Robots for No Man's Land

Roland Piquepaille writes "The Stryker is an 18-ton infantry vehicle, already deployed by the U.S. army in places such as Iraq. Right now, it has human drivers. But that will no longer be the case by 2010, when it will be driven by a robot. Today, the Stryker has a 'ladar' scanner, which emits 400,000 laser and radar beams and snaps 120 images every second. 'Its brain -- a 40-pound computer system tucked inside its body -- processes that data, and makes instant judgments on how to act and where to go.' These robots are developed by General Dynamics Robotic Systems, Inc. (GDRSI), which received $185 million last November to build between 30 and 60 automated-navigation prototypes to be used in all kinds of military vehicles. This overview contains more details, references and photographs."

Comments

Re:Iraq

[holizz]

Making weapons remote-controlled would elliminate the 'human cost' of war for the aggressor (America) but the other side (Eurasia or Eastasia?) would still be getting lots of civilian casulaties - 'but that red cross looked like a sickle and hammer on the monitor!'. As long as America pays in people for wars it's going to have to think (overstatement) about the war.
If America didn't have to spend any people on a war they'd probably start WW3 and WW4 simultaniously because they're very very rich and with all that oil they're only going to get richer.

I should probably be less harsh on America for being a wanker, Britain was a wanker when it ruled the world.

ladar eh?

[Scrameustache]

I seem to recall that the U.S. has written international treaties banning the use of blinding lasers in combat, while they refuse to sign the treaties banning anti-personnel land mines.

I remember being baffled by that, I mean, land-mines do MUCH more dammage than burning your retina, I was confused.

Now I get it.

Re:Infantry never going away

[Skyshadow]

When you take into account how expensive it is to build and maintain these things, it is pretty clear that the battlefield of the future may not have any American soldiers on it, but they will almost certainly have plenty of cannon fodder 3rd world soldiers on it.

Pft, you idiot. Non-Americans aren't people like the rest of us.

We're already halfway to where we need to be for a fully automated army. Think about it, nobody in America (at least, nobody who counts) gives a shit that tens of thousands of Iraqis got killed or maimed in the last year because the President needed a boost in the polls. Hell, a lot of people don't even care that our own servicemen and women are getting picked off at an ever-increasing rate so Bush could claim victory over the "terrorists" who so evil that they actually try and defend their own country from an invading superpower.

Do you think anyone will care about war and its consequences once we can slaughter people completely by remote control? Those peaceniks in the Pentagon must be creaming their pants over this one...

The world will be a better place...

[escallywag]

When some Chinese hackers crack this thing and change the primary target parameters to incorporate "overweight", "arrogant", "IQ 100", "brandishing stars & stripes", "patriot", "lawyer" and last but not least "politician"....