Soldiers Feel Loss, Anger When Their Robots Die

Bomb disposal soldiers view their robots almost as pets, according to research conducted by Dr. Julie Carpenter at the University of Washington.

These soldiers take care of the robots that do a great deal of their dirty work, such as bomb disposal. They learn the robots' quirks, what the robot can and cannot do. They train with the robots every day. Then, one day, something goes awry and the robot is blown to pieces, creating a sense of anger and sadness that soldiers have trouble deciphering.

"They're struggling with how to categorize the robot," Carpenter told Mashable. "On the one hand, they're very clear that it's not something that's organic, and they unanimously define the robot as a tool. But they're still struggling with how to act toward it." Read more...