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DARPA Seeks App Developers For War App Store

Posted by samzenpus on from the check-out-the-free-section dept.

MrSeb writes "DARPA has a problem on its hands: Satellites, unmanned drones (UAVs), and myriad other worldwide sensors are now so ubiquitous and omnipotent that the Department of Defense (DOD) doesn't actually know how to make the best use of them. In other words, the hardware is there, but the software isn't. To tackle this particularly tricky issue, DARPA is looking for smartphone app developers to help build 'sophisticated, adaptive applications.' Yes, DARPA wants to give smartphone developers access to the DOD's fleet of Hellfire missile-equipped UAVs. Instead of using a single, remote pilot to fly just one UAV, DARPA imagines 'an app [...] that allows a swarm of small deployed UAVs to be controlled as a single unit (a hive [mind] so to speak).' DARPA also wants app developers to help out with easy-to-use app interfaces, novel uses of smartphone-like sensors (accelerometers, cameras, gyros) — and ultimately, it wants to make a War Market where a soldier can simply log in with his DOD-issued smartphone or tablet and download Angry UAVs, Nuke Ninja, and other battlefield apps."

40 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. Interesting problem by LucidBeast · · Score: 3, Insightful

    but, somehow I wouldn't feel good when my code worked in this case

    1. Re:Interesting problem by masternerdguy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Imagine how good you'll feel when your code doesn't work and launches a cruise missile at Houston.

      --
      To offset political mods, replace Flamebait with Insightful.
    2. Re:Interesting problem by Lumpy · · Score: 3, Funny

      Ehhh, Texas is a hard toss... I'm torn.. now if it messes up and aims for the MPAA or RIAA headquarters... Then I'll cheer it on. Or any bank main headquarters, nobody cries over spilt bankers.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    3. Re:Interesting problem by lightknight · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Agreed. While the prospect of various enemies overrunning my country is not lost on me, my analytical skills are pointing to a bigger threat within my country than without: namely that the military / security people have gone AWOL, and constitute a bigger threat to the populace than their named greatest enemies.

      I don't like the police getting TANKS for internal use, Special Weapons and Tactics for unpaid parking tickets, and Intelligence Agencies running operations inside the country. Writing programs for these people sounds like handing people the very gun they will shoot me with. I've seen enough idealism and irony with the Thin Thread program, where an aloof mathematician couldn't conceive of the possibility of his program being used against the general populace for some below-board practices.

      We'll talk about getting your soldiers some nice apps when I stop feeling ashamed about discussing my country with citizens from its allies.

      *shakes head*

      Something like that...

      --
      I am John Hurt.
    4. Re:Interesting problem by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 4, Funny

      Periods are messy, but so are colons. oh we're talking punctuation here... never mind

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
    5. Re:Interesting problem by lightknight · · Score: 2

      Funny, but not a situation I'd prefer to end up in. I have better ways to waste my time than play who has the bigger penis with the military (I do, sorry guys).

      --
      I am John Hurt.
    6. Re:Interesting problem by cavreader · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The vast majority of technology today was developed by the military. Looking down the wrong end of a gun tends motivate research and innovation. The Internet started as a DARPA project. Computer technology, rockets, satellites, nuclear based applications, wireless communication systems, and EM manipulation benefit from the military. The miltary is also invested in creating alternative energy technology. There are military bases in Afghanistan that are using solar power in their bases. Maintaining reliable energy is a major vulnerability for any military. So a great deal of the military budget is used for developing or enhancing new technologies. The military R&D efforts also provide a lot of domestic civilian jobs. The government does not rely on China or any other foreign country to produce their weapon systems. If the military just stops fucking around in the middle east it would lower the operational costs and even more money could be directed towards R&D.

    7. Re:Interesting problem by lightknight · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Anyone else in favor of a constitutional amendment for a "no confidence vote," where the public can hold a referendum at will to dissolve our currently elected officials of their offices, ban them for life from ever holding another position (municipal, state, federal, etc.), and hold general elections for their replacements?

       

      --
      I am John Hurt.
    8. Re:Interesting problem by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 4, Funny

      yes but have you ever tried cleaning up banker gibs?

      You just sprinkle Holy Water on it and watch the sizzle...

      --
      You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
    9. Re:Interesting problem by lightknight · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's a sad commentary on our handling of various situations in this world such that we require such a large investment in military expenditures to keep our country safe. I'm not saying that we need to be that most popular guy / girl in our worldwide high-school, nor that we need to sacrifice our principles; what I'm saying is that we seem to be accumulating more enemies with greater strengths than warrants common sense.

      A fool fights a war on two fronts, the heir to the kingdom of fools fights a war on twelve fronts.

      --
      I am John Hurt.
    10. Re:Interesting problem by LucidBeast · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Of course not. Thought of killing people with swarming drones turns me off no matter how justified the cause.

    11. Re:Interesting problem by Genda · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, no, you're thinking lawyers... You sprinkle holy water on a banker and the place where his heart should be explodes in a rain of gold coins. Sprinkling holy water on a politician, now that is the best show in town... the head pops out, spins 7 times then shouts every lie it ever uttered backwards at the top of its lungs.

      "And not content with that, with our hands behind our backs, We pull Jesus from a hat, Get into that! Get into that!" -- Karnevil 9 1st Impressions Part 1

    12. Re:Interesting problem by Bender0x7D1 · · Score: 2

      This already exists. These votes are scheduled every few years to keep the scheduling simple.

      Stop acting like a politician and calling for a new law/amendment when we just have to use the tools we have. Want them out? Vote them out and don't reelect them.

      --
      Reading code is like reading the dictionary - you have to read half of it before you can go back and understand it.
  2. First War App by ExploHD · · Score: 4, Funny

    The first app in the War Store will probably be Angry Birds
    Training first!

  3. Bombing? There's an app for that... by Lumpy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Bomb the lead car lite... A great new ad supported Drone app that will automatically bomb the lead car in any convoy you point it at. Unobtrusive ad's and a limit of 2 convoy bombing per day. Upgrade to the full pro app today for only $29.99!

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  4. What a worthy cause by musth · · Score: 3

    Go for it, amoral developers of the world, willing to work for anyone that delivers your required amount of $$$.

    1. Re:What a worthy cause by Frangible · · Score: 4, Insightful

      As you use DARPA's "amoral" creations like GPS, the internet, and Siri. Remember, every time you use satellite navigation, you support the military-industrial complex! Of course, you can also use GLONASS now simultaneously with the same receiver (on newer models), so you can support the American and Russian military-industrial complexes at the same time. Where does THAT bumper sticker go on your Prius?

    2. Re:What a worthy cause by lightknight · · Score: 2

      That's another sticking point. They won't pay nearly enough to attract the kinds of talent they might want, and the kinds of talent they want do not, from a longevity standpoint, want to work for them.

      --
      I am John Hurt.
    3. Re:What a worthy cause by jovius · · Score: 2

      The threat paradigm is not the necessary motivation to develop new technology. I'd gladly develop tech that reaches and helps people of the world to better communicate and understand each other for instance. It's just the other way to say it and it wouldn't support paranoid closed source thinking. Besides you could probably invent ten internets with the billions that DOD has just lost in the desert adventures.

      I don't know what the terms of the war app store could be, but if people from around the world can develop apps for it then DARPA would head the global arms development, which is kind of a good thing because of the balance of forces. The real kicker would be to demand all software be open source.

  5. Re:Industrial war complex? by Ethanol-fueled · · Score: 5, Funny

    All of you fuckers laughed at me and modded me down when I told you that Metal Gear Solid 4 was a documentary and not a video game.

  6. Oops I just lost my phone by youn · · Score: 3, Funny

    what coul possibly go wrong? :)

    --
    Never antropomorphize computers, they do not like that :p
  7. Better stay away from xcode by zill · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I know this is just legal boilerplate, but it makes my laugh every time a military–industrial complex related story comes up:

    SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR XCODE
    8. Export Control... You also agree that you will not use the Developer Software for any purposes prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, the development, design, manufacture or production of missiles, nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

    1. Re:Better stay away from xcode by zill · · Score: 2

      I'm pretty sure Apple lawyers can survive a WMD attack. I've heard... stories.

  8. Army needs help with Spec Ops Mission! by josteos · · Score: 5, Funny

    Join MILville today and get 25 free Drone Credits!

    --
    Save the Music; Save the World at http://www.TuneTriever.com (Our latest Android game)
  9. One star by XahXhaX · · Score: 3, Funny

    Did not kill the terrorists. Didn't win the war. Crashed twice on startup.
    Fix the crashes and maybe I'll give it five stars.

  10. New App by cyachallenge · · Score: 3, Informative

    "Let's play Global Thermonuclear War"

    1. Re:New App by lightknight · · Score: 2

      I have a better, more challenging game: "Get your honest politician elected."

      You must somehow keep your chosen champion from making any false promises or accepting lobbyist donations while running a clean campaign. Comes with three (gradually increasing) levels of difficulty: Municipal (easiest), State, and Federal (hardest).

      --
      I am John Hurt.
  11. Re:Hundreds of Military grade... by Lumpy · · Score: 2

    biological Gas is banned by the Geneva convention. Sorry, no fart apps...

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  12. Re:Great, by c0lo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    what could possibly go wrong!

    TFS:

    ...'sophisticated, adaptive applications.'... that allows a swarm of small deployed UAVs to be controlled...with easy-to-use app interfaces

    Requirements lead to the need of a lot of "intelligence" be moved inside the app.

    Meaning:
    1. DARPA is scrapping the barrel for intelligent human operators (to pilot the UAV-es)
    2. DARPA is naive enough to trust complex software be bug free and secure
    3. both of the above

    A bonus if the DARPA's choice for the OS platform is MS Windows.

    A huge bonus if the resulted app is so sophisticated and easy-to-use that it can be operated directly by GWB, Obama, Michelle Bachman or... hang on... Vermin Supreme of Rockport, Mass. - without UAV-jockeys in between.

    --
    Questions raise, answers kill. Raise questions to stay alive.
  13. Finally! by lcllam · · Score: 2

    The years spent playing Starcraft will pay off!!! OTOH, the Koreans will take over the world.

  14. Programmer ethics by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If you're worried about the ethics of doing this, here are some suggestions to help you cope:

    • My family comes first
    • I'm not responsible for how things are used
    • I'm not the only one on this project
    • If I don't do it, someone else will
    • One person won't have an effect
    • Only the good guys will use them
    • They'll never be used on innocent civilians
    • They'll never be used on Americans
    • This will protect my country and make it strong
    • I trust my government

    Pick one or more that helps ease your mind.

    1. Re:Programmer ethics by keepper · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Oh nice.. another ( i'm hollier than though morality ) comment

      Brought to you by(tm).... the internet... a DARPA/(Military industrial complex) sponsored project....
      Made possible by (tm).. Xray litography... another child of a military sponsored project...

      I can keep going. :)

      go with your BS somewhere else..

    2. Re:Programmer ethics by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 2

      Brought to you by(tm).... the internet... a DARPA/(Military industrial complex) sponsored project....
      Made possible by (tm).. Xray litography... another child of a military sponsored project...

      That's a false equivalency. You might as well argue that creating Tang was morally equivalent to weaponizing anthrax.

      --
      When information is power, privacy is freedom.
  15. Iron Man by burning_plastic · · Score: 2

    There was an Iron Man storyline (Stark Resilient) not too long ago that had a game app being released that pretended that real missions were actually part of the game, with the players controlling UAVs...

  16. Documents Containing More info: by Memroid · · Score: 3, Informative

    PDF with full details available at:
    https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/DARPA-BAA-12-11/listing.html

    Press release at:
    http://www.darpa.mil/NewsEvents/Releases/2011/12/05.aspx

  17. Broken Window Fallacy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    We could have developed all of those things without military objectives. But it is easier to justify the costs to the public if you claim it is for national security -- in much the same way as "protecting the children" is used to justify censorship and Internet surveillance.

  18. Like Skynet? by aristotle-dude · · Score: 2

    Instead of using a single, remote pilot to fly just one UAV, DARPA imagines 'an app that allows a swarm of small deployed UAVs to be controlled as a single unit (a hive [mind] so to speak)'.

    What could possibly go wrong?

    --
    Jesus was a compassionate social conservative who called individuals to sin no more.
  19. Re:What is the US censoring on the net? by ACE209 · · Score: 2

    no need to filter when you can seize the whole domain.
    http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/public-sector/3321625/us-seizes-domain-names-of-foreign-sites/

    --
    "we are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further."
  20. "Stupid is as stupid does" by J4 · · Score: 2

    What could possibly go wrong?

  21. This isn't a joke by fortapocalypse · · Score: 2

    It makes sense for DARPA to do this, because it reduces the chance of a soldier using technology/software that is insecure. My first reaction was to laugh as well, but it makes a lot more since for the military to use an App Store, even more so than it does to have one in OS X and Windows.