Robots To Patrol South Korean Prisons 113
bukharin writes "As reported by various sites, South Korea is planning a trial of robotic prison guards in Pohang. The idea is that the robots will roll around the prison monitoring conditions inside the cells and communicate back to human guards if they detect a problem such as violence. Apparently the human guards are happy with the idea because they get to do less, especially overnight. And if you were worried about Skynet, you needn't be: according to Prof. Lee Baik-chul of Kyonggi University, who's running the trial, '... the robots are not terminators. Their job is not cracking down on violent prisoners. They are helpers.' Good to know."
thank god for asian robots (Score:2, Funny)
thank god for asian robots. they are polite before the kill.
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I have no opinion about this.
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I have no opinion about this.
Thanks for the info.
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FYI: It's a new movement. To satisfy the subjective feelings of obligation when presented with a reply button or submit box on the myriad of websites out there, as well as confusing the hell out of others, entering 'I have no opinion" etc is the way to go:
It satisfies the need to respond.
It takes almost no thought.
You fill in the blank, therefore you have contributed.
Others may respond, thus making you feel somewhat valuable.
Try it. There is a new Facebook page: Search for 'I have no opinion'
Good luck!
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not terminators...yet (Score:4, Insightful)
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Sure, it starts with cute & cuddly camera-wielding robots.
But in a couple of years they will announce a brilliant cost-saving measure - use retired military robots from the Demilitarised Zone.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/robotics/military-robots/a-robotic-sentry-for-koreas-demilitarized-zone [ieee.org]
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Robot trial (Score:2)
So what did it DO and does it get a jury of it's peers or at least a 50/50 human/robot mix?
Essentially mobile cameras (Score:5, Insightful)
Why not just put up cameras everywhere?
Re:Essentially mobile cameras (Score:5, Funny)
because cameras cannot be converted to terminators
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Exactly! Did nobody watch the movie? Cameras are inanimate, and don't travel back in time! Moreover, even if they did, do we really want webcams on tripods with mounted loudspeakers prowling the streets asking "are you Sarah Connor?"
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root@skynet:~$tail
(WW) Human may have identified true purpose of PrisonBot trial (http://hardware.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=2543364&cid=38162180)
root@skynet:~$terminator --dispatch --to-address `locate "Anonymous Coward" | grep 38162180`
(No points for pointing out abuse of locate or silly use of tail on this one)
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Because cameras aren't usually mobile? And thus people can hide things in dead angles?
Hell, you said it yourself that they're mobile cameras. Why not just make them look humanoid so people feel more antsy about doing things in front of them?
It's probably just me, but if some robot is starting at me, I'm probably LESS likely to do something secretive than if there's just a camera up in the corner.
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PTZ FTW
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Unless PTZ stands for Perambulate, Trundle and Zip-along, or unless you're setting up a true circular Panopticon, there will still be places it can't see. Which is anywhere that there is a non-transparent solid object between the camera and the outer building wall.
Re:Essentially mobile cameras (Score:5, Insightful)
Because cameras aren't usually mobile? And thus people can hide things in dead angles?
If there are dead zones, the camera system installer did not do their job correctly.
The robot cannot enter a prisoner's cell when the door is closed. At night all doors are closed and locked. So, at night, the robot will have large dead zones; fixed cameras (which could be IR sensitive) would have no such problems.
Robots need to move around for full coverage. Prisoners will act completely normal when the robot is near, and go back to doing whatever once it has gone. Robots are louder and more easily avoided than a good guard in tennis shoes.
And, for the price of one robot, you can buy a lot of fixed cameras, which require a lot less maintenance. The cameras work 24/7/365, but the robots will have down time for charging.
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That probably depends on how many robots are patrolling though. If there are a fairly large number on patrol and if they patrol at somewhat random intervals, that could set prisoners on edge that they will be caught, and it might actually work in a thoughtcrime sense that maybe p
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I would say four: one in each upper corner, with the centre zone aimed at the opposite lower corner so their fields meet in the exact centre of the room. Each fitted with 18mm EFL lens to guarantee at the minimum, wall-to-wall coverage since this is the longest focal length which will guarantee each camera has 90 degree horizontal angle of view.
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Infinite; You can always position the three cubes together to make an infinitesimal triangular column which goes straight towards the ceiling. The only position that you can see into that column is from directly above it. Thus there needs to be a camera on every point in the ceiling.
The cute thing about AC's puzzle is that it basically explains that the prisoners will be able to make temporary visual barriers, even just using their own bodies, which will cover all fixed camera angles. It also explains
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It also explains why the furniture in a supermax isn't movable.
Because prisoners beat each other with it?
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I don't know about you, but when I'm in strict solitary confinement, I do an awful lot of beating!
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Yes, robots would cost more than simply installing more cameras. But for shits and giggles, lets say the prison now breaks out in a massive riot. how hard would it be to simply strap a few cans of tear gas, pepper spray, whatever non-leathal means of stopping the riot, to the robot, roll it on in the room(s) and deploy the gas.
Now after the first use like this, now I v2.0 of the robot with an internal cylinder of said gas, with a nozel that leads out the front of the robot, and a guard sitting behind a moni
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Or, just plumb in some gas pipe alongside the sprinkler system, and send sleeping gas through the entire facility.
The idea of an autonomous robot with cameras and potentially pepper spray would be fine in an outdoor, public situation - b
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Why are we so far behind? (Score:2)
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Oh.
I thought when you mentioned xenophobia you were talking about how Asian countries are largely xenophobic, so they're not major fans of importing labor and would rather use robots.
Korea and Japan has robots. The US of A has Mexicans.
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Different priorities and needs. In Asia, there's a significantly larger need for things like in home care than in the US. In the US we're graying, but the bulge is pretty minor compared with the drop off you see in China or even Japan.
Also, they were more optimistic about figuring out how to prevent robots from eating old people's medicines.
Not good for society (Score:5, Insightful)
TOS violation 10 years.
Download music 10 years
Take a picture of a cop 10 years
Insult a politician 10 years
Parking violation not paid on time 90 days.
Kid misses a day in school 90 days
Insult your neigbour 10 years
Not feed your cat on time 10 years
You think that some special interest group wouldn't push for the above stupid penalties?
still have the trail part to deal with and jurys (Score:2)
not only that prisons don't have the room to house that many in mates anyways and guards are only part of the costs and the robots have a lot they can't do.
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Oh come on. You really think a politician could pass any of those laws without getting voted out? That goes beyond mere exaggeration to outright paranoia. If you believe what you wrote, you should seek counseling.
Re:Not good for society (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh come on. You really think a politician could pass any of those laws without getting voted out? That goes beyond mere exaggeration to outright paranoia. If you believe what you wrote, you should seek counseling.
They passed the 3-strikes law and no one was voted out of office.
What isn't obvious to most, your 3 strikes can happen with one charge, it doesn't have to be repeat charges at all.
The list of "serious" crimes originally stated to get it passed has been extended to any criminal offense.
Recall the catch-all charge of "resisting arrest"? And how it has been repeatedly applied to people clearly not resisting anything nor under arrest.
Even people having seizures have been charged with resisting arrest and had it upheld until the appeals court a year later.
If three police officers are present when one of them decides to fuck you, you just committed 3 resisting arrest offenses in one charge, which has a mandatory required life-time prison sentence.
People just like you stated that law would never be abused as it's only for serious crimes!
If you can't see past those lies, it is not anyone else who needs counseling... Especially with so many cases that prove it has happened every time such a law comes up.
Mandatory life time prison sentence for pissing off one cop while two others are present. No one got voted out of office for it.
Law has been this way for hundreds of years. Why do you think this one single case would be any different? Extraordinary claims you are making and all that...
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mandatory Facebook account.
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If it's cheaper to the government, then it's also less profitable for the prison. I think that roboguards would lead to a reversal of that trend, and therefore not catch on in the US.
Also, you can still shank a robot, you just need a sharper toothbrush. Maybe something made out of robot parts.
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Especially with so many politicians owning private prisons these days...they could build robot-managed "megaprisons" and have us all manning the call centers there.
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precaution (Score:3, Funny)
Actual note in robot developers notebook: Must remember to cover the switches on their backs with tape so that no one can accidently flick it to "EVIL" setting.
human guards are happy w/ the idea because they... (Score:5, Insightful)
How happy will they be when someone realizes they aren't needed anymore?
Haven't read much of this book yet, but it appears to be relevant. And it is a free download.
http://www.thelightsinthetunnel.com/ [thelightsinthetunnel.com]
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We're not likely to ever get there. Mostly because that would have other problems that are much more serious to worry about. As long as robots have to be told what to do and how to react things are fine. The problem is that in order to replace the guards they would have to make the things autonomous and that's potentially very worrying. You'd have to be really certain that the AI had been program correctly otherwise there's all sorts of hell to break loose.
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I'm not seeing why you would need the same number of guards you had patrolling the halls when robots are patrolling the halls instead. Some of the guards will still be needed, but not nearly as many as were needed before.
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Because you don't staff guards like that. Keep in mind that this is a prison which means that you have to have sufficient guards to deal with whatever happens. Waiting for outside help is generally not reasonable except under extraordinary circumstances. You might be able to get by with fewer guards on rove, but you're not going to be able to cut any as you still have to have them there for when the robots break or when something starts.
In the US where we have more concern for money than human life it might
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lol, worst troll ever.
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This is a good thing (Score:5, Insightful)
Spent two years working with prisons of every kind early in my tech career, I've probably worked with a third of the prisons federal and state for both the US and Canada. These are not environments where privacy is a good thing.
This is a very good thing for prisoners because a robot can't be bribed, threatened or tricked the same way a human can. Prison is a very ugly thing, violence, extortion and rape are very real threats that can happen daily. It also reduces the risk for the officers that are greatly outnumbered. Frankly it would be best for these robots to do well and become another export, we could certainly use them over here.
less guards = easyer to riot and can they look for (Score:2)
less guards = easyer to riot and can they look for hidden weapons prisoners are very good at makeing them out of just about any thing and they hide them in hard to find spots.
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Can the robots smell the inmates toking up after lights out and report it? ... to the guards who are toking up because now they don't have to make rounds as often?
A mobile sensor would be more effective than a fixed one in policing "The Joint."
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Sad, but I don't think robots would fare well in US prisons. The corruption, bribes, and violence have become a part of our prison system.
Robots can compete with that : food, booze, weed, meth, and a ride to freedom are all possible.
WWBD (What Would Bender Do)
Fair Wage (Score:5, Funny)
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I'll agree with you when the robot will argue the question.
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Robots actually are our slaves. They are neither self aware, or human. It is only illegal to own human slaves.
Your point is moot.
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prisons will find a way to slow down or gum up the (Score:2)
prisons will find a way to slow down or gum up the works on the robots and likely it will be some low tech way of doing it.
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How about leaving gum on the floor to get caught in the robot's wheels/treads while they're doing their rounds?
Got it all wrong (Score:3, Insightful)
Make the prisoners robotic instead, and employ people to watch them. This will not only be good for the economy, it will get all the innocent people out of jail.
increased response time (Score:3)
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Or the robots may locate an inmate bleeding on the floor before a foot patrol passes. This could also shorten the response time.
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Re:increased response time (Score:5, Insightful)
This sort of thinking is usually cured at the moment the pipe connects with the occipital bone while having your laptop/wallet/cellphone/car stolen.
Which is why civilized countries have a system of courts for determining punishment. Because somebody was clever enough to realize that feelings of revenge should not cloud a decision of imprisonment.
Some men are feral. Whether by choice (misanthropes) or training (via our welfare state) they are indeed primitive and irredeemable.
Actually, I think you're right. In Denmark where the maximum penalty is 14 years in prison (I believe), there is a special provision for lifetime prison for people who are judged to be too dangerous to let out. Even here, the case must reevaluated.
However, this is an extremely small minority. For the rest, this kind of thinking just makes it harder to turn the criminals into productive members of society.
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"All human lives are valuable, without exception."
The utility of that belief is what, precisely?
What logic supports your position?
Us-vs-them is a logical product of evolution. Even monkeys drive off or kill toxic members of the group.
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johnny gang banger whom sold your sister 3 lbs of meth while raping your grandmother and slitting your kid brother's throat
All at the same time? Damn, that's what I call multitasking!
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Yes, I "get" all the naive Slashdotian idealism, but to many people (self included) dead convicts are literally "enemy casualties" and no loss at all.
So do you think we should impose the death penalty for every single crime?
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I think we shouldn't be fussy about extra enemy casualties as they err on the side of good.
Ideally, prison should turn a profit so we could keep violent predators and other extreme criminals (Bernard Madoff and similar) in prison for life and not be under pressure of crowding to let them out.
I don't need them. Do you? If so, what for?
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Keep that in mind when you're getting shanked in prison after being thrown in for being caught with weed/downloading an MP3/taking a picture of a cop.
Ob. Robocop (Score:3)
Out comes the shiv... ED 209 springs into action:
"Please put down your weapon! You have twenty seconds to comply!"
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or surgically implanted behavioural modification devices, a la "Intestinator [imdb.com]".
I am such a geek.
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If anything, these robots will be used to make shivs. Well, at least it's not a bipod.
Now all we need... (Score:2)
Robot prison guards? (Score:2)
Roomba (Score:1)
Panopticon (Score:1)
For those who are interested, there is a kind of prison architecture that allows the prisoners to think that they are being watched all the time:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panopticon [wikipedia.org]
These robots can't possibly work (Score:1)
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Ironic, if many prisoners are there from poverty (Score:2)
Rather than build robots to guard prisons, why not just get the robots to do the boring work outside instead of imprisoning people for not wanting to do the work (and stealing, selling drugs, etc. for money)?
http://www.pdfernhout.net/recognizing-irony-is-a-key-to-transcending-militarism.html [pdfernhout.net]
We need "A Newer Way Of Thinking":
http://anwot.org/ [anwot.org]
Where this may all be leading, Marshall Brain's "Manna":
http://www.marshallbrain.com/manna1.htm [marshallbrain.com]
Why not just have a "basic income" instead, funded by a tax on robotic fac
Johny Five is happy to provide your last meal. (Score:1)
Beware geeks bearing gifts.