The "Remotec Robotic Platforms and Sub-Systems" (Remotec-F5 ^[1]) is a remote detonation and disarming robot.

The robot was used by the Dallas Police Department to kill Micah Johnson on July 7th, 2016. It was the first time a robotic system was used in a self-destructive and deliberately lethal manner.

Similar robots have been used in negotiations, delivering pizza in hostage situations where people were not allowed to enter.

In 2011, a remote controlled robot was armed with tear gas and sent into a mobile home, accidentally starting a fire.

Ethics

The use of a self-detonating robot to kill a civilian has been widely critiqued as establishing dangerous precedence.

Proponents of the robot suicide bomber cited the fact that Micah Johnson had already killed 5 police officers, and this robot may have saved lives. Opponents point to dystopian futures where it is acceptable to kill suspects with advanced technology. ^[1] There are even those who advocate Robot Rights as part of a larger consideration of the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.