“It’s behind you!” has connotations peculiar to audiences familiar with the British pantomime tradition. The warning perhaps takes on a new cadence for Google-dependent internet users.
Google has bought Boston Dynamics to add to Google’s portfolio of robotics companies. Google has reportedly pledged to honour existing military contracts to which Boston Dynamics is committed.
The BBC tells us that Boston Dynamics has developed the world’s fastest running robot. I have yet to work out how comfortable I feel knowing that Google has involvement in this field. I’m even more puzzled how this might fit with Google’s mission statement. Even just noting the first on its list of ten is sobering: “Focus on the user and all else will follow.”
Hopefully Google Glass will have the an add-on “here’s what’s coming up behind you” facility.