Abusive Robot Caregivers!

This week in class we have been focused solely on the topic of robots. Questions have been thrown around in class such as, "If we use robots, do we treat them like humans?" and "In the very near future of robotics technology, will robots have rights similar to those held by humans?" Robots can be programmed to deliver numerous different responses to users.  The issue of using robots as "care givers" has been brought to light. Robots most likely will be used to help the elderly or people who struggle to take care of their children. If this is the case, what happens when children go against their robot caregiver? Will the robots be able to handle such a situation? Personally speaking, I do not think I would be comfortable with the idea of a robot disciplining my children. On the other hand I would be as equally uncomfortable if my children were abusing their robot caregiver. In the reading, Wallach brings up the topic of "operational morality". Wallach states that sensors detecting abusive treatment could be built into the system. More questions arise from this possibility.With this internal system, what would happen to a child if the robot responded to such abusive treatment? It's possible that the robot could inflict harm on a child as some sort of form of defense mechanism. If a child were self-harming, and the robot was programmed to protect at all costs, wouldn't that mean that the robot would register the child as a threat it should eliminate? Harm could definitely come to a child in this situation. Similarly, if robots were placed into nursing homes where they were required to administer medications and other things of this nature, what would happen if their patients refused to accept the robot's help? What if a patient refused to take medication from the robot? Would the robot force the medication onto the patient? At what point would the robot accept "No" and leave the patient alone?