Robots – faithful servants or existential threat? - Royal Academy of Engineering

The first UK Robotics Week took place from 27 June to 1 July, with events and activities around the country showcasing leading UK technology and engineering research in robotics and autonomous design. Co-ordinated by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's UK Robotics and Autonomous Systems (UK-RAS) Network, and supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the week sees robotic research groups from around the world visiting the UK to demonstrate their latest technologies in surgical robotics, field robotics, autonomous driving and unmanned aerial vehicles, while other challenges are set to engage and inspire school, college and university students. On 29 June, the Academy hosted a panel discussion on robotic ethics. The event also featured a Pepper and a NAO robot, from London Design and Engineering UTC, which will be some of the first in the UK to be used in an educational setting. The panel discussion can be found on Twitter at @RAEngNews.