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Camel-Riding Robots

Posted by samzenpus on from the stop-stealing-children dept.

misterpies writes "Of the many jobs robots could be put to use, here's one I'll bet not many slashdotters have considered - camel jockeys. According to the BBC, from next year racing camels in the United Arab Emirates will be ridden by robots. And for once, the folks put out of work won't be complaining - mostly children (some as young as four) who are reportedly abducted or sold by their families to unscrupulous racing-camel owners. How long until we see robots take over from humans in other sports?"

4 of 217 comments (clear)

  1. Actually, we might see cyborgs first... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm betting on seeing regular athletes get cyborged before being replaced by robots outright. Imagine, get an implant, drug tests all come up clean, improved reflexes are less a give-away than overdeveloped musculature from steroid use (assuming you're not being ridiculous about the improvements you're giving yourself), the actual nature of the machinery can be obfuscated away as some necessary thing like a pacemaker...

  2. Motor Racing by moon-monster · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'd be quite happy to see robots take over in motor racing. It'd be great to see what kind of machines people could come up with to get themselves round a track as quickly as possible, once all the design concerns related to human safety are removed.

    It's also more practical financially, as in most of the large motor racing series there is already a substantial budget for hardware maintenance. ;-)

    --
    "Pokey, are you drunk on love?" "Yes. Also whiskey. But mostly love... and whiskey."
  3. robocup by nounderscores · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The goal of robocup: To build a team of robots that can play and beat humans at soccer (possibly without killing the human team)

    My uni has a team competeing.

    We do pretty well at the f180 and abio class comps.

  4. Re:Now, this is an example... by mrsev · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...I was absolutely shocked to see the phrase "camel jockeys" on the front page of slashdot. I had to take a doulbe take. I am sure that many other English readers will feel the same. A "camel jockey" in english slang is a term of denigration for Arabs in general.

    As regards your percapetion of the arab world sports may I remind you that we, in the west, put migets on horses and race them. Anyway makes more sense that American Football or Cricket...both incomprihensable to outsiders.