Israel unveils portable hunter-killer robot

[Fisherking]

Israel unveils portable hunter-killer robot

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10427927

JERUSALEM - An Israeli defence firm today unveiled a portable robot billed as being capable of entering most combat zones alone and engaging enemies with an onboard armory that includes a machine-pistol and grenades.
The VIPeR, roughly the size of a small television, was invented as part of Israel's efforts to develop weaponry that could reduce the risks to its forces from hand-to-hand fighting against Palestinian or Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas.
The manufacturer, Elbit Systems Ltd., said that the VIPeR's small size and dual treads enable it to move "undeterred by stairs, rubble, dark alleys, caves or narrow tunnels."
As well as bomb-sniffing and bomb disposal equipment, the VIPeR can carry an Uzi machine-pistol or plant a grenade. The weapons would be aimed using an onboard video camera.
According to Elbit, which has close links with the Defence Ministry, Israel plans to deploy the VIPeR among its infantry units after field tests. The robot could also be of interest to foreign police units or US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

- REUTERS

Actually we already have some forms of these though not that small I think.

[Mooks]

Great. In another 100 years, all of our armies will be little robots manned by computer geeks thousands of miles away.

[Incongruous]

Yuss!

[ShadeHonestus]

Great. In another 100 years, all of our armies will be little robots manned by computer geeks thousands of miles away.

And instead of the empty rhetoric in the backroom we can just log in to Total War 30: This Time its Real.

[ajaxfetish]

I think we need to be really careful in implementing technology like this. Human error already accounts for more mistakes than we'd like in combat situations, and removing judgment even further from the actual situation (either through remote control or programming) means there will probably be even higher unintentional casualties. The distinction between combatant and civilian is already very fuzzy in the conflicts Israel is usually engaged in. Taking away the ability to make split-second human judgments on the ground about whether or not to open fire may prove dangerous.

Ajax

[Husar]

Well said, ajaxfetish.

In addition the thing about "geeks" controlling them got my attention, because the more it looks like a game, the higher the chance that someone pushes the button once too often. Besides that, a thing with a camera should be easier to ambush than a human who can turn his head within a second. I'm curious as to how useful that thing will actually be.:inquisitive:

[Hosakawa Tito]

Hope they get the multiplayer right this time.....~;)

[Devastatin Dave]

The DevDav army will rule!!! You guys better start treating me better!!! :laugh4:

[ShadeHonestus]

Hope they get the multiplayer right this time.....~;)

:2thumbsup: It'll be pay for patch only...

[Marshal Murat]

Ahh, sucks to have lag.