For this week's invention exchange, we have a device inspired by the Dish of the Day from Hitchhikers Guide and Bomb Number 20 from Dark Star: Smart Grenades! With AI being so ubiquitous and cheap in the star wars universe, I can easily see a Engineer or Outlaw Tech building a line of explosives - mines, grenades and the like - that are smart enough to tell the difference between friend and foe.

They would make setting traps easier, make handling explosives safer - and of course cause all kinds of conflict for the Jedi of your party as they moralize over not just killing an Artificial Intelligence needlessly (and wantonly) but wrestling with the fact that these bombs WANT to blow up. It's their purpose in life. They're happy to do so!

. . . but are they only happy to do so because that's how they were programmed? Oh the morality!

So, what do you think sirs?

I'm not naughty, I'm just drawn that way.

Suicide Bombers! in so many words.

As you can programme the delineated behaviour into human beings on this planet, apparently; why not droids in a galaxy far, far away.

For this week's invention exchange, we have a device inspired by the Dish of the Day from Hitchhikers Guide and Bomb Number 20 from Dark Star: Smart Grenades! With AI being so ubiquitous and cheap in the star wars universe, I can easily see a Engineer or Outlaw Tech building a line of explosives - mines, grenades and the like - that are smart enough to tell the difference between friend and foe.

They would make setting traps easier, make handling explosives safer - and of course cause all kinds of conflict for the Jedi of your party as they moralize over not just killing an Artificial Intelligence needlessly (and wantonly) but wrestling with the fact that these bombs WANT to blow up. It's their purpose in life. They're happy to do so!

. . . but are they only happy to do so because that's how they were programmed? Oh the morality!

So, what do you think sirs?

*in the voice of Dr. Forrester* "Well my little boobsey bird! I think the issue is moot, as the level of intelligence in such devices isn't remotely close to true sentience, and is simply mimicking a priorities cascade chart that could be replicated in Dragon Age! Frank show him the....Frank? FRANK!?! GET OVER HERE! I swear if you delay my speeches like that again, I will uncoil your colon!" "But Dr. Forrester I was just polishing your collection of Richard Basehart blow up dolls...." *hits Frank* "I told you NOT to discuss that in front of Joel and the bots! Anyway, your movie this week Joelykins, is Star Wars The Christmas Special. ENJOY!" "AAAAAAH! WE'VE GOT MOVIE SIGN!!! ALKDJFALSKJAL;KJ" *panic, mayhem, flashing lights*

This is fantastic. They should be the most jolly, adorable droids you could meet. Super friendly, so that the PC's like them immediately, and they're just so excited to blow themselves to pieces. I want to see one sprint, giggling across the battlefield, jump on a stormtrooper in a bear hug and squeal, "I'm so glad you're here to share this moment with me!" KABOOOM!

This is fantastic. They should be the most jolly, adorable droids you could meet. Super friendly, so that the PC's like them immediately, and they're just so excited to blow themselves to pieces. I want to see one sprint, giggling across the battlefield, jump on a stormtrooper in a bear hug and squeal, "I'm so glad you're here to share this moment with me!" KABOOOM!

Why do I feel like this is their theme song?

Oh you're evil. I'm stealing this idea.

They should absolutely be happy and cheerful! Very personable grenades, friendly, brilliant and clever. Possibly brightly colored, too.

Actually that fits in nicely with my Engineer's personality - the same person who found an ancient sith relic lightsaber and painted a smile face on the bottom of the hilt. I could totally see her making them happy.

So, “Talkie Toaster” happy to do their job?

Well, that couldn’t possibly go wrong.

Well....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKd6ZxCEJdI

There's always that...

Hehe.. take a look at Schlock Mercenary's takes on it:

Disarming such a device can get tricky, too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjGRySVyTDk

And even when you believe you finally did it...

Theoretically, though, wouldn't those just be like the little targeting remotes that have just enough intelligence to do things but not enough to have personality (if you ignore Bao-Dur's little remote)? Maybe like sending a turtle off to its death, not like a person.

Hehe.. take a look at Schlock Mercenary's takes on it:

You beat me to it.

The first thing I thought of when opening this this thread as the AI munitions from Schlock Merc.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Smart_mine

Oh, and of course they need to sound like this:

"I'm flying!"

"Glorious freedom!"

If we’re referencing similar things from other films or TV shows, there’s always “Warhead” from “Star Trek: Voyager”. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhead_(Star_Trek:_Voyager)

Remembers me of the jumping mines in the (first, the old one) Unreal Trounament goty Edition.

And of course, portal. "I don't hate you..."

I'm a little surprised nobody posted this..

I did this as a player in one if the old Star Wars RPGs (can't remember if it was d20 or WEG). I bought a bunch of surplus Mouse droids, loaded them up with thermal detonators & programmed them to deliver their 'message' to imperial officers... much fun Blowing up a base by remote.