Written by: Christopher Lee
As a friend of mine would say, “I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.”
All kidding aside, this video shows some amazing leaps in mobile robotic technology. Once a practical portable energy source is created (if it has not yet been, where’s our Arc Reactor Mr. Stark?), the world is going to change. Interestingly, and arguably, sadly, it looks as if that change will first come on the fields of battle.
The “Cheetah”, as it has been dubbed by DARPA, is the latest, fastest, robotic instrument in a long line of alternative, multi-terrain technology. Says DARPA:
“The use of ground robots in military explosive-ordinance-disposal missions already saves many lives and prevents thousands of other casualties. If the current limitations on mobility and manipulation capabilities of robots can be overcome, robots could much more effectively assist warfighters across a greater range of missions. DARPA’sMaximum Mobility and Manipulation (M3) program seeks to create and demonstrate significant scientific and engineering advances in robot mobility and manipulation capabilities. “
Okay, so they say this is for defense and bomb disposal, but in my mind (and I can’t lie, in my mind, this scenario looks AWESOME), I see hundreds of atomic powered Robo-cats streaming across the battlefield taking out the opposing forces in one of the most fear-inducing scenes of chrome and blood since the T-1000 pulled it’s eye out in the first “Terminator” movie. I also see a pretty interesting segue into the creation of real-life “rat things” (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, go read “Snow Crash” by Neal Stephenson and you can thank me later).
But, as said previously, all this, whether it is to be utilized for “good” or “evil”, is still far off until…wait, didn’t I read some theory about the progression of technology creating the fabled AI Singularity very soon? Oh man……we’re screwed…I think we need to stop worrying about the zombie apololypse and start working on civilian level EMP cannons…
-Chris
Nerd-Base 