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Discussion Robert Sparrow
Introduction
Robert Sparrow offers a number of possible unmanned military system designs that influences the mental well-being of the system operators. He notes that minimizing psychological harm to system operators may compromise mission success or lead to increased civilian casualties. The essay seeks to explore how systems may be designed to minimize stress, promote mission success, and minimize harm to noncombatants.
To minimize psychological stress, the designers of UMS should ensure they put ethical considerations. Ethical considerations ensure that everything within the system is done in a manner the does not harm or exploit to the parties and subjects involved (Sparrow 174). Besides, it is important to consider limits, requirements, and operational components when designing UMS. This will ensure reduced conflict between units or department in the UMS. The systems should be safe to operate and maintain. Also, it is important to ensure that the nature of the interface used to operate the system is considered (Sparrow 175). Therefore, the designers can offer systems that induce little trauma or stress to those who operate them. The designers must ensure relevant capacities of the systems so as to intervene in the event of any harm to the subject in the field.
To promote mission success, humans should be kept out of the way. Because UMS involve robots, then they add utility or success by being left to operate alone. Secondly, human actors can be brought in to defend service or recover the systems that are threatened. Besides, the mission can be made successful by ensuring that humans are present to prevent the enemy from gaining valuable intelligence about the operations (Sparrow 173). The tradeoffs include making sure that human beings are present to improve the efficient and effective of the UMS despite their reduced services.
To minimize harm to noncombatants, there is a need to design and manufacture robots that are more flexible, effective, and reliable. That is, manufacturing strong UMS that seldom break down or fail in their missions. With sophisticated systems, it implies that human beings will be present to ensure repair and recovery of the systems when they fail (Sparrow 174). Even though less versatile and inexpensive robots are disposable and less likely to put human lives in jeopardy, they are not effective, and the designers will be forced to use “Better robots.”
Work Cited
Sparrow, Robert. “Building a better WarBot: Ethical issues in the design of unmanned systems for military applications.” Science and Engineering Ethics 15.2 (2009): 169-187.