August 19, 2009

autonomous systems

Speakers:
Dr Chris Elliott, systems engineer and Director, Pitchill Consulting
Lambert Dopping-Heppenstal, Science & Tchnology Director, BAE Systems Military Air Solutions
Prof Will Stewart, Visiting Professor, University of Southampton

Autonomous systems are likely to emerge in a number of areas over the coming decades. From unmanned vehicles to autonomous robotic surgery devices, applications for technologies that can operate without human control, learn as they function and effectively make decisions, are growing. These technologies can promise great benefits, replacing humans in tasks that are mundane, dangerous and dirty, or detailed and precise. They also have potential in allowing the remote performance of various functions, from defusing bombs to monitoring the ill or housebound. However, these technologies also raise a number of social , ethical and legal issues, some of which were addressed in this briefing, run in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Engineering.