Mars probe saves its own skin

The multi-billion pound Mars based robot explorer Phoenix found itself in a fix earlier in the week according to reports. After receiving instruction to conduct a movement that would have damaged the wrist on its robot arm it did not comply.

The probe immediately recognised that the command would cause it to malfunction, so decided to switch itself off.

The move seems to contradict in some part the Three Laws of Robotics as set down by Isaac Asimov, the creator of the original I,Robot way back in 1942 which read as follows :

1 . A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Well not exactly break the rules, just manipulate them into a slightly different sequence, which is extraordinarily clever for a machine so far away to realise that it was pretty much on its own and to work out the best course of action all round.

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