The top ten military robots of all time
By Asavin Wattanajantra in Editorial
Posted in military, robot, robots on
Robots are cool. There’s no denying this fact - but they ain’t always friendly.
Johnny Five in Short Circuit was probably one of my first experiences of seeing a robot (yes it’s a film, but it looked real to me). People tend to forget that before his cheeky niceness after the lighting bolt hit him, he was actually a killing machine with a rather tasty laser cannon
Noel Sharkey of the University of Sheffield has put killer robots back into the news by claiming that using more robotic technology in warfare could significantly endanger civilian life.
So I’ve looked around the internet to find some examples of robot technology which is already being used in the military, none of it is quite Johnny Five or Terminator T101, but they are impressive nevertheless.
1 TALON
Fitted with ‘Johnny Five’ style caterpillar tracks, this robot is a bit of a multi-tasker. Easily portable, this robot is capable of explosive disposal, reconnaissance, small arms combat, and can even sense threats like radiation and chemical attack.
It can also climb stairs! It costs around $60,000 and it has its very own website, but you probably need to be in the warmongering business to get one. Spend $200,000 and you can get one with a gun.
2 ACER
Looking a bit Wall:E to me, this robot is a multi-purpose unit created by Mesa Robotics and is pretty large - the size of small bulldozer.
According to HowStuffWorks it is a capable of a number of heavy-duty tasks, such as clearing out explosives with a mechanical arm, clearing and cutting obstacles with a cutter or blade, pulling vehicles, hauling cargo, and serving as a weapons platform.
3 PackBot
According to Wikipedia, more than 2000 of these robots are being used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Again on caterpillar treads, this little robot is small enough to be carried on a soldier.
Bulit by iRobot and Controlled by a Pentium processor, it has a GPS system, an electronic compass and temperature sensors. It can also withstand a 6-foot drop, meaning that soldiers can throw them through windows and see where enemies are hiding.
4 Matilda
Another robot built by Mesa Robotics, this remote control device is also small and portable, fitting in the trunk of a car.
Like the other robots already mentioned, this is multi-purpose - capable of being a sensor or camera, disrupting bombs or explosives, and also manipulating things with its arm.
5 ARV(Armed Robotic Vehicle)
According to LockHeed Martin, this vehicle will in the near-future be able to be used for weapons and reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition.
It is based on the MULE platform, an unmanned ground combat vehicle that is being developed.
6 Global Hawk
The first on the list that can fly, the RQ-4A/B Global hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial reconnaissance robot which can provide military commanders with real-time imagery of large geographic areas.
It has already been used in Afghanistan and Iraq, with the vehicle’s flight control, vehicle management software and navigation functions managed by twp integrated mission management computers.
7 Predator
The Predator C Avenger was created by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, and in April made its first flights.
The unmanned aircraft has a weapons bay which can carry 500 pound bombs with laser guidance, which can be removed and a surveillance pod installed. It can carry 30o0 ibs worth of weapons and sensors.
8 BigDog
The first robot on the list with legs, this Boston Dynamics created robot a a rough-terrain robot that has is able to run, climb and carry loads. It has four legs articulated like an animal - like a big dog!
It has on-board computer controls which services the legs and handles a number of sensors. It is funded by the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency in the hope it can accompany soldiers in places where wheels won’t do.
A video of the robot is available here.
9 EATR
This is a bit of a freaky one, as Wired noted. Basically researchers are trying to develop something called the Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR) that won’t need conventional refuelling because it can forage (or eat) organic matter.
This is pretty scary when you realise that when they say organic matter, this could easily mean human corpses - hence a corpse-eating robot on the battlefield?!
10 The ‘ethical’ robot
Not actually a robot in use, but very interesting and could create a new breed of robot - one which actually makes decisions about using force on the battleground, and what Noel Sharkey was very concerned about.
According to the New Scientist, a robotics engineer is developing software which would make robots behave ethically - obeying the rules of engagement.
Rated: 20% (1 votes)
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