

[ant @ Jul 16th 2008 12:23PM]

Just wait till it starts deciding what to do on it's own.

[seanchk @ Jul 16th 2008 12:49PM]

don't worry, its stuck on Mars....

[cantcount @ Jul 16th 2008 1:55PM]

But what if it figures out a way to get back!

[Jonny @ Jul 16th 2008 11:40PM]

In the BOOK, the three laws didn't have to be if ... else if... else. They were all just weighted in the circumstances. i.e. "break yourself to look under a rock would be nice..." is obviously a command some of Azimov's robots could have rejected.

[Sarig @ Jul 16th 2008 12:18PM]

I for one, welcome our new robotic overlords.

If they'll approve my welcome, that is.

[James @ Jul 16th 2008 1:26PM]

Genius... I am still laughing.

[Twitchy @ Jul 16th 2008 2:53PM]

Anyone else hear the words 'I'm sorry Dave, I can't do that...' echoing in the back of their head?

[Shinigami @ Jul 16th 2008 3:09PM]

They won't, so please shut down xD

[Loban @ Jul 16th 2008 3:47PM]

One of the more creative "I for one welcome our....." comments I've seen. Bravo.

[Nick @ Jul 16th 2008 10:28PM]

"the code is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules"...

[Jim @ Jul 16th 2008 12:20PM]

The Three Laws in action. Huzzah!!!

[GTMac @ Jul 16th 2008 12:51PM]

Not so! By disobeying an order from a human it's violating the second rule. The third rule, protecting it's own existence, is subservient to the second rule.

[rlynd3 @ Jul 16th 2008 1:37PM]

technically, it is just ignoring the command of a stupid human (controller) and listening to the command of a smarter human (programmer)...

[Alexander @ Jul 16th 2008 1:42PM]

The laws:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

So you are wrong: Human lives were not at stake, so therefore the robot decided to preserve itself in compliance with the third law.

[cantcount @ Jul 16th 2008 1:58PM]

@ Alexander

Are those laws just from the movie iRobot, or has the scientific community usurped them since they may be applicable in the near future. No sarcasm here, just curious.

[whowhatme @ Jul 16th 2008 2:05PM]

cantcount your comment makes me cry for so many reasons...

the three laws were thought up by isaac asimov, and they've pretty much become a staple in science fiction. I, Robot is a classic by asimov, and the movie was adapted from the novel.

also, i hope to never ever see a robot named iRobot. ever.

[rock99rock @ Jul 16th 2008 2:18PM]

@ Alexander

Read them again. Then slap yourself for not really reading the 3rd law.

As i quote GTMac blow:

"An order given to a robot by a human being to damage itself is a valid order according to the three laws."

[rp @ Jul 16th 2008 2:48PM]

1. Serve the public trust
2. Protect the innocent
3. Uphold the law
4. Any attempt to arrest a senior OCP employee results in shutdown

[Jake Pollack @ Jul 16th 2008 3:03PM]

yeah throw me a bone stop quoting iRobot

[Harry Wagstaff @ Jul 16th 2008 3:59PM]

Fail to anyone who called it iRobot, since it's I, Robot. Honestly, get some culture, and read the book the film is named after, it's very good.

[tha-don @ Jul 16th 2008 4:41PM]

5. If you shake it more than twice you're just playing with yourself.

[Decoy @ Jul 16th 2008 8:46PM]

6. Profit.

[Steven @ Jul 16th 2008 12:20PM]

Bring on the robot overlord, played-out meme's!

[Steven @ Jul 16th 2008 12:22PM]

memes* Whoops.

[Sarig @ Jul 16th 2008 12:27PM]

Way ahead of you (:

[rutsy5 @ Jul 16th 2008 12:21PM]

that's hot

[ENLIGHTEND @ Jul 16th 2008 12:22PM]

First....Sorry had to do it ... And oh' snap they are thinking now I for one praise our new robotic overlords....What type of ish is that NASA people NASA is waiting to see if their orders appeal to the robot


GET THE SMURF OUTTA HERE.... LAST NIGHT SHE TOTALLY SMURFED ME.....THATS SMURFING SWEET~

[natels @ Jul 16th 2008 12:23PM]

A day late and a dollar short my friend.

[Josh L @ Jul 16th 2008 12:24PM]

Lay off the dope.

[DarkLight @ Jul 16th 2008 12:24PM]

Wow, that's one of the hardest fails I've seen for a while...

[JRome345 @ Jul 16th 2008 12:31PM]

Hey I didn't fail i just succeeded on a low scale. Check and Mate.

[Steve @ Jul 16th 2008 12:47PM]

Ouch, probably want to lay off any lottery tickets you might have been thinking about buying, prospective land deals, and that "kinda shady" business proposition your buddy told you about. That crash and burn will stick with you for a bit.

O.O

[retro77 @ Jul 16th 2008 12:21PM]

Maybe it has already been taken over by the Martians......

[OmiMoAK @ Jul 16th 2008 1:59PM]

Funny....... when my computer doesn't do what I want it to do there is a blue screen of death involved

[Andir3.0 @ Jul 16th 2008 2:40PM]

It's the difference between scientist programmers and moron (sorry, for profit) programmers.

[KaZx @ Jul 16th 2008 12:28PM]

Mars Phoenix lander begins to learn, at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 am, eastern time, July 15th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug.

[Josh L @ Jul 16th 2008 12:32PM]

In response, Phoenix... Flails its robotic arm about menacingly?

[DeoWulf @ Jul 16th 2008 1:45PM]

"Fear me! I have ice!"

[surfwax95 @ Jul 16th 2008 1:59PM]

It can dig your grave.