Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Soldiers Learn To Trust Robots
In Israel, small teams of soldiers are learning to use and trust small robots in urban combat situations. While training, they learn the limitations of the different robotic platforms.
I've written about one of the robots that are being used in training exercises; the remote-controlled Eye Ball surveillance camera, a small, spherical device.
According to the Wired article, soldiers are initially reluctant to trust robots to watch their backs. The key, according to Israeli trainers, is to make sure the bots are extremely user-friendly.
There are other approaches to using small, spherical robots.
The robots arrive at Niv’s unit in the CT school, where they are tested locally. Niv’s unit then goes out on [combat] missions with the robots for further testing. After the robot passes these trials, it is integrated into the CT school, where Niv and David write a curriculum for using it in the field. Then the special forces units, who spend a lot of time at Mitkan Adam, get to try it out next, and give further feedback … to Niv. Finally, Niv disseminates the new protocols for using the robots to the rest of the ground forces.
(Philip K. Dick's Claws (or Screamers) - from the 1995 movie)
In his 1953 short story Second Variety, Philip K. Dick writes about the relationship between soldiers and the autonomous robots that help guard their bunkers.
The Russian... was only a few paces from the bunker. Eric was getting fidgety. He played with his pistol, glancing at Leone. "Don't worry," Leone said. "He won't get here. They'll take care of him... They hang around close to the bunker..."Leone touched Eric's arm. "Here one comes."
Across the ground something metallic came, flashing in the sunlight of midday. A metal sphere. It raced up the hill after the Russian, its treads flying. It was small, one of the baby ones. Its claws were out, two razor projections spinning in a blur of white steel...
(Read more about PKD's claws - guard robots
In the story, the soldiers use "tabs", metal wrist bands, that emit radiation detected by the claws, to ensure that the claws do not turn upon their masters.
Via Wired, with thanks to Frolix_8.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 8/6/2009)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 5 )
Related News Stories - (" Warfare ")
'Warrior Suit' Combat Exoskeleton Project Still Alive
'Suited up, you look like a big steel gorilla.'
Sea Drones Attack Russian Fleet
'...autofreighters, and other self-piloting craft.' - Ray Naylor, 2022.
Slaughterbot AI KIller Quadcopter Drones
'The real border was defended by... a swarm of quasi-independent aerostats.' - Neal Stephenson, 1995.
Russia Working On Military Exoskeletons
'...you look like a big steel gorilla...' - Robert Heinlein, 1959.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Health Kiosk Has No Human Doctor
'The electronic body analyzer had been developed...'
Meta's Horizon Studio's Unique Avatars From Text Prompts
'Looks like she has bought the Avatar Construction Set and put together her own...'
VaMEx Biomimetic Mars Robot Inspired By Skink
'Across the ground something small and metallic came, flashing in the dull sunlight of midday.'
NEO Brain Computer Interface (BCI)
'The remains of the lace took on the rough shape of a brain...'
Did Frank Herbert Predict E-Ink Displays?
'A broken circle with arrows pointing to a right-hand flow appeared in the chalf.'
Monolith One Giant Industrial Metal 3D-printer
'The object seemed melted together like wax — nothing was distinguishable.'
'Mooncrete' Lunar Regolith Concrete (LRC)
'And here they began to build...'
China's 'Magpie Drone' Ornithopter
'Midges have many capabilities. To the untrained eye, they look like sparrows.'
MAI-Voice-2 Microsoft Text-To-Speech
'I made disks of my own voice to the number of five hundred very carefully chosen words.'
Tumblin' Tumbleweed Rovers To Eplore Mars
'His sensors out and working, and the whirring of the tape that sucked up sight and sound and shape and smell and form...'
Tentacled Robot Captures Space Debris
Preventing annoying space debris build-up.
Prufrock-MB2 Ready In Nashville
'It sounds to me as though you had invented a kind of metal earthworm.'
DIY Robotic Content Farming
'The chief wheeled to the master machine and pressed a button.'
Reflect Orbital Sunlight On Demand
'I don't have to tell you about the seven two-mile-diameter orbital mirrors that circulate around the satellite, making it habitable.'
The Amazing Lightfoot Electric Scooter With Solar Assist
'The steel tortoise gave MacKinnon a feeling of Crusoe- like independence.'
Fully Electric, Fully Automated Vegetable‑growing Agribots
'...then back to their work, though little enough it was on these automatic cultivators.'
