[youtube:d1q3kljy]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkBnFPBV3f0[/youtube:d1q3kljy]
I think this prototype may soon replace soldiers in an armed combat.
Expect the real T-800 in 30 years.
While I think robots may eventually augment soldiers on the ground, I just don't see blood and bone ever being fully replaced. When the robots are all blown up will we therefor just quit fighting? Doubtful. Or what about when the Chinese put a virus in that causes all of them to malfunction?
Our electronic systems are extremely fragile as it is, with Chinese hackers being a real annoyance if you take the gov't at their word (and I wouldn't doubt it, just as our viruses are a thorn in Iran, Pakistan, China's and who knows who else's side). I don't see us as stupid enough to put ourselves too dependent on such a compromisable defense plan, but then again the MIC is all about money and not security so...
ATLAS won't be combat-ready until it's 100 tons and packing an AC-20. 8-)
You see those cables going into the roof? That's the powersupply. It's not going to be used anywhere until they figure out a way to put the powersupply into the robot without making it as a big as a powerplant.
Also, simple economics says human flesh and blood will never be replaced. It's cheap, and robots are not.
Quote from: "Plu"You see those cables going into the roof? That's the powersupply. It's not going to be used anywhere until they figure out a way to put the powersupply into the robot without making it as a big as a powerplant.
Also, simple economics says human flesh and blood will never be replaced. It's cheap, and robots are not.
Yes. Power supply is definitely an issue, and they certainly aren't cheap.
Quotesimple economics says human flesh and blood will never be replaced
yeah, exactly how many would we have to build in order to fight off 300 million Chinese? Oy.
Quote from: "Plu"Also, simple economics says human flesh and blood will never be replaced. It's cheap, and robots are not.
Trained soldiers are not cheap. And the loss of life is something to consider as well. There are reasons why combat drones are currently supplementing human forces, despite the expenses.
I don't think the combat drones are replacing infantry, though. From what I've seen they're more like replacing airships, which are really expensive.
The loss of life is only something to consider if you're not a general or a politician, so I more or less consider that point moot. When you compare the cost value of a drafted conscript with 6 weeks training vs having to build and maintain these combat drones, people are cheap. And you already have a lot of them going around.
(I never did say "trained soldiers" ;))
Robots on the ground might be vunerable to a certain kind of stuff...
[youtube:85iccl70]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEdiOBz4zeM[/youtube:85iccl70]
...and I don't mean psychadelic pills.
Quote from: "stromboli"Quote from: "Plu"You see those cables going into the roof? That's the powersupply. It's not going to be used anywhere until they figure out a way to put the powersupply into the robot without making it as a big as a powerplant.
Also, simple economics says human flesh and blood will never be replaced. It's cheap, and robots are not.
Yes. Power supply is definitely an issue, and they certainly aren't cheap.
Duh. These aren't that expensive. Anything within 100 feet of an outlet is in for a serious ass-whipping!
(//http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/8a/8ad2b8c9-f85d-4262-b9ba-db709373f56d_300.jpg)
I'm going to jump on the bandwagon of "this won't completely replace humans". People are just too easy to produce - keep a section of the population poor and uneducated, then make life in the military seem like it's some sort of vacation that you get paid for and you have another generation of cannon fodder. Not saying that everyone in the military comes from a poor or uneducated background, but where do you think they focus most of their recruitment? It certainly isn't at private schools.
Robots on the other hand are expensive, and I'd see them being used more for specialized/support roles.