ABSTRACT
This chapter presents some of the advancements of robotic mobility in three main modes – legged locomotion, flight, and swimming – to emphasise the important role played by fundamental knowledge about locomotion in the advancement of autonomous robots. It explores some thoughts on how bounded autonomy should be addressed when humans and robots are involved in lethal force, and the question of how developed nations can engage with advances in the developing world in the area of autonomous robots to ensure a safer world. The chapter highlights some future challenges that should be addressed by multidisciplinary groups involving roboticists and war studies experts. It discusses advances in robotic legged locomotion, flight, and swimming, highlighting their technological advantages and challenges. The chapter suggests that a program does not necessarily have to be a piece of software. It provides reasons to believe that autonomy can emerge in any system regardless of whether there is a software code to control actions or not.
