The future is scary, but more so when it comes to visit. A provocative marketing collective called MSCHF (for mischief, probably) bought one of Boston Dynamics' robot dogs, Spot, for $74,500 — and armed it with a Tippmann 98 paintball gun.
However, MSCHF is letting people remotely control the robot with their phones in an art gallery filled with the company's work for two minutes per turn, according to the event's website — which is called "Spot's Rampage," like a sequel.
The event goes down on Feb. 24 at 1:00 PM EST, and it's sure to make waves, but this is significant because it raises questions we don't ask enough about the coming generation of robots. While Boston Dynamics was quick to distance itself from hints of robot violence, it's unlikely robots will never see use to enforce systems of control.
The mere fact that robots are capable of projecting lethal force means that they eventually will project lethal force. Don't be lulled into a false sense of comfortable complacency. To read more, click here.