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| Ghost Robotics equips four-legged armed robots |
Ghost Robotics has introduced a four-legged robot with custom weapons from small arms expert Sword International.
Four-legged robots are one of the most interesting developments in robotics in recent years. They are small, flexible and can navigate the frustrating environments of wheeled machines. So it is only a matter of time before they are armed.
The weapon itself (known as the SPUR or Custom Independent Rifle) appears to be designed to be installed on different mobile platforms.
It has a 30x optical zoom, a thermal imaging camera for positioning in the dark and an effective range of 1200 meters.
It is not clear if Sword International or Ghost Robotics sells this automated combo. But if not, they look very close.
Sword International's marketing texts bragged that: SPUR is the future of unmanned weapons systems, and that future is becoming a reality.
The device was revealed earlier this week in the US. Introduced the 2021 Army League. These conferences are intended to be the Army's professional development forum and demonstration in Washington, DC October 11-13.
Details of the partnership between Sword International and Ghost Robotics are still unclear. However, the four-legged robots from Ghost Robotics are being tested by the US Army.
Last year, the 325th Security Forces Squadron at Tindall Air Force Base, Florida, was the first Department of Defense unit to use four-wheeled robots in regular operations.
The unit uses it to patrol the base and navigate swampy areas that are not suitable for people and vehicles.
Although surveys are one of the most obvious use cases for robotic dogs. But manufacturers are gradually testing other forms.
Four-legged robots become lethal tools
In addition to providing video and remote mapping, these machines can also be used to move signal towers, dismantle bombs, or track chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials. They can also be weapons.
Boston Dynamics is the most famous manufacturer of quadrupedal robots and has a strict policy against arming its machines.
Other manufacturers don't seem to have it. Many companies sell standalone rifle systems that use armored wheels. Thus, it is not difficult to add the same basic parameters to the leg machine.
Experts have been warning for some time that the use of killer robots (formerly the Lethal Autonomous Weapon System, or LAWS for short) is slowly increasing. Official US guidelines will not prevent its development or publication.
Some groups are working to proactively block such systems. At the same time, the work seems to be constantly evolving. This means pointing the gun at the robotic dog.