Robotic Soldiers Wouldn't Work, Either...

[Joshua the Writer]

Note: This is basically a script for a YouTube video I'm working on right now. I might mention things I have not written in the script, just want your thoughts, since I am typing a modified version of the script in this post. There is also a poll, too.
Robot soldiers might work in Call of Duty, but I really don't think robotic or "android" soldiers would actually work in a real-world setting. I know that some people would call recent advancements "revolutionary" when it comes to real-world, combat-purpose exosuits or androids or whatever, but it just isn't. First off, how do you know if it's combat-ready until you've put it into a combat-like scenario? There is not any 1 singular good and solution to this issue. I guess you can put 1 or 2 prototypes into through an entire public airsoft event, but it may not understand communications between it and it's teammates (Airsoft callouts are much difference from 'real-steel' military callouts), some players may react negatively and call it cheating for whatever reason, or the presence of a non-human player in an airsoft event might distract some from opponents shooting at them. Also, once it is proven to be combat-ready, how is it going to use firearms? Is it going to have an integrated weapons system as it's firearm, or is it just going to use a standard-issue rifle that a human infantry unit would carry? If the former is what the designer goes for, the engineers that have to clean, repair, and other maintenance work on the machine. They'd be repairing a gun and a robot at the same time, for goodness sake! That also adds an unneeded layer of complexity. If the latter option was chosen, would the android, itself, clean the weapon with a cleaning kit, or would a human unit have it take the gun from the A.I. and clean it him/herself? Also, it'd be difficult to program the loading sequence of each firearm the robot would be carrying. There's also multiple ways to load a weapon, if you think of it, but it's mostly in what kinds of motions are taking place. If it picks up an AK once it has no ammo left for a 5.56 NATO rifle it'd be carrying, how would it load the gun after the empty mag? Would it be in the way Counter Strike: Global Offensive's Terrorists load their AKs (remove magazine, put new mag in, turn rifle so right side is completely visible to player, push gun forward with right hand while left is on charging handle, immediately release when it is pulled all the way back, put rifle back into a firing position), or would the left arm be going underneath and around the rifle while it's pointed completely forward. Heck, it could even use it's right hand to pull the charging handle back and release it. Also, where would it store sidearms, extra equipment, and extra mags? Would it just have the same slings, pouches, and vests as human infantry are equipped with, or are their special pockets for that in the bot's shell? Also, there are hundreds of thousands of firearms in military service all around the world (minus the one out of five that'll likely be an AK variant of some sort), and some of them can even be REALLY old. Some nation's militaries even still use the M1918 BAR (a battle rifle produced by FN and put into service officially by 1917, served in both world wars) and M1 Garand semi-auto battle rifle. Also, it might even be made with a large amount of polymers, which sometimes are actually very weighty and clumsy in larger scales. It'd slightly better to use an aliminum shell plus a layer of Kevlar behind a layer of AR-500 steal, but this is still somewhat weighty, especially if an added external plate and plate carrier is used. It might also need a GPU for aiming and ballistics tracking. The best that the development teams that're working on this could buy for it is the NVidia RTX 2080 Ti XC video card, which has 32gb of Vram (video memory for people who aren't that well-versed in technology). However, this card has a high price tag of 1,348.89 United States Dollars in MSRP. Plus, I've actually seen this thing at Best Buy, picked it up, and it felt HEAVY. I do know that it had a security device on it since it is a $1,000+ graphics card, but, it was most likely the weight from the card, itself. Because of this, it would just mean that it would be more complex and expensive than it would be practical. Plus, what if it bugs out and ends up NOT completing a reload sequence, or it mistakes a friendly with an enemy due to the bug? Can you guys give me your thoughts on this?

 

[wight]

We are at least 50 years from general AI of the sort needed for android soldier. Until that happens, the entire concept is a non-starter. That aside, Boston Robotics is making decent advances in the physical bodies of various kinds, but are still years away from human form kinetic movement needed in combat operations. The other main obstacle is the same one many advanced concepts face, transportable power.

If you want my opinion, we probably won't see humanoid combat robots anytime soon (decades away, at least). What I expect to see first is quadruped semi-autonomous crew served weapons.

 

[Joshua the Writer]

If you want my opinion, we probably won't see humanoid combat robots anytime soon (decades away, at least). What I expect to see first is quadruped semi-autonomous crew served weapons.

Actually, there is actually a sniper rifle attachment that works for certain rifles that basically "marks" targets, calculates all data related to it, displays it on the scope, and fires immediately once it is on target. However, if the rifle is bolt-action, the bolt has to be worked manually. It also still needs a bit of work.

What do you image as a semi-autonomous, crew-served weapon. Like, a GPMG or something?

 

[sidd851]

Rather than finding new, exciting ways to engage in warfare, wouldn't it make much more sense to create unarmed, invulnerable robot peacekeepers?

Use the science, technology, and resources to lift up noble human endeavors, rather than use it to subjugate groups of humans to another group of humans' desires?

Would it not make sense to use our energies, knowledge and resources to ensure human survival, rather than finding creative ways to kill them off?

If someone is dead set on waging war, they can by all means get out there with the guts and bullets and bombs and death.
Real life situations have real life consequences, and war is not GTA9.

I'm afraid this isn't interesting, helpful, or productive.

“Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.”

We've got a lot of work to do, and soon, if we are to survive.
Why waste our energies perpetuating human suffering?

 

[Tom]

Robotic weapons are already in service. The answer depends on your definition of 'soldier'. The classical concept may soon be obsolete.

 

[Judge]

I suspect robotic weapons of the future would be more likely to be non-humanoid much like those of the present used by both the military and law enforcement.

For use on a battlefield, it would seem impractical to design them in the form of a human beings. Heavy, standing upright balanced on only two legs with two protruding arms. A costly, high-profile target that is easy to damage and throw off balance as is most any human being.

Instead, something more compact with a much lower profile and nominal mobility, yet something also designed to take some real punishment unlike the human form. And a design that is more economically assembled through mass production. Similar perhaps to what is presently being done with the military and law enforcement.

11 Police Robots Patrolling Around the World

Apart from the use of drones in the recent past and present, Germany's "Goliath" existed back in 1942. Though not considered a tactical success given the production cost versus low speed and inadequate protection. Basically a robotic mine on an electrical tether.

One also has to consider the advancement of handheld weapons as well, used against such technologies. No telling how potent the next generation of RPGs might be.

Robotics, artificial intelligence, conventional weaponry...they all might become so freakishly advanced that they might make war itself impractical some day. Even if man himself remains an unevolved, violent and predatory being. That all said, I like @sidd851's response better.

 

[Crossbreed]

I don't think that robots can or ever will make reliable target assessments on the battlefield. I think that they are worthwhile in supportive roles or with limited objectives, but humans should be the ones who pull the trigger. And there should be built-in fail safes.

I remember reading about Iran commandeering one of our drones.

 

[mw2530]

Use the science, technology, and resources to lift up noble human endeavors, rather than use it to subjugate groups of humans to another group of humans' desires?

I saw recently they are using robots to clean up the nuclear disaster in Japan that occurred after the Tsunamni they had a few years ago. It's too toxic for humans to do so they are using robots. So that's a cool use of robots that will likely save lives

 

[OlLiE]

i would not be a fan:
- either they are controlled remotely, and would be utterly useless if the signal could be jammed
- or they are 100% ai, which i think would be risky
- or they are a hybrid

so exosuits with enhanced defensive and offensive abilities would probably be the way to go,
these could then locally control 'minor' robotic tools: drones, etc

all of this would be pointless if one could not defend defend against emp weapons which would fry most electronics

 

[Graphin]

BOOOOOOOH
How about using the actual recourses to prevent the need for those

 

[Crossbreed]

How about using the actual recourses to prevent the need for those[?]

Among all people, autistics should be the first to recognize that "bullies" seldom agree to negotiate their objectives.

Further, I would expect most of us to be proponents of a strong police force

and strong military

, just on those grounds, alone.

 

[Autistamatic]

We don't need robots to kill each other. While there are still idiots glorifying war as if it was noble endeavour and equally idiotic politicians starting them, we're perfectly capable of doing it without AI assistance.

 

[Cactus]

I saw recently they are using robots to clean up the nuclear disaster in Japan that occurred after the Tsunamni they had a few years ago. It's too toxic for humans to do so they are using robots. So that's a cool use of robots that will likely save lives

Robots were used at Chernobyl. The radiation levels killed many of them. Radiation is incredibly destructive.

 

[Joshua the Writer]

Robots were used at Chernobyl. The radiation levels killed many of them. Radiation is incredibly destructive.

Yeah, but I think there were there when it blew, though. I saw a YouTube video by a YouTuber (whose channel I don't remember the name of) whose channel is about being an urban explorer on the international level, and he went to Chernobyl. I didn't see cleanup robots being deployed from drop helicopters and then almost instantly being turned to dust by the radiation.

Also, (correct me if I'm wrong) I think it blew at a time where Russia was transitioning to democracy and capitalism after the wall went down, so I don't think that any robots that would have been used during emergencies would even be ready for action in case of an emergency, especially a communist-produced A.I.

 

[wight]

Chernobyl was in 1986.

The robots used were something like the bomb detecting robots police use here. They didn't last long in the hard radiation inside reactor 4, as they were not designed for that environment. They didn't "turn to dust"... that sort of thing only happens in the movies. The radiation damaged the circuit boards, sensors, cameras, etc. until they were non-functional.

 

[Mr Allen]

Robot soldiers? How about no? Haven't you seen the Terminator movies?

 

[Crossbreed]

Haven't you seen the Terminator movies?

[tags: HISHE, Terminator]

 

[Joshua the Writer]

Robot soldiers? How about no? Haven't you seen the Terminator movies?

Lol. IKR. Let's just hope you and your fellow Englishmen's L85 assault rifles don't have charging handles that come off constantly.