this is the Technology Report.A United Nations special investigatorrecently called for a ban on the productionand use of lethal autonomous robots,also known as LARs.Critics say these "killer robots"may one day choose and strike targets independently,without human intervention.UN official Christof Heyns saysthe lack of human commanders raises many moraland ethical questions about LARs.He spoke last month at a meeting ofthe UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland."War without reflection is mechanical slaughter,in the same way that the taking of any human life deserves- as a minimum - some deliberation,a decision to allow machines to be deployedto kill human beings worldwide.Whatever weapons they use, deserves a collective pause."Mr Heyns says "killer robots" should nothave the power of life and death over human beings.He disagrees with people who say the robotscould help reduce the possibility of human error,or accidental death."In some cases, people also make mistakes with their act of fear,or may even be driven to act out of revenge or cruelty. Yet at the same time, humans may in some cases,unlike robots, act out of compassion or grace."Mr Heyns presented a 22-page report to the Human Rights Council,his report recognizes that robots with full lethal autonomoushave yet to be deployed, but he notesthat some countries already have robotics systems in use.And others are believed to be developing autonomous robots.Drones have been appointed of debate in recent years,these vehicles operate without a human pilot riding on the aircraft.Many countries have drone programs.Drone strikes have helped the United States in its battleagainst militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan.Last month, president Obama described a plan of actionfor American's fight against terrorism.He said the use of drone strikes must be held to high standards."America does not take strikes when we have the abilityto capture individual terrorists.Our preference is always to detain, interrogate and prosecute them.America cannot take strikes wherever we choose.Our actions are bound by consultations with partnersand respect for state sovereignty."President Obama called the use of drones "effective",but he noted that the new technologyraises what he called profound questions."As our fight enters a new phase,America's legitimate claim of self-defensecannot be the end of the discussion.To say a military tactic is legal, or even effective,is not to say it is wise or moral in every instance,for the same progress that gives us the technologyto strike half a world away also demands the disciplineto constrain that power, or risk abusing it."Shortly after his speech,the Pakistani Taliban reported that its number 2 commanderwas killed in a suspected American drone strike.And that's the Technology Report from VOA Learning English,