Battle Roomba Tractor

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Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday October 26, 2004 @01:13AM from the is-this-anime dept.

jazzstep writes "This article on MSNBC introduces an interesting new duo on the robotics front. iRobot and John Deere have teamed up to create a new battle-ready robot for the Pentagon."

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Re:Watch out for the legacy behaviors... by erick99 · 2004-10-26 01:20 · Score: 4, Informative

There is a drivers seat because one of the three modes of operation is "manual," with the other two being remote control and autonomous.

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Misconception by coobachey · 2004-10-26 01:21 · Score: 3, Informative

RC would be more fitting than robot status. This one will be controlled via human interface remotely whereas a robot having AI enough to maneuver on its own making decisions doesnt need a human at least for periods of time.

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1. Re:Misconception by jedaustin · 2004-10-26 01:54 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Guess you didn't read the article :)
  
  The vehicle, five feet wide, has three basic modes: autonomous, remote control or manually driven by onboard human operators. Depending on battlefield circumstances, the vehicle could be controlled remotely, freeing up the soldiers inside it for other tasks, Greiner said.
  
  Roomba, RC, Human Driven.
  
  Now all we need are robotic guns onboard to complete the 'So you decided to mess with America' clue patrol :)
2. Re:Misconception by heli0 · 2004-10-26 01:56 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  The vehicle, five feet wide, has three basic modes: autonomous, remote control or manually driven by onboard human operators. Depending on battlefield circumstances, the vehicle could be controlled remotely, freeing up the soldiers inside it for other tasks, Greiner said.
  
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Re:I don't get it.. by se2schul · 2004-10-26 01:30 · Score: 3, Informative

It isn't a remote control car. It has AI to make the decisions instead of someone controlling it remotely.
Re:But the most pressing choice is.... by theGreater · 2004-10-26 01:55 · Score: 2, Informative

Sadly, as you can see here, many of their products are now copy Cat (har har) Yellow. Of course, it beats those abominable blue ford tractors. -theGreater.
Re:Forgeting something... by Dun+Malg · 2004-10-26 03:29 · Score: 3, Informative

Asimov will twist and turn in his grave, what about the Laws of Robotics?!
BattleBot and Robot.. they don't mix!
What the hell are you talking about? If you'd actually read the book "I, Robot" you'd understand Asimov's point with the so-called "laws of robotics". They were a not meant to be taken seriously. Nearly every chapter in the book was its own little story about how yet another robot goes haywire because of its slavish adherence to the three laws. He wasn't trying to present his laws as the end-all be-all of robotic ethics. On the contrary, he was showing the folly of depending on something as simplistic as the three laws. People need to quit parroting something they heard third hand and actually read from the source.

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Re:Great for them by Dun+Malg · 2004-10-26 03:37 · Score: 3, Informative

I know, and I was going to buy a Roomba, too. Now I guess I'll just have to use an ordinary vacuum for a while longer. Oh well, I guess the exercise is good for me....
Just so you know, iRobot was making robots for the military long before it came up with the Roomba. URBIE, the testbed that eventually led to the PackBot, was built under a DARPA grant in '97, fivr years before Roomba. If you're going to avoid a company for doing business with the military, you need to research more thoroughly. Otherwise, it's just posturing.

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