Robots are Taking Over!

By Ben Moon, Director of Space and Technology

Everyone knows (or should know) that robots will one day become autonomous, overpower man, and take over the world. We’ve seen it in movies like The Matrix, The Terminator, Battlestar Galactica, Eagle Eye, and I, Robot. With each real-world advancement and discovery in robotics and artificial intelligence, we edge ever closer to this fate.

Okay, maybe that’s a little science fictiony, but our metallic companions are becoming smarter, more lifelike and creepier every day.

Take for example, Robonaut: http://robonaut.jsc.nasa.gov/ . Robonaut is a humanoid robot designed by the Robot Systems Technology Branch at NASA's Johnson Space Center in a collaborative effort with DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). This centaur-like robot has a Bobba Fett mask-wearing torso of a man attached to a 4-wheeler and has ground breaking dexterous hands which have been developed over the past two decades. *Author’s note: Luke Skywalker hand eminent.* Watch the videos on the site and you’ll understand why I think it’s creepy.

DARPA has other creepy robotic collaborative efforts with robotics company Boston Dynamics (http://www.bostondynamics.com/). This company has developed several robots, one of which is a pack mule robot for the military named “Big Dog.” This thing will throw your brain through a loop as its movements and balancing ability look much too lifelike. Trust me when I say that Big Dog can walk on ice better than you can. Scary. There are many videos of Boston Dynamics’ robots on YouTube if you’re interested.

While these robots are pretty harmless on their own, there are robots in the battlefield that can pack a punch when needed. Foster-Miller’s SWORDS and TALON are remote controlled robots on tank treads and are armed with shotguns, machine guns and explosive charges which you can see in action at http://www.foster-miller.com/lemming.htm . The MQ-1 Predators are remote controlled, unmanned aircraft systems that have been taking out targets with laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missiles in Iraq and Afghanistan for years now. Check the stats here: http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=122 and a video of Discovery Channel’s Future Weapons special on the Predator: http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/futureweapons-predator.html .

Other weird robots include Japan’s “Fashion Model” humanoid robot HRP-4C that walks, talks, recognizes speech and looks like a human (in silver Storm Trooper attire); the FESTO Airjelly http://www.festo.com/cms/en-us_us/5890.htm ; water-walking robots http://nanolab.me.cmu.edu/projects/waterstrider/ ; and a host of other robots inspired by animals http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq8Yw19bn7Q.
But I suppose we’re okay as long as there isn’t a company called Cyberdyne working in the field of cybernetics….oh wait… http://www.cyberdyne.jp/english/robotsuithal/index.html or a satellite’s linked to Skynet….oh…wait again… http://www.loralskynet.com/template.asp?p=co_overview&m=m_co&sm=

Are we tempting fate here?

Contributor Profile:

Ben Moon is the Manager of Space and Technology at McWane. He is a total geek and loves space, shiny things, technology, gadgets, video games, sci-fi and zombies. He is married and is about to have his first kid! His favorite movie is The Rocketeer. He wishes he had telekinesis.