What Are Your Thoughts on Killer Robots?

Wednesday on Word of Mouth, we'll ask: what happens when science fiction becomes battlefield reality? We're witnessing a revolution in how wars are fought. Remote-controlled drones take out insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, while in just five years the number of unmanned systems on the ground there has gone from zero to 12,000. Military officers expect that new prototypes will soon make human fighters obsolete, and tiny robots the size of flies will soon be able to carry out the reconnaissance work now handled by special Elite Forces troops.

You tell us: Are the troubling political, legal and ethical implications of using robots that kill worth saving the lives of human soldiers? How will these new machines change our culture, from the frontlines to the home front? Share your thoughts below, or call our listener line at 603-223-2448. And join us Wednesday for what promises to be a fascinating, and frightening, conversation.

(Photo by Taku)