April 29, 2009

When robots attack.

Good luck suing in Sweden.
In 2007, a muscular robot programmed to lift heavy stones malfunctioned in a factory near Stockholm, Sweden, and some poor devil—who thought he'd turned off the power—nearly got himself killed when the robot grabbed his head and shook him around. He ended up with four broken ribs, but managed to "defend himself" and live. The judge awarded the guy 25,000 Swedish kronor, which sounds nice except that it's only about $3,000. The judge also reprimanded the guy for being at least partially at fault, if I'm reading the Swedish translation correctly.
Get robot insurance:

5 comments:

Hoosier Daddy said...

The judge also reprimanded the guy for being at least partially at fault,.

Sounds reasonable. If he forgets to turn off the power, why should someone else be responsible for his negligence. Maybe the Swedish tort system hasn't completely abandoned the concept of individual responsibility.

Wince said...

So don't cower under your afghan any longer.-Sam Waterston, for Old Glory Insurance.

It is my understanding that, in fact, use of a Snuggie will void the Robot Insurance policy.

rhhardin said...

Radio Japan occasionally has a hopeful robot story, like new ones being designed to help out in old people's homes, like to take patient temperatures at night, I assume rectally.

They only have to be able to move faster than old people, is one advantage in this first application.

goesh said...

OMG! best snark of the day but I do feel sorry for the hapless wretch so grabbed

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

..nearly got himself killed when the robot grabbed his head and shook him around. He ended up with four broken ribs, but managed to "defend himself" and live.

Its not the robot’s fault the guy looked like Andrew Sullivan.