Perhaps this picture of a bug-like robot that joins a military horde of intelligent machines intrigued you. If so, then you'll probably enjoy this animated promotional video, from defense contractor BAE Systems. In it, the company off its vision for "Micro Autonomous Systems and Technology" -- tiny, swarming, insectoid robots. The Army just gave BAE Systems a $38 million contract to head up a consortium of researchers into the next-gen mini-drones.
After the jump: One of the machines, close-up. Friendly-lookin', hunh?
Wonder if they "crunch" like cockroaches when you step on them?
That was some real bull. Check out the meaningless slogans: bio inspired, focused innovation.
Toys for boys.
Perhaps they could spend a thousandth of the budget and instead work out why people want to go to war with them.
Why not make a robot of Allah? That way we can control the terrorists by brain washing.
I suggest they equip them with built in tasers or cyanide needles or something. If they get stepped on, they electrocute you or inject you with poison through your bootsole. Although that means that if left on the battlefield, they'd be just as harmful as landmines when little kids find them and start poking at them... Damn curious childrens, always getting in the way of our vision of perfect war and massive unmitigated killing.
I'm pretty sure BAE could afford better graphics. Reminds me of games I used to play on the PS1.
What exactly does "disruptive vision" mean?
Ha! they already have these. I seen a photo of a dragonfly that was mechanical. It was flying through someones garden. So there not realy wasting money. There just using it for somthing else, then saying this is what it was spent on. This is actually at least 20-30 year old technology.
All those silly little spiders just to send in a chopper and nuke the building?! Now that's focused!
So...is this the modern version of the trained circus flea act? bummer. I can't help thinking if we have to resort to spending $83 million USD on useless nonsense like this, we should instead be focusing (spending)our efforts toward colonization plans for...say...Alpha Centauri (A or B). It's becoming all too obvious, our home world is quickly becoming too small with too much power being handed over to the government. Need space volunteers to go look at other planets....pick me. I'll go check it out. It's certainly better than staying here to be infested by mosquitoes, real fleas, and now government spy-bots. Perhaps this is good time for someone to invent Robo-Raid and make a killing.(pun intended)
Moreover, it wouldn't surprise me if these (blank, blank) pests are powered by gasoline...for which tax-payer will be expected to foot this ongoing expense along with the all too unpopular corn-alcohol disaster and hiring the Mexican Government to tap your American cell phone.
This means WE tax payers would be paying our corrupt Gov. to spy on US tax-payers....again. Comforting thought, eh?
Point is....we can count-down to new and better horizons or count-down to our own stagnant oppression by staying here. Call your congressman today...express your opinions. Make him/her work for their wages for a change. We need more space....literally.
Looks like an electric toothbrush with wings. lol!
that's not a swarm, or a horde.
If it's used against "them," it can be used against US. Will we someday have to fear the motes of dust in the air?
Why not have the dragonfly or spider sneak up on them and "sting" them with an injection that knocks them out, then you can capture and interrogate them, this would avoid the crude measure of exploding half a building to kill 2 terrorists
How about remote controlled autonomous Dildos that can sneak up on the terrorists crawl up their pants legs and give them a good stuping (that's Yiddish) from Uncle Sam!
Make Love not War. Otherwise we could at least show them a good time in the name of the Islam.
Of course they don't deserve lubrication. Their terrorist after all.
jamesx... yeah, pretty tough terms to understand when you don't know what they mean eh? Blame the American public school system pal! Oh right, you went to private school, hahahaha!!
99.99% of Turbaned Americans are not Muslims, they are Sikhs or Buddists, Sikhs are friends of Democracy, equal rights of Women and are pro Science and Technology.
But the USA news media are scared the Muslims will blow up the news stations so they show Osama and trick the Dumb public into not really knowing that Muslims really do not wear Turbans, but people of a different Faith almost always do.
THE News people think the Muslims will show mercy for tiricking the dumb public into Mistaken Identity of the various faiths for one another.
Wow. I knew "Wired" readers were BUSHLIEDCHILDRENDIED! hippie freaks, but really guys? Really?
God forbid we try to use a machine to protect you rather than another human life.
:o
nono isn't a real person. nono is the epitome of "the unconstrained vision" which Thomas Sowell wrote about in "Conflict of Visions".
Meanwhile, the West works on repelling jihadist nutjobs who reject reason.
Hey, Super Serial, you don't have to be a hippie to be against the war in Iraq. You don't have to be a hippie to know this war is for oil and NOT protecting our freedom. As a matter of fact, our government continues to place additional limitations on our freedom every day. Where were the soldiers that claim to protect freedom on the day that the Patriot Act was passed? An informal protest would have been nice. No, I'm afraid the only people who protect our freedom are regular citizens. Hate to break it to you.
You don't have to be a hippie to be against the war and the policies and attitude of the current administration. All you have to do is open your mind, read, think, and try not to be such an asshole.
Did I see a GATECH logo in there hell yeah. I'm sick of reading all the anti-war shit on this page, this is about ways to save the lives of troops by using semi autonomous bug bots to take the risks for them. War is not going away, you guys can lay out in the street in protest all you want. All this is about is bettering the livelihood of troops. Leave your political views out of this. I doubt any one of you who's posted here so far could manage a multi trillion dollar budget and realize how little $83 million is. Yes it could save the lives of 20,000 poor people in some other country, but there are billions of others left. It sucks to suck.
US=Natural born killers.
All these resources for control of the earths resources for the profit of a few under the guise of defeating-controlling the latest boogeyman.
this might be about bettering the life of a soldier.
Why don't we spend the "multi trillion dollar budget" to better everyones life?
And jes i am german and i say "we".
A grenade launcher would have done the trick just as well, and you can buy a lot of grenades with $30 Million
video is down :-(
Hey, Gary. We wouldn't need a (many) multi-trillion dollar budget if we took war more seriously. You want to protect the lives of troops? Well, then maybe you should add your voice to help stop senseless wars.
I don't protest, by the way, I write my congressmen--and try to persuade morons on the Internet to do the same. I used the words, "informal protest" to refer to a verbal or written statement indicating dissatisfaction--but I wouldn't expect you to understand the difference.
web sites:
Yeh they look nice and non-evil, not. The Cylon red-eye thing on the bug is a nice evil touch
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Why do I get the feeling my grandkids will be shooting at these things in a post-apocalyptic warzone?