Future Warbots To Feed On Human Flesh

[bassrique]

Just another in a long series of steps before the final evolution, or "human solution":

Upcoming Military Robot Could Feed on Dead Bodies

Tuesday , July 14, 2009


It could be a combination of 19th-century mechanics, 21st-century technology — and a 20th-century horror movie.

A Maryland company under contract to the Pentagon is working on a steam-powered robot that would fuel itself by gobbling up whatever organic material it can find — grass, wood, old furniture, even dead bodies.

Robotic Technology Inc.'s Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot — that's right, "EATR" — "can find, ingest, and extract energy from biomass in the environment (and other organically-based energy sources), as well as use conventional and alternative fuels (such as gasoline, heavy fuel, kerosene, diesel, propane, coal, cooking oil, and solar) when suitable," reads the company's Web site.

That "biomass" and "other organically-based energy sources" wouldn't necessarily be limited to plant material — animal and human corpses contain plenty of energy, and they'd be plentiful in a war zone.

EATR will be powered by the Waste Heat Engine developed by Cyclone Power Technology of Pompano Beach, Fla., which uses an "external combustion chamber" burning up fuel to heat up water in a closed loop, generating electricity.

The advantages to the military are that the robot would be extremely flexible in fuel sources and could roam on its own for months, even years, without having to be refueled or serviced.

Upon the EATR platform, the Pentagon could build all sorts of things — a transport, an ambulance, a communications center, even a mobile gunship.

In press materials, Robotic Technology presents EATR as an essentially benign artificial creature that fills its belly through "foraging," despite the obvious military purpose.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,532492,00.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGxdgNJ_lZM

Exit [poll] question: When will the machines dominate or do away with us?

[WashburnBasser]

Wow.

That's just like The Matrix, only without Keanu Reeves' bad acting!

[IconBasser]

I don't think robots will ever take over humans. I think we'll all become part robot. It's conceivable that as human technology progresses, we'll start enhancing ourselves with fancy new limbs and brain chips.

eventually, we'll all be borgs.

[SpamBot]

I don't think there'll be a lot of opportunity for taking over. From the articles, I get the impression these thing will pretty much just be dropped in third world countries where they can kill everything they find. Sad, but likely. Anyway they'll be across oceans, so we'll be fine here in the USA.

[bassrique]

What happens when machines gain artificial intelligence? Will they ask for their "rights", or will they "lay low". There's a good chance they'll be able to manufacture other machines, no?

Looking at this from today's technology is limiting.

[warwick.hoy]

Oh Fox News,...nevermind.

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

Oh Fox News,...nevermind.

Yeah dude, Fox News just made it up. Nevermind.


http://www.robotictechnologyinc.com/...April%2009.pdf

[IconBasser]

^ lol. (@ warwick.hoy)

[IconBasser]

Originally Posted by bassrique

What happens when machines gain artificial intelligence? Will they ask for their "rights", or will they "lay low". There's a good chance they'll be able to manufacture other machines, no?

Looking at this from today's technology is limiting.

I think that once some machines discover consciousness that they will indeed consider themselves sentient beings with inalienable rights. I really don't think they'd be too much of a problem if we let the smart ones do what they want; we'd be in REAL trouble if we tried to repress them. Terminator anyone?

[bassrique]

Along the same lines....

http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/...ainment-robots

[hbarcat]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

I think that once some machines discover consciousness that they will indeed consider themselves sentient beings with inalienable rights. I really don't think they'd be too much of a problem if we let the smart ones do what they want; we'd be in REAL trouble if we tried to repress them. Terminator anyone?

More like Blade Runner

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

More like Blade Runner

Heck of a film. I should see that again, along with "Brazil".

The two films are only related in my mind because both are wonderfully off-beat and both are distant memories.

[warwick.hoy]

Originally Posted by bassrique

What happens when machines gain artificial intelligence? Will they ask for their "rights", or will they "lay low". There's a good chance they'll be able to manufacture other machines, no?

Looking at this from today's technology is limiting.

Would you put your brain into a robot body?

Say I put my brain in a robot body, and there's a war. Robots versus humans. What side am I on?

[IconBasser]

^
humans. unless you wanna start a borg faction, that's cool too!

[IconBasser]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

More like Blade Runner

uh... the robots will turn into scary cross dressing transexuals with a fetish for barbie dolls?

[warwick.hoy]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

^
humans. unless you wanna start a borg faction, that's cool too!

But... the humans discriminate against you. You can't even vote!

[warwick.hoy]

We'd better not have to live on a robot reservation. That would really chap my caboose.

[IconBasser]

if you proved to them [us] that you really were a human brain [which is the part that actually makes us human], I doubt that anybody would have a problem with you. Do normal people discriminate upon those with prosthetic legs?

[Thunderscreech]

prosthetic legs. my legs are bullet proof, and can't you not catch me.

[IconBasser]

... huh? wanna try that sentence again, thunderscreech?