They’re putting guns on robot dogs now

1
Quadrupedal robots are one of the most interesting developments in robotics in recent years. They’re small, nimble, and able to traverse environments that frustrate wheeled machines. So, of course, it was only a matter of time until someone put a gun on one.

The image above shows a quadrupedal robot — a Vision 60 unit built by US firm Ghost Robotics — that’s been equipped with a custom gun by small-arms specialists Sword International. It seems the gun itself (dubbed the SPUR or “special purpose unmanned rifle”) is designed to be fitted onto a variety of robotic platforms. It has a 30x optical zoom, thermal camera for targeting in the dark, and an effective range of 1,200 meters.

What’s not clear is whether or not Sword International or Ghost Robotics are currently selling this combination of gun and robot. But if they’re not, it seems they will be soon. As the marketing copy on Sword’s website boasts: “The SWORD Defense Systems SPUR is the future of unmanned weapon systems, and that future is now.”

The machine was shown off for the first time at the Association of the United States Army’s 2021 annual conference earlier this week. The conferences bills itself as a “landpower exposition and professional development forum” held in Washington DC, October 11-13.

Details about the partnership between Ghost and Sword are unclear, but Ghost’s quadrupedal robots are already being tested by the US military. Last year, the 325th Security Forces Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida became the first unit in the Department of Defense to use quadrupedal robots in regular operations. It uses them to patrol the base’s perimeter, navigating swampy areas that “aren’t desirable for human beings and vehicles,” according to an interview with Ghost Robotics CEO Jiren Parikh.

Although reconnaissance is one of the most obvious use-cases for robot dogs, manufacturers are slowly experimenting with other payloads. As well as providing remote video and mapping, the machines could be used as mobile cell towers, to defuse bombs, or to detect chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear matter (otherwise known as CBRN).

And, of course, they can become weapons themselves.

Boston Dynamics, the best-known manufacturer of quadrupedal robots and makers of Spot, has a strict policy agains weaponizing its machines. Other manufacturers, it seems, aren’t so picky. After all, plenty of companies already sell uncrewed gun platforms that use tank treads or wheels, so adding the same basic kit to legged machines isn’t much of a stretch.

The bigger question is how these robots will be deployed in the future and what level of oversight will be required when they start firing lethal rounds at humans.

For a while now, experts have been warning about the slow rise in the use of “killer robots” (known as lethal autonomous weapon systems, or LAWS, in official jargon), and official US policy does not prohibit their development or deployment. Many groups are campaigning for a preemptive ban on such systems, but, in the meantime, it seems companies will continue to build what is possible. And that means putting guns on robot dogs.
https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/14/227 ... t-robotics

More on this at https://www.popsci.com/technology/ghost ... un-lethal/

Brings a whole new meaning to dog bite. Would make a great guard dog for the house. Violate the LAWS and see what happens to you.

What happens when they add in a little AI?

I wonder when the Police will demand these for crowd control. No use putting the Cops in any chance of getting hurt when you have one or two of these at your beck and call. These are more reliable than the right wing militias or other Neo-Fascist groups used to fight those liberal protesters.
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.-Huxley
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." ~ Louis Brandeis,

Re: They’re putting guns on robot dogs now

6
featureless wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 12:40 pm This is an exceptionally bad idea.
Actually, it's quite the opposite. But the reason why is very depressing. No wait, you're right; it's a terrible idea...but...

While we have all seen about a jillion movies that clearly illustrate this is a bad idea... We have to do this. Not only do we have to, but we better be the absolute leaders in this industry. Because if we don't, you can bet the farm Russia and China will. This is not the arms race you want to find yourself playing catch up.

So as terrifying as this is, until the world comes to its senses and does a worldwide ban of such idiocy; WE better be doing this.
“I think there’s a right-wing conspiracy to promote the idea of a left-wing conspiracy”

Re: They’re putting guns on robot dogs now

8
It's already done.

Robot dogs join US Air Force exercise
Robot dogs, or Vision 60 UGVs as their manufacturer Ghost Robotics calls them, joined the US Air Force in a recent military exercise.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/202 ... n-business

Black Mirror's killer robot dogs become a reality: Terrifying four-legged bot with a 6.5mm SNIPER RIFLE on its back is unveiled at the US Army trade show and can precisely fire at targets 3/4 of a mile away
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech ... -show.html

Last edited by tonguengroover on Fri Oct 15, 2021 5:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,”

Re: They’re putting guns on robot dogs now

12
lurker wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 5:41 pm how many of these could elon musk or jeff bezos field? or donald the "5-times billionaire"?
More than enough. Of course this tech is in it’s infancy and might be easier to circumvent. In time it won’t be easy. Not having seen one in action mode with real opponents, who knows. It’s not a good direction though. Corporations are people and the logical extension to their self defense is a robot a corporate computer controls. Sounds Sci-Fi, yes it does.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.

Re: They’re putting guns on robot dogs now

15
I simply cannot wait for the robot cat. It will ignore its master. And instead of shitting in your boot, it will shoot your boot at 1200 rounds per minute. The plus side is its cat box is the recycle bin.

Alternatively we could arm the robot dog with a paint ball gun and play "Run, Bezos, run." That would rock.

CDFingers
Crazy cat peekin' through a lace bandana
like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eyed Jack

Re: They’re putting guns on robot dogs now

16
TrueTexan wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 12:30 pm
Quadrupedal robots are one of the most interesting developments in robotics in recent years. They’re small, nimble, and able to traverse environments that frustrate wheeled machines. So, of course, it was only a matter of time until someone put a gun on one.

The image above shows a quadrupedal robot — a Vision 60 unit built by US firm Ghost Robotics — that’s been equipped with a custom gun by small-arms specialists Sword International. It seems the gun itself (dubbed the SPUR or “special purpose unmanned rifle”) is designed to be fitted onto a variety of robotic platforms. It has a 30x optical zoom, thermal camera for targeting in the dark, and an effective range of 1,200 meters.

What’s not clear is whether or not Sword International or Ghost Robotics are currently selling this combination of gun and robot. But if they’re not, it seems they will be soon. As the marketing copy on Sword’s website boasts: “The SWORD Defense Systems SPUR is the future of unmanned weapon systems, and that future is now.”

The machine was shown off for the first time at the Association of the United States Army’s 2021 annual conference earlier this week. The conferences bills itself as a “landpower exposition and professional development forum” held in Washington DC, October 11-13.

Details about the partnership between Ghost and Sword are unclear, but Ghost’s quadrupedal robots are already being tested by the US military. Last year, the 325th Security Forces Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida became the first unit in the Department of Defense to use quadrupedal robots in regular operations. It uses them to patrol the base’s perimeter, navigating swampy areas that “aren’t desirable for human beings and vehicles,” according to an interview with Ghost Robotics CEO Jiren Parikh.

Although reconnaissance is one of the most obvious use-cases for robot dogs, manufacturers are slowly experimenting with other payloads. As well as providing remote video and mapping, the machines could be used as mobile cell towers, to defuse bombs, or to detect chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear matter (otherwise known as CBRN).

And, of course, they can become weapons themselves.

Boston Dynamics, the best-known manufacturer of quadrupedal robots and makers of Spot, has a strict policy agains weaponizing its machines. Other manufacturers, it seems, aren’t so picky. After all, plenty of companies already sell uncrewed gun platforms that use tank treads or wheels, so adding the same basic kit to legged machines isn’t much of a stretch.

The bigger question is how these robots will be deployed in the future and what level of oversight will be required when they start firing lethal rounds at humans.

For a while now, experts have been warning about the slow rise in the use of “killer robots” (known as lethal autonomous weapon systems, or LAWS, in official jargon), and official US policy does not prohibit their development or deployment. Many groups are campaigning for a preemptive ban on such systems, but, in the meantime, it seems companies will continue to build what is possible. And that means putting guns on robot dogs.
https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/14/227 ... t-robotics

More on this at https://www.popsci.com/technology/ghost ... un-lethal/

Brings a whole new meaning to dog bite. Would make a great guard dog for the house. Violate the LAWS and see what happens to you.

What happens when they add in a little AI?

I wonder when the Police will demand these for crowd control. No use putting the Cops in any chance of getting hurt when you have one or two of these at your beck and call. These are more reliable than the right wing militias or other Neo-Fascist groups used to fight those liberal protesters.
My guess is at least five users of this site predicted this the moment the first Boston Dynamics article appeared years ago.

Re: They’re putting guns on robot dogs now

17
It is still controlled by a person using an iPad or whatever sitting in relative safety. It is a ground version of a drone aircraft with missiles, bombs or guns hitting a target. think about when the police have used their bomb disposal robot to go and find a sniper or a person hiding with a gun then using a stun grenade on them as the Dallas DPD did when a shooter was holed up in ElCentro College downtown Dallas a few years ago.. All remotely controlled. I would prefer a track or multi-wheel vehicle with a mini- gun or or even twin 50 cal. BMG mounted on a remote controlled turret.
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.-Huxley
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." ~ Louis Brandeis,

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