 |
|
Soldering on: A private firm helped the military make the
robo-soldier | |
The US military is planning to deploy robots armed with machine-guns to
wage war against insurgents in Iraq.
Eighteen of the 1m-high robots, equipped with cameras and operated by
remote control, are going to Iraq this spring.
The machine is based on a robot already used by the military to disable
bombs.
Officials say the robot warrior is fast, accurate and will track and
attack the enemy with relatively little risk to the lives of US soldiers.
Unlike its human counterparts, the armed robot does not require food,
clothing, training, motivation or a pension.
When not needed in war, it can be mothballed in a warehouse.
However, the robot will rely on its human operator, remotely studying
footage from its cameras, for the order to open fire.
According to Bob Quinn, a manager with Foster-Miller, the US-based
company which worked with the military to develop the robot, the only
difference for a soldier is that "his weapon is not at his shoulder, it's
up to half a mile away".
The robot fighter has been christened Swords, after the acronym for
Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection Systems.
It is based on the Talon robot, which is widely used by the military to
disarm bombs.
A US officer who helped test the robot said it was a more accurate shot
than the average soldier because it is mounted on a stable platform and
takes aim electronically.
(BBC) |
美軍計劃將配備了機關槍的機器人戰士投入到打擊伊拉克反抗勢力的戰斗中去。
今年春季，18名身高1米，裝備了攝像機，通過遙控操作的機器人戰士將奔赴伊拉克。
這種機器人戰士的雛形是美軍現已使用的拆彈機器人。
官員們稱，這種機器人戰士能夠快速準確地追蹤打擊敵人，而操縱它們的美軍士兵的生命危險相對較小。
和它們的人類戰友不同的是，這些機器人戰士不需要吃飯、穿衣、訓練、作戰動機和退休金。
一旦戰爭不再需要它們，它們可以被封存在倉庫里。
然而，這種機器人戰士要依賴它的操縱者，它們身上的攝像裝置可將周圍圖像傳輸給遠端的操縱者，操縱者則根據看到的圖片下令射擊。
福斯特·米勒公司的經理鮑勃·奎因說，對于士兵來說，唯一不同的只是“他的武器不是扛在肩上而是在半英里以外”。這家美國公司與軍方聯合研制這種機器人戰士。
這種機器人戰士被命名為“戰劍”，它的全名是“特種武器觀測偵察探測系統”。
它是機器人“塔隆”的升級版，“塔隆”已被軍方廣泛用于炸彈拆除。
協助測試該機器人的一位美國官員說，它和普通士兵相比，還是神槍手，因為它們被安裝在固定平臺上而且是電子瞄準。
（中國日報網站譯） |
Updated: 2005-01-26 10:25