Safety, security, and sex are all areas of great concern,"

said Henrik Christensen, chair of the European Robotics Network at the Royal Swedish Institute of Technology in Stockholm and one of the organizers of a new group of robo-ethicists. Should robots that are strong or heavy enough to crush a human be allowed into homes? Is it a "system error" to legitimately defend against an automated warplane that violates the Geneva Convention and mistakenly shoots innocent civilians? And should the law allow the possession of automated, childlike dolls with gender?

Robot

"These questions may seem esoteric, but they will become increasingly important in the coming years," said Dr. Christensen. According to the UN Economic Commission's World Robotics Survey, the number of servants and robots in Europe tripled in 2002, almost outpacing their industrial counterparts. By the end of 2003, there were more than 600,000 robot vacuum cleaners and robotic lawnmowers—a number predicted to exceed 4 million by the end of next year. Japanese companies are racing to build humanoid robots to serve as assistants for the elderly, and South Korea has set a goal of having household robots in all homes by 2020. "In light of all this, it's crucial that we start thinking about safety and ethical guidelines now," said Dr. Christensen.