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(New Scientist) Scary Military funding? Check. Packs of armed, human-hunting robots? Check. Screw this, I'm outta here   (newscientist.com) divider line 155
More: Scary  
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18010 clicks; posted to Main » on 23 Oct 2008 at 8:09 AM   |  Make this a Fark FavoriteFavorite    |   share: Share on OMGTWITTER WEB2.0share on StumbleUponshare on Facebook  more»   |    Get this fabulous T-Shirt and impress the methane out of your friends! shirt it!

155 Comments   (+0 »)


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StarshipPooper 2008-10-23 08:12:17 AM  
I wouldn't call them robots, more like glorified RC cars. Actually, I guess I'm getting robots confused with Automatons? Now that would be cool.

 
Veeoh [TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:12:24 AM  
dnrtfa but human hunting robots? Bring it on.

+1

 
bongmiester [TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:12:25 AM  
no mention of sarah connor?

 
Lodid 2008-10-23 08:12:29 AM  
John Connor was unavailable for comment.

 
emocomputerjock 2008-10-23 08:13:18 AM  
Wait till they're fitted with procaine injectors. Then things will get interesting.

 
JesterGirl [TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:16:06 AM  
eightface.com

 
liam76 2008-10-23 08:17:34 AM  
Given that iRobot last year struck a deal with Taser International to mount stun weapons on its military robots, how long before we see packs of droids hunting down pesky demonstrators with paralysing weapons?

Too long?

 
Nick Nostril 2008-10-23 08:19:13 AM  
img521.imageshack.us

 
KentuckyBob 2008-10-23 08:19:21 AM  
tick...tock...tick...tock

 
baz_rampant 2008-10-23 08:20:51 AM  
Why Be worried they look friendlywww.c2i.ntu.edu.sg

 
bearcats1983 2008-10-23 08:21:44 AM  
Nice...that's awesome. As long as there aren't hordes of robots coming after me, of course.

 
Robert Paulsen 2008-10-23 08:25:11 AM  
Robots that hunt humans? Bring it on. It's only a matter of time before they look like this:

 
jejpu 2008-10-23 08:25:40 AM  
FTFA: there will be a robot force under command of a single soldier..

Now I myself sleep pretty well knowing those boys are down there.

/Mr. McKittrick, after very careful consideration, sir, I've come to the conclusion that your new defense system sucks.

 
Robert Paulsen 2008-10-23 08:25:51 AM  
www.plunderguide.com

 
jaymanchu 2008-10-23 08:26:03 AM  
Kudos for the Runaway reference.

 
dittybopper [recently expired TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:26:16 AM  
Damn. I'm going to have to up my insurance again.

Anyone know Old Glory's website or phone number?

 
TeleComplainer 2008-10-23 08:26:25 AM  
If the robots start hunting me, does that mean i'm secretly John Connor?

 
HowAboutNo 2008-10-23 08:28:52 AM  
COME WIT ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE

 
Zamboro [recently expired TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:30:23 AM  
TFA: "Given that iRobot last year struck a deal with Taser International to mount stun weapons on its military robots, how long before we see packs of droids hunting down pesky demonstrators with paralysing weapons? Or could the packs even be lethally armed?..."

Guess what? We already have humans out there who are armed with lethal weapons, hunting down other humans.

TFA: "....Both were concerned that packs of robots would be entrusted with tasks - and weapons - they were not up to handling without making wrong decisions."

Considering that the army currently recruits highschool students, convicts and actual retards (there was a Fark thread on this a while back) I'd actually say that the margin of error in these robots' AI would have to be pretty damn sizable before I'd trust one less than a human being with a gun.

Ultimately if someone or something is going to be wielding a lethal weapon on my behalf, I prefer fear, anger, impulsiveness and so on to be out of the picture.

 
DjangoStonereaver [TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:30:25 AM  
Could robots be programmed to act more ethically than humans? Yes

Will they be? HELL NO.

/Poor Isaac Asimov's ashes are shaking in their urn

 
Sumpinlikedat 2008-10-23 08:30:52 AM  
I was thinking more Metal Gear than Terminator. I am fairly certain that the photo used in the article was one of Dwarf GEKKOs.

 
Biv 2008-10-23 08:31:19 AM  
Are you still paranoid if the robots really are hunting humans?

 
TeleComplainer 2008-10-23 08:31:44 AM  
HowAboutNo: COME WIT ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE

GET ON DA CHOPPA!

/yes, wrong i know
//waited for ahnold to say that in T2
///sorely disapointed

 
JesterGirl [TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:33:52 AM  
patrickstack.com

 
MindStalker 2008-10-23 08:33:55 AM  
TeleComplainer: If the robots start hunting me, does that mean i'm secretly John Connor?

No your secretly Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor)

 
liam76 2008-10-23 08:34:43 AM  
Did anyone else think this could make for great reality TV?

 
fappomatic 2008-10-23 08:35:18 AM  
I'll distract em' with a scantily clad toaster oven.

 
InternationalShoe 2008-10-23 08:35:47 AM  
Do they come from japan?
i8.photobucket.com

 
BraveNewCheneyWorld 2008-10-23 08:35:56 AM  
When you plan on giving orders that few humans would follow, build a robot to do your bidding...

It reminds me of a part of "Young Zaphod Plays it Safe". "The most dangerous of all were three identical ones - they were put in this hold, to be blasted, with this ship, right out of this universe. They are not evil, in fact they are rather simple and charming. But they are the most dangerous creatures that ever lived because there is nothing they will not do if allowed, and nothing they will not be allowed to do..."

 
Zamboro [recently expired TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:36:26 AM  
Sumpinlikedat: "I am fairly certain that the photo used in the article was one of Dwarf GEKKOs."

Nah, it was a pair of BigDog robots.

 
JesterGirl [TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:37:24 AM  
upload.wikimedia.orgupload.wikimedia.org

 
Coho 2008-10-23 08:38:56 AM  
New enemies to fight, new tactics needed to take them on, new munitions needed to take them out. I like where this is going.

 
Sumpinlikedat 2008-10-23 08:39:02 AM  
Zamboro: Sumpinlikedat: "I am fairly certain that the photo used in the article was one of Dwarf GEKKOs."

Nah, it was a pair of BigDog robots.


Wow. They look disconcertingly similar.

 
Giza 2008-10-23 08:39:19 AM  
www.thevegaswindow.com

/approves

 
Sybarite [TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:40:09 AM  
I'm okay with this only as long as they give them the personalities of helpful Japanese school girls, preferably with a manageable degree of existential angst.

 
Swampthing in Korea 2008-10-23 08:40:42 AM  
Robots will be a useful accessory to warfare, but will not replace infantry.

A robot would be perfect for entering and investigating houses which could be booby trapped, investigating areas prior to troops entering them to check for ambushes, sentry work or simply surveillance. In all circumstances they would be guided and controlled by a human operator.

The idea of robots running around hunting humans is simply a myth.

 
RoyBatty 2008-10-23 08:41:44 AM  
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

iRobot should change their name.

 
dittybopper [recently expired TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:42:07 AM  
Mmmmmmmm, phlegmbots.

 
Sumpinlikedat 2008-10-23 08:42:18 AM  
Sumpinlikedat: Zamboro: Sumpinlikedat: "I am fairly certain that the photo used in the article was one of Dwarf GEKKOs."

Nah, it was a pair of BigDog robots.

Wow. They look disconcertingly similar.


Damn, I mixed my game enemies. It's not the Dwarf GEKKO, it's the Crying Wolf. Sort of.

images.wikia.com

 
RanDomino 2008-10-23 08:44:04 AM  
I'm in favor of it, because it means we get to smash them.

 
August11 [TotalFark] 2008-10-23 08:46:14 AM  
I'm thinking a robot trotting down the street looking for an uncooperative human would inspire little cooperation from anyone.

Americans invented the potshot. Those tin ponies would be just begging for it, no?

 
ShyViolet2 2008-10-23 08:47:11 AM  
I'd freak if a pack of those dogs...I mean robots were heading my way.

 
Fark Lord of the Sith 2008-10-23 08:49:09 AM  
DjangoStonereaver: Poor Isaac Asimov's ashes are shaking in their urn

This. The Three Laws rock. I wish humans would live by them.

 
Gigglecream 2008-10-23 08:51:21 AM  
This. Is. Awesome.

 
Klund 2008-10-23 08:54:01 AM  
Swampthing in Korea: The idea of robots running around hunting humans is simply a myth.

What myth? The US Army Insect Robot (new window) has been in development for a while. I remember an interview where one of the involved officials argued that it would not be morally wrong to let an insect robot identify a Terrorist via face-recognition (and data uplink) and then issue an elimination order automatically without any human interference.

 
michaeld5 2008-10-23 08:55:42 AM  
Geez, if you'd seen all the secret items the Pentagon has put money into the past 60 years, it would curl your hair.

myspew.com

 
Swampthing in Korea 2008-10-23 08:56:15 AM  
Fark Lord of the Sith: DjangoStonereaver: Poor Isaac Asimov's ashes are shaking in their urn

This. The Three Laws rock. I wish humans would live by them.


Thats because humans have a choice whether to live by them. Without the ability to make such a decision they would be unthinking...........robots.

 
Grither 2008-10-23 08:56:58 AM  
Sumpinlikedat: Sumpinlikedat: Zamboro: Sumpinlikedat: "I am fairly certain that the photo used in the article was one of Dwarf GEKKOs."

Nah, it was a pair of BigDog robots.

Wow. They look disconcertingly similar.

Damn, I mixed my game enemies. It's not the Dwarf GEKKO, it's the Crying Wolf. Sort of.


Uh....no. It's probably a picture of these bad boys:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1czBcnX1Ww

 
Grither 2008-10-23 08:57:37 AM  
Hahaha or exactly what Zamboro said that I quoted there. Fun. Stupid blocked links/videos at work.

 
Joker you diabolical... 2008-10-23 09:01:19 AM  
Clones can think creatively. You will find that they are immensely superior to droids.

 
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