Gladiator robot looks to join Marine Corps

[hood]

This was interesting...

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2003/Jul/07/mn01a.jpg

The summary from gizmodo.com: The Gladiator Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle, which might be pressed into service as early as 2007, is remote-controlled like one of those Predator drones, and will carry a variety of non-lethal weapons, such as tear gas, stingball grenades, and smoke rounds, as well some more lethal weaponry like machine guns. If it's any indication what the US military has in mind for this, when they hosted a demonstration for the Gladiator the other day, they simulated the robot fighting "an angry mob of 600 activists."

The article:

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Jul/07/mn/mn01a.html


I wonder what the psychology of something like this would be. Would protesters move more quickly to violence when they'd be damaging a robot vs. another human being?

[budanski]

Something else that is interesting... the 'PAIN BEAM'



http://i.timeinc.net/popsci/images/science/sci0503nonlethal_A_495.gif
PRECISION PAIN The Humvee-mounted Active Denial System (ADS) can strike from at least one-third of a mile away, using a focused beam of electromagnetic radiation. Designed for crowd control and to disperse human shields, the beam creates a 6-inch spot of intense pain within a second or two. Anyone in its path moves long before it causes a serious burn.

WAVE ACTION: (1) Electrons accelerated in a vacuum tube create millimeter-long waves. (2) The core of an ADS-equipped Humvee is the millimeter-wave generator, which is surrounded by power supplies and cooling systems. The waves are sent to an antenna, which aims and focuses the beam. (3) Millimeter-long electromagnetic waves are 100 times shorter and much more powerful than those produced by microwave ovens.

exerpt: (http://www.popsci.com/popsci/science/article/0,12543,448832-1,00.html)
But perhaps they would be. To find out, I decided to go under the gun myself, and volunteered as a test subject in the development of the Active Denial System. The Air Force saw no objection, and in short order I found myself in a remote corner of Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, at the test site in the dusty hills, miles from most buildings and people.

I was briefed about what to expect by Air Force Research Laboratory physicist Kirk Hackett. ("We never shot a journalist before, but I like the idea!" he had joked over the phone.) Hackett, who wears a modest tan-colored cowboy hat when out in the New Mexico sun, explained that I would be hit in the center of the back by a millimeter-wave directed-energy beam. It would be fired from a large dish mounted atop a cargo container on the hill. The beam, he said, would make the water molecules in my cells vibrate, heating the uppermost layers of skin to levels far beyond the human tolerance for pain, but it would not actually burn me. "All you have to do is stay in position for as long as you can take it, and then simply step out of the way," Hackett said. He paused, then chuckled, before handing me a detailed Informed Consent Form for Pain Tolerance. I signed, knowing full well that I have none.

I took my position near the opening of a large curved tent, facing inside, with my arms crossed in front of my chest. Hackett stood by, watching, along with a nurse, several other researchers and military officials, and Captain Sid Heal from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, a Marine Corps reservist who was there to check out the technology's crossover potential for law enforcement. Heal would also take a shot.

In a small building half a mile away, a young Air Force technician, using a joystick and video monitor, aimed crosshairs at my back. After a brief delay to wait for a passing airplane to clear—none can be in the vicinity when experimental directed-energy weapons are tested; an alarming precaution, I thought—the countdown commenced from five. (Hackett had told me earlier that some volunteers never even make it to the end of the countdown.) About a half-second after 'One,' I felt a warm spot on my back. A millisecond later the heat intensified dramatically, as though someone were pressing an electric burner hard on my back. I expected to hear sizzling, to smell burning flesh. The pain exploded to the point where I was no longer actually thinking, and certainly wasn't in any sort of control of my reactions. With a shout of "Yeow!" I involuntarily sprang out of the way.

I had lasted about two seconds, which is average, Hackett said. (The record is three or so.) A few minutes later, I took another hit and, even knowing what to expect, I did no better. The pain, though, disappeared immediately once I stepped out of the beam, leaving only residual warmth and some redness on my skin. Heal performed about as well as I did: "I moved out of the way as soon as I could!" he said later.

Humans are hardwired for self-preservation, and the Active Denial System exploits those defenses well. Furthermore, it has so far proved itself to be practically risk-free. It hasn't revealed any side effects or permanent physical damage, and once operational, the weapon will have cutoffs to prevent prolonged exposures, along with other safeguards. "I think the ADS represents the first breakthrough on what will eventually lead to the 'magic bullet,'" says Heal, who has consulted with the military on its conflicts in Somalia and Kosovo. "That is, one that is effective but truly nonlethal."

Is it better than a sponge-tipped round? Let me put it this way: I can't imagine that anything—not even a projectile in the face—would have gotten me moving faster.

[Beowulf]

Brown noise baby! It's all about the brown noise, when we perfect that technology I'll go on all the deployments they want just to be able to use it...(oops sorry sir didn't see you there....)

[ibstolidude]

Hey can they stop-loss a robot??

Can I get his job?

[hood]

Imagine if you will:


Protesters: No globalization! Capitalism is Communism!

Protest-Be-Gone 3000: Cease and desist your hurling and smashing methods or Protest-Be-Gone 3000 will proceed with force. You have 10 seconds to comply.

Protesters: Er.. ok. (Protestors proceed to put down their firebombs and bricks.

Protest-Be-Gone 3000: You have 5 seconds to comply.

Protesters: Uh.. we put down our...

Protest-Be-Gone 3000: You have 1 second to comply.

Protesters: Run away!

Protest-Be-Gone 3000 proceeds to launch 300 tear gas canister rounds per minute into the crowd until ammunition stores are depleted. At that point, it launches bean bag chair, multi-color balloon animals, confetti, a green substance scientifically known as 'flubber', and various other non-lethal munitions.

[He219]

:lol:

[martinexsquaddie]

non- lethal technology is far from harmless.
research tends to suggest the stuff gets used at a much lower threat level so the pain beam or whatever gets employed because you can rather than because you had to.
Some quite tech savvy Anarchists out there beat the encyrption on the control Frequency and its hey lets trash Mcdondalds By remote :lol:
I'd have no compunction about taking out a robot not that I go on many demos. But considering you'd been able to get loads of info on the robot off the net and plan your tactics.
Look pretty good on cnn a burnt out Robot :lol:

[Kriz]

Look pretty good on cnn a burnt out Robot :lol:
rofl

great