As concerns mount amid warnings that robots will eventually overrun humans, some life-saving benefits, particularly of robots used in war zones, are being overlooked.

Designed with a focus on precise destruction rather than on mass destruction, weaponized robots may reduce collateral damage to civilians and reduce the number of friendly fire occurrences, according to research.

Likewise, as robots become more sophisticated and agile, they can be used to detect and defuse or detonate bombs in war zones without risk to humans.

Additionally, some robots can be used to help “sweep” rooms for the enemy, set up ambushes and detect pressurized sensors meant to act like “booby traps.”

Military robot technology could also potentially be used to secure safe havens protecting unarmed civilian refugees by maintaining perimeter security. These military robots might stop the threat of war criminals taking the lives of innocent civilians, while reducing the risk to human peacekeepers supervising those civilians.

As technology becomes more sophisticated, researchers can expect robots to have an expanded menu of abilities -- some of which will potentially help save even more lives in war zones.

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