International Committee for Robot Arms Control

Campaign organisation founded in 2009

The International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC) is a "not-for-profit association committed to the peaceful use of robotics in the service of humanity and the regulation of robot weapons." It is concerned about the dangers that autonomous military robots, or lethal autonomous weapons, pose to peace and international security and to civilians in war.[1]

The international non governmental organisation was founded in 2009[2] by Noel Sharkey,[3] Jurgen Altmann, Peter M. Asaro,[4] and Robert Sparrow.[5] Sharkey is its chairman.[6][7][8] The committee is composed of people involved in robotics technology, robot ethics, international relations, international security, arms control, international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and public campaigns.[1]

Lethal autonomous weapons are being developed that will be able to select and engage targets without human oversight.[9] ICRAC has argued at the United Nations (UN) over the ramifications of such weapons and for them to be banned by including them under the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW).[9][10][11]

ICRAC is on the steering committee of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots.[12]

## See also

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* Arms Control Association
* Control Arms Campaign
* Samsung SGR-A1 – autonomous sentry robot gun deployed by South Korea along its border with North Korea
* BAE Systems Taranis – British demonstrator programme for unmanned combat aerial vehicle technology

## References

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1. ^ a b "Who We Are". International Committee for Robot Arms Control. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
2. ^ Bender, Jeremy; Ingersoll, Geoffrey (28 January 2014). "Budget Constraints Lead To Debate Over Robots Fighting In Battle". Business Insider. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
3. ^ Sample, Ian (13 November 2017). "Ban on killer robots urgently needed, say scientists". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
4. ^ Thomas, Greg (10 June 2013). "Meet the Man Behind the Push to Ban Killer Robots". Motherboard. Vice. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
5. ^ Page, Lewis (4 October 2010). "Fruitcake profs demand strict curbs on killer robots: Noel Sharkeys of the world, unite!". The Register. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
6. ^ Vincent, James (12 September 2017). "UK government says humans will always be in charge of its robot weapon systems". The Verge. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
7. ^ "Should lethal autonomous weapons - or killer robots - be banned?". Newsbeat. BBC News. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
8. ^ Farmer, Ben (21 August 2017). "Britain will not support pre-emptive ban on 'killer robots', MoD says after experts urge UN to act". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
9. ^ a b Tarantola, Andrew (25 July 2017). "Will we be able to control the killer robots of tomorrow?". Engadget. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
10. ^ Grant, Harriet (6 October 2015). "UN delay could open door to robot wars, say experts". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
11. ^ Billington, James (7 October 2015). "Are we on the brink of a robot war? Call for UN law to ban killer robots". International Business Times. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
12. ^ "About Us". Campaign to Stop Killer Robots. Retrieved 13 November 2017.

## External links

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* Official website