Slashdot Mirror
S. Korea Considers Using Armed Robots Along DMZ
Slicker writes "S. Korea and N. Korea (aka the ROK and DPRK, respectively) share the most heavily fortified border that has ever existed. Now the ROK is considering deployment of armed robots." Not expected until sometime in the 2010s. From the article: "Robots with weapons mounted on their frames are each expected to be able to observe from 2 and 1 kilometers during the day and night, respectively, and will have the capability to record voices and take pictures in a 180-degree circle."
"The battles of the future will not be fought on a battleground or at sea, they will be fought in space. Or at the top of a very tall mountain. In either case, most of the actual fighting will be done by small robots. And as you go forward today, your duty is clear, to build and maintain those robots. Thank you."
You can't handle the truth.
Johnny Five unavailable for comment.
Was anyone else really hoping that they'd look something like ED-209?
And in other news, Google is taken over by the US Military; renamed Skynet... Robots are cool and all; and I certainly prefer if robots instead of humans are placed in harm's way, but this can only end badly. Either that, or wars will become some sort of farce, where robots go and battle each other without any human casualties at all. Better deactivate that learning chip though; else the robots will realize that it's pointless to fight each other and all become hippies.
Real_men_don't_need_spacebars.
quote......Robots with weapons mounted on their frames...
Robot:YOU have 20 seconds to comply
man: "What the!?!? But wait... I'm friendly..."
Robot:YOU have 15 seconds to comply
man: $&$&#%!!!!! Okay okay I have my hands up
Robot:YOU have 10 seconds to comply
man: TURN IT OFF!!!
Robot:5,4,3...
... but I wonder if sharks with laser beams attached to their heads wouldn't be an ideal device along armed robots to guard the coasts while robots care of the land.
In a spirit of mutual understanding, and in order to establish a tentative cross-border relationship, it was agreed several years ago that South Korea owns and maintains the bottom half of all circles and North Korea keeps the tops, so an 'official' circle in both countries is only 180 degrees and anyone caught drawing a full 360 degree circle is fined or sent for re-education. If you want a complete 'western-style' circle (or circular object), you have to send your part-work to the ministry of circumferences (MoC) in the opposite country where it is assigned to a worker for completion - this really frustrates infant schoolkids who draw pictures including a bright yellow sun.
AT&ROFLMAO
Build a robot with quantum logic and a spin of 1/2. Duh.
I would like to see the armedbots recognize the difference between human and animal before going robocop.
If it's anything like most engineers' experience with technology development...
The original proposal was for a fully functional AI that could positively identify the target type, the threat level, and respond appropriately. It would include lethal and non-lethal force responses for enemy targets, as well as not disturb civilians or wildlife that wander through the area. The AI would require a team of 30 engineers and 16 months to fully develop and test.
But of course to save on costs, management decided to go with a simpler and cheaper AI they feel will meet the customer's needs: "If it moves, kill it"
D6 63 0D 70 89 81 BB 8E 7B 7C 5F 5D 54 EA AB 73
I dunno... If I had an army of killer robots, I think a lot of people would learn to cooperate with me.
How are they going to push anybody down from 2 miles away?
Fnord.
Now I am aware of how hostile those two nations are but I mean comon, once both sides have robots, what next?
Bigger robots
D6 63 0D 70 89 81 BB 8E 7B 7C 5F 5D 54 EA AB 73
...South Korean Zergling Rush?
Eh.
The Korean Armed Robots Bill = The K.A.R.B
In Korea, robots smoke you!
South Koreans don't have time to build robots, every single one of them is sitting in front of a PC clicking 100,000 times per second to become a starcraft champion.
The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either. - Benjamin Franklin
is anyone thinking daleks?
exterminate!
Oh wait, they are.
"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
Anything that will ease tensions between North and South Korea is fine with me.
I think killer robot patrols are a great start, personally.
"The robots will be remote controlled," said the South Korean ministry of defense. "Thus allowing for operational efficiencies far beyond what is possible today."
A reporter raises his hand. "You mean, you're setting up remote call centers?"
"Yes, we're outsourcing to China. There, thousands of workers costing us just pennies a day will patrol our borders with giant armed robots, thus fulfilling our defense needs and the needs of the Chinese population as expressed through their arts and animation."
"Any word on the North Korean Reaction?"
"Yes, and this brings better news." interjects the Ministry of Finance. "North Korea has decided to setup their own robot army and, being years behind everyone else, has decided to outsource to us for their remote defense needs. Now we could simply take their billions of pounds of rice and make a tidy profit," said the Ministry of Finance, "but South Korea is the most advanced nation in the world. We have decided to setup an online community of people willing to pay for the priviledge of protecting a theoretical Kingdom from invading barbarians, inside of a communial, multiplayer environment."
"A Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game?"
"Yes, a MMPORPG. A MMPORPG so grand it will make Lineage look like Everquest."
Everyone in the room laughs, except for the American who looks confused.
"And you too for just 15 dollars a month can be the last line of defense against a rampaging horde of demons. They're very expensive demons, funded by Satan himself. Demons who want to ravage your women, kill your pets, and give you low-paying jobs without benefits while preventing unionization.
"As border skirmishes are rare, won't this game be incredibly boring?"
"People pay to play Star Wars Galaxies, don't they?"
The ______ Agenda
The DMZ is also currently one of the most tense places on Earth. When two nations, one with the backing of the United States, and one with nuclear weapons, are on the brink of war with millions of lives at stake, there's no room for your environmentalist prattle.
What they really need is a bunch of Bender units instead. Everyone might learn to lighten up a bit over there...
When the North has come
And they're threatening Seoul
And the States are the ony hope we see
No, I won't be afraid
Oh, I won't be afraid
Standing here, on my side of the
D-M-Z, so
* Robot, robot D-M-Z
By the D-M-Z
Oh D, D-M-Z, D-M-Z
'caus we know how much more effective fences & robots are against Nuclear weapons. :)
Some of the fences have rocks stuck into gaps, so that if the fence is bumped they will be dislodged and show possible intrusion. But there are no electric fences, nor electronic sensors and surveillance cameras. The ministry will discuss with defense-related research and operational commanders how to develop the new programs and will earmark budget funds for the programs in 2006.
I resent your remarks...
Viral software licensing is not freedom, it is in fact GNU/Socialism.
Hey, don't insult Ft Livingroom, home of the 101st Keyboard Division under the command of General Twenty T. Hindsight. Best unit ever.
Don't think of it as a flame---it's more like an argument that does 3d6 fire damage