There was lots of robot news last week, from 'bots who clean the streets to ones who can laugh at knock-knock jokes, but the most important robot news this week comes from Iraq. That's where the U.S. Army has begun deploying "special weapons observation remote reconnaissance direct action systems," or SWORDS, the first robots outfitted with machine guns to be used in combat. These machines are updated versions of bomb-disposal robots that have been used since the beginning of the war.
While the idea of a killer robot is distinctly frightening, these machines aren't exactly thinking for themselves and shooting with abandon. They're remotely controlled by soldiers, which we find comforting; they're no more sentient than remote controlled cars. And though they're controlled with "kill switches," it's only so that they can self-destruct should anything go wrong. Still, a mini unmanned tank with built-on weaponry is something that until now you we would have only expected to see in movies.
Wired's Danger Room, via Gizmodo
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By karpet at 12:54 PM ON 08/07/07
And so ends the war. Get GM to make these things by the million, hook them up to a secure WiFi system so they can be controlled from nice comfy pods somewhere in a bunker, dump them all over Iraq and get our troops the hell out of there. A couple million of these little buggers should get he point across right? I would be influenced to play nice if a tracked M-1a was rolling down the street loaded with C-4. The can terrorize them all they want, we will make more. HELL, sell month long memberships to control one at DARPA.gov and help with the budget. The future is now. Took long enough.
karpet
By Cav_Man_69 at 12:31 AM ON 05/22/08
Nothing will ever replace boots on the ground for the most efficient, effective method of gaining superiority over the enemy. These, and the generations of bots to come, represent extentions of the basic infantry squad or platoon, and can increase firepower, reduce risk, and probably scare the hell out of less disciplined enemy trops, but it takes a human CPU operating in conjunction with trained, well-equipped team mates to really get the job done.