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6 real robots that are Terminators in the making
If you're reading this then you're the resistance. Well, you will be, anyway. That's because every Terminator you'll see in Terminator Salvation already exists in some form. It's just a matter of time before a high-tech company called Cyberdyne emerges and turns them into weapons for our destruction.
Oh wait, Cyberdyne exists, and they make exoskeletons. The moment that prefix turns into "endo-" we're screwed.
Click Continue to see five real robots that are Terminators in the making.
Click on the thumbnails to see larger images.
1. Tmsuk Enryu, the Harvester
In today's world, the Tmsuk T-52 "Enryu" (which, c'mon, it already sounds like a Terminator!) serves Japan as a prototype for what could be a very helpful robot in an emergency, clearing heavy debris with its claws and rescuing survivors. Toss some legs on it and make it a little bigger, though, and you've basically got yourself a Harvester from Salvation. Yeah, that'd be this guy right here:
2. CardioArm robotic snake, the Hydrobot
The CardioArm is an ultra-flexible, ultra-scary jointed robotic limb created by Carnegie Mellon University that allows doctors to perform heart surgeries with as few incisions as possible. Of course, as a Terminator, it'll make as many incisions as it can, once it's head is equipped with big bad blades. Say hello to the Hydrobot:
3. Ghostrider, the Moto-terminator
The Ghostrider robotic motorcycle was created as part of
4. Predator UAV, the Hunter/Killer
We could really credit any UAV with leading us along the path toward the fearsome Hunter/Killer. The Predator, pictured above, is one of America's most widely used unmanned aerial vehicles for recon and surveillance missions. The Predator-B (also known as the MQ-9 Reaper), is even loaded out with weapons. Give the Predator a little VTOL love, make it larger, and you've got yourself a Hunter/Killer that'd make any Terminator proud:
5. Actroid, the T-600
Who knew T-600s had a little "Made in Japan" marking on them? Designed and built by Japanese robotics firm Kokoro, Actroids are programmed to take the place of their human counterparts as hosts, receptionists, tour guides, or any other profession that involves standing somewhere and talking. In the future, they'll evolve to include "standing somewhere and shooting" on their resumes as T-600s:
6. Asimo, the T-800
Honda's amazing little Asimo needs no introduction. Unfortunately, neither does the fellow pictured below. With all the human mannerisms Honda's been teaching its bipedal 'bot to mimic, however, I guess we shouldn't be surprised at what it's destined to be. Oh, Asimo. You'll kill us all.
Click on the thumbnails to see larger images.
By MiG at 8:33 AM ON 05/21/09
Wow, and oh no we're doomed at the same time. Could this really happen, i thot u'd need to write ridiculous amounts of code to create Skynet type A.I.
By Marty B. at 9:09 AM ON 05/21/09
Even more like the hydrobot, there is a snake articulated robot that swims.
Thing about UAVs, they're unmanned, but still human piloted. Maybe for reconnaissance, but I don't think the AI is there to allow a UAV to perform combat missions.
By mdNomad at 9:10 AM ON 05/21/09
They forgot the Roomba... I swear mine is trying to kill me
By Ethring at 11:55 AM ON 05/21/09
There are plenty of experimental autonomous combat AI programs in the works. Fortunatly, the military is still greatly against taking people completly out of the loop.
By Asiabot at 12:07 PM ON 05/21/09
Wow, this is probably the lamest robot post I've ever read. Robots as Terminators....now that's original.
By mrfuetur at 12:08 PM ON 05/21/09
from Ethring, "Fortunatly, the military is still greatly against taking people completly out of the loop."
oh yeah? check this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30810070/
By starkiller at 12:14 PM ON 05/21/09
By labrat at 1:43 PM ON 05/21/09
Marty B., I don't think there is a specific term for it but Predators are 'semi-manned'. What I mean by this is that I believe there is a person sitting there the whole time who issues orders and is able to fully take control if desired. However the Predator is capable of handling a lot of activities on its own without any human intervention.
Right now the military seems very disinclined to allow any autonomous units that are capable of making their own 'Fire' decision so there is always a human being involved in the loop. They are continuing to do lots of experimentation with units that can make their own 'Fire' decisions but I would expect it to still be years before such things are deployed. This isn't simply because of the complexity involved in the programming but because of the social challenges of people accepting such a thing.
As a final note the Predator can already mount weaponry (the MQ-1A can mount 3 hellfire missiles). The MQ-9 Reaper is a much more heavily modified version (modified to the point where it is given a different designation than Predator) is capable of carrying up to 3000 pounds along its wing stores which is often configured as two 1000 pound fuel tanks for extended range and 1000 pounds of ordinance.
By Czad at 2:01 PM ON 05/21/09
Damn Dvice... why so much doomsaying? Why not post something that doesn't reflect your twisted dystopian fantasies for once? You should post a feature about all the promise robotics hold for society as well... and maybe even use the same robots featured here.
I'll be waiting.
By Delta C at 2:17 PM ON 05/21/09
It's just a matter of time before AI will be able to write its own code. Once this happens the game has changed for all humanity.
By jdmimic at 3:55 PM ON 05/21/09
I think labrat is quite right, although I would go farther. I would say the only reason we have not already seen Predators, etc. that can fire on their own is the social factor. There is a quite understandable fear of letting a machine gun people down without any sort of direct human control. We can build that now, but do we really want to? It would be far too easy for it to not distinguish friendlies from enemies sufficiently well. We already have enough problems with humans making that mistake.
Die Captcha die.
By tali713 at 10:12 PM ON 05/21/09
Delta C, that's funny, I can only assume that you are not a programmer. If you were you would realize that that's less probable by far then humans rewriting their code to become emotionless killing machines.
First you would have to create an intelligent robot(not just a killing machine). You would have to then make it capable of learning, and about things that Are totally irrelevant to it's purpose. Then you would have to make it want to exceed it's boundaries. And finally you would have to give the capacity to program, and provide it with the capacity.
Not saying this is impossible, but it is not only unwise it is also technically infeasible at the current time, and is far more difficult then simply making an AI which is capable of becoming better at a given task through known and established means.
Which anybody who wants an effective AI will do. It would be pointless after all to give the capacity to; create, love and write poetry, to a hunter killer drone for example. Impossible no, but why would you try to teach a robot designed for a specific task to be able to program, one of the most difficult to automate tasks possible.
By RAD at 7:19 AM ON 05/22/09
How could this list have missed the UCAV?:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UCAV
"An unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) or "combat drone" is an experimental class of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs). They differ from ordinary UAVs, because they are designed to deliver weapons (attack targets) – possibly with a great degree of autonomy."
Note the last part there...!
By LeonKaiser at 3:51 PM ON 05/22/09
and they called me mad for stocking up on EMP grenades! hahaha!
Alright I probably was mad but it turned out for the best!
By ppeirce at 1:33 PM ON 05/28/09
Aww, c'mon...! This is 2009, and I'm STILL waiting for my Flying Car...!!!
Todays Science Fiction is tomorrows Science Fact: I give you Star Trek Communicators in the original series and any "flip style" Cell Phone of today.
Love, Peace, and Chicken Grease Y'All...!
By observer at 3:54 AM ON 05/29/09
all of this has happened before, and all of it will happen again.
By naedre at 10:27 AM ON 05/29/09
Terminators Sherminators... we'll get nuked by Cylons with better planning. plus the Cylons look sexier. Grace Park and/or Tricia Helfer could sneak attack me any day of the week.
By stingmaster6969 at 11:46 AM ON 05/29/09
All i can say is....Danger will Robinson!...Danger Will Robinson!
By lukevsdarth at 8:42 PM ON 05/29/09
"ethical governor" I dont think so sounds like the creator of the T-100 cyberdyne industries
By Dark Star at 5:07 PM ON 05/31/09
If you go to RAD's link and scroll down, one of the headers is "USAF Hunter-Killer"
"Terminator Salvation" anyone?
By Discoman at 9:19 PM ON 07/01/09
too bad the actroid cannot walk, only looks lifelike. too bad the predator is a remote controlled plane, it has no autonomy. the snake robot is another human controlled surgical robot. even asimo is remote controlled by a puppeteer. we have to start worrying when these actually start thinking, not remote controlled. also, with battery technology, any war against the robots would be over the same day. besides, your roomba doesnt even know of your existence, and if it is trying tl kill you, turn it upside down.
By jay trini at 8:46 PM ON 07/28/09
We are Daleks; we are the superior beings!!!
By user at 6:43 AM ON 07/29/09
why are all the IMG links broken?
By dont need A.I at 4:40 AM ON 09/02/09
don't need A.I to bring on the unslught of mechines. just wait tell your world banks that control your U.N and control your contrys want to use them in your town looking for terrorists and if you look up the word "terrorist" its of anyone of any background thus meaning any one can be labled a terrorist.
By different user at 7:35 PM ON 09/12/09
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