Terminator one step closer to reality

Mad Max RW · Post by **Mad Max RW** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:03 am

[Community -> Update]

Army officials announced the launch of the <A HREF="http://springfield.news-leader.com/busi ... 85627.html" target=_blank>first armed robots to see combat</a> in Iraq. Eighteen SWORD bots are leaving behind their former bomb defusing days and picking up high powered rifles and machine guns. They operate under remote control, so it takes half the fun out of it.
 
 $200,000 per robot doesn't sound too bad. How much is it to train the average soldier? For all the details and a couple pictures <A HREF="http://springfield.news-leader.com/busi ... 85627.html" target=_blank>click here</a>.

S4ur0n27 · Post by **S4ur0n27** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 1:07 am

Fucking goofy, I predict they won't see any combat, and if they do, none of them will do anything valuable and neither will they return to TEH HOMELAND.

Blargh · Post by **Blargh** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 1:17 am

The response time would have to be exceptional, otherwise they'll be little more than glorified, expensive target practice for the evil terrorist types they are sent against.

Janus Matchell · Post by **Janus Matchell** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 2:34 am

So um although the Idea behind them looks cool. It can be safe to assume that they can probably be taken by a surge of electricity from either a car battery or taser nonprong sticky dart kind. Also if the enemy is smart enough they be able to take it done with a well placed rpg, grenade or explosive of some type. Who knows though as I am yet to actually see some info on how a sword operates.

Sovy Kurosei · Post by **Sovy Kurosei** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 3:07 am

More likely you could walk up to the damn thing and hit it repeatedly with a bat. Or, even more funny, tip it over.

I can't see much practical use for these things, besides being snipers, since it mentioned in the article that it can shoot more accurately than your everyday soldier.

It is also putting more machinery out into the field which the soldiers have to take care of. There is a reason why the M1 Abrams MBT (Even after all the upgrade packs and field testing it with an autoloader) has a crew of four with a human loader; these machines need people to take care of them.

ApTyp · Post by **ApTyp** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 7:57 am

I remember some company was selling RC-turrets (tripod-mounted) equipped with HK-PSG rifle to Israelis.

This seems to be the next logical step, not that I never heard of SWORDs before (iirc "Time" magazine had them in one of their recent "new tech" issues).

Sovy:
Umm, we're talking about robots made to defuse bombs, not fucking Rumbas for god sakes. The tipping problem, on the other hand... I have no idea how much SWORDs weigh, or how balanced they are.

Update:
See product page. 100 pounds. Well, shit. At least they're marketing them as recon units, not Terminators...

Sovy Kurosei · Post by **Sovy Kurosei** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 8:07 am

I bet they are tippable, and I bet they will tip them over ontop of children or old grandmothers or some such nonesense.

danferry · Post by **danferry** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 9:14 pm

If you take out the camera (with paint or even mud on the lens) its useless.

fallout ranger · Post by **fallout ranger** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 2:35 pm

ha, M240 duct-taped onto an RC tank...a JOKE