From Pack Mule To Automated Killing Machine - Can You Say Skynet?

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman claims that the .50-caliber M2 machine gun it mounted on it's CaMEL, Carry-all Mechanized Equipment Landrover, for the Association of the U.S. Army’s Washington conference was for impact only. "Quite frankly, a weapon on a robot brings people into the booth" says Jon Aderson.

The company has sold 60 CaMEL units to the Isreali military, which traditionally carry up to 1200 pounds of equipment at up to 7 miles per hour. The US military also is said to be interested in the device, which version of the device is not really clear... Anderson calls the gun mounted one on display at the conference a "new application".

I love robots but I believe this breaks at least one of Asimov's three laws of robotics! 

Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/10/what-robo-haulers-need-now-big-guns/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher#ixzz13eDOrLQ3

Web Slinging Robocop Introduced

Japanese robitics firm Tmsuk Co has partnered with security company Alacom Co to introduce a prototype security robot known as T-34. The little guy has wheels to propel itself at upto 10km/h (6mph) and sensors to detect intruders. Once a sensor is activated a human can control the robot with the help of real-time images on a mobile phone. "Security sensors often set off false alarms but examining the location with the robot will lead to more efficient operations," said a statement from the companies. Once an intruder is spotted the robot has the capability to subdue them by using a hurled net.

Source: BBC

Unmanned Patrols Via Golfcart Sized Robotic Rover

Crave blog has spotted an interesting robotic vehicle designed to provide perimeter patrolling capabilities in a small footprint unmanned vehicle. "The Guardium UGV (unmanned ground system) employs state-of-the-art technologies and any number of payloads to guard places like airports, energy plants and military bases-24/7".

The Guardium employs an autonomous decision-making system and persistent navigation to overcome poor GPS conditions, deal with obstacles and other variables as well as to plan and replan routes in real time, according to Crave.

Guardium is a joint venture of G-NUIS Unmanned Ground Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Elbit Systems Ltd.

Robotic Insects On Horizon For Military?

British Weapons giant BAE Systems is creating an army of tiny robotic spiders, insects and snakes that potentially could become the eyes and ears of soldiers on the battlefield. The UK's Daily Mail is reporting that prototypes of the tiny robots could be deployed into action by the years end. BAE has secured a £19million contract to develop the robots for the US Army and have ambitions to equip every front-line soldier with them enabling the boots on the ground to detect danger from insurgent fighters, chemical, biological or radioactive weapons. Check out this animated scenario. As the Daily Mail points out its reminiscent of Minority Report.

Military Gives Praise To Robots In The Field

The U.S. Army's civilian director of ground combat systems, Kevin Fahey kicked off the fifth annual RoboBusiness conference in Pittsburgh, PA. The gathering of robotics company insiders heard praise during Fahey's keynote address. "Any time you can get out of harm's way, you're interested," he said. "Even though I'm trained to go into that cave, I'd much rather have that robot go in." In 2004 the army was using 162 robots, the number grew to 5,000 in 2007 and will be up to 6,000 in total this year. iRobot's Chief Executive says "We really don't have the killer application yet to drive things," he said. "There is obviously the opportunity here to do more." As a very satisfied owner of an iRobot Roomba I'll add that "Even though I'm trained to vacuum the living room floor, I'd much rather have the robot go in" Now when is iRobot going to release a lawn mowing robot? CBC story here.

Atlanta Bar Owner Builds Robot To Disperse Homeless

The Bum Bot 2000 is a remote controlled security "robot" made by Rufus Terrill, owner of O'Terrill's bar in downtown Atlanta. The robot is pieced together with things found around the home but the menacing looking little guy has become an effective means of dispersing the homeless, drug dealers, and prostitutes who frequently bother the bars patrons. The robot is equipped with An infrared camera, a 2-million-candlepower spotlight, a homemade cannon, which squirts jets of cold water at up to 200 pounds per square inch and a microphone and speakers. Terrill warns the unwanted loiterers that they had better move along or they'll get wet. The video is relayed back to his bar where his patrons get a first hand view of the whole thing on the big screen. Perhaps Fox will pick up the feed, "bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do... tonight on Robo Cops..." This is a pretty proactive way of cleaning up the neighborhood, where nobody apparently gets hurt. Then again, the unwanted street element just moves on to another block... better to leave this kind of thing to the police? Terrill doesn't seem to think that's an alternative as he's busy building Bum Bot 3000 with an air canon capable of launching nets, oh my!

LA Times article here.

Robocop on it's way?

Wired's Danger Room blog is reporting that armed robots similar to those deployed in Iraq will soon be hitting the streets home side. "Other than some R&D with the shotgun mount, we haven't used it operationally," Massachusetts State Police Trooper Mike Rogowski tells Danger Room. "But they're on the way. They're coming,". Cool!