UK Plans Drones for 2012 Olympics

The UK is developing a fleet of modified military aircraft drones for surveillance. Including miniature tactical crafts like the AirRobot and the HERTI drone, already in Afghanistan, they will be used on bad motorists with road rage, protesters and others that wreak havoc. Look for them to be in place by the 2012 Olympics and to be equipped with tasers, disorienting strobe lights and non-lethal projectiles.

Via Wired

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AR.Drone Controlled by iPhone/iPod touch

The French Company Parrot debuted their AR.Drone at the CES 2010. The quadrocopter is controlled via iPhone or iPod touch via a WiFi connection. The robotic flyer has two cameras, an ultrasonic altimeter and a gyro/accelerometer based stabilization system. It also features an "augmented reality" system that allows users to game on the video feed or compete against other drones. While the company claims that the AR.D is "intuitive and user friendly," we expect it to move to military status sometime soon.

Via Parrot

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Anti-Terrorism Robot Sent to Logan Airport

Black-I Robotics recently delivered a robot to Boston's Logan Airport that can help detect and disarm explosives. Paid for by $800,000 in Congressional funds, the Black Knight, named after the West Point mascot, replaces an outdated model, with its controller an Xbox console. The bot is one of three distributed and was dedicated to Army Ranger First Lt. Derek Hines, a West Point graduate who was killed in Afghanistan.

Via WBZ TV

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Cyber Quad Spies on Drilling Platform

Australia's Cyber Technology Pty. Ltd. has developed this take-off drone with built-in video camera that was recently used to survey an offshore drilling platform. Not only did the wireless Cyber Quad record footage at various levels, it landed on the platform, never missing a video beat. The device also houses sensors that can detect pollutants or chemical warfare agents. Look for the Cyber Quad in a war near you.

Via Wired

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Chiba University's Hummingbird Robot

Hiroshi Liu and team at Chiba University, Japan, have developed a hummingbird robot with a micro motor that can flap its four wings at 30 times/second. The flying bot is controlled by an IR sensor and can turn left or right, and go up or down. It can also fly in a figure eight. Liu says that the bot should be available next year and will be equipped with a micro camera for use in rescue efforts and seeking out baddies.

Via Washington Times

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Robot Cafe Serves Defense Bot Builders

IMTechnology's Robot Cafe System may be a better way enjoy a meal while avoiding the H1N1. The mini-robot, wearing a chef's hat, delivers coffee to the Korean diners. When they aren't busy creating cute bots, the company mainly concentrates on military defense bots.

Via Ubergizmo

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Witness the Blob With Attitude

The ChemBot, being developed by DARPA, can shape shift between semi-liquid and semi-solid states by injecting air into a membrane that's filled with particulate matter. The plan here is to take the odd robot and place it where others can't since it can get larger or smaller, roll around, or pass through cracks in a wall. iRobot is in charge of the project to create the prototype after receiving a $3.3 million grant.

Via Crave

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Robotic Cockroach Falls Wa-a-y Down, Keeps on Trucking

The UC Berkeley's Biomimetic Millisystems Lab has decided that the world (and/or the military) needs a better robot cockroach. Made out of cardboard and polymer, the 4" DASH (Dynamic Autonomous Sprawled Hexapod) can be built in an hour and moves at 5 ft. per second, which is equal to 15 body lengths. Its 6 legs run via DC motor and a servomotor is responsible for turns. The thing that really creeps us out is the fact that DASH can fall 92 feet and keep going.

Via UC Berkeley

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Robotic Jumper Gets Drafted

Boston Dynamics, father of the BigDog, has been awarded a contract to create the Sandia National Laboratories' prototype Precision Urban Hopper for DARPA. The 4-wheel robot navigates autonomously and has a single leg, allowing it to jump over 25' fences. Imagine their surprise when the enemy, in its compound behind walls, gets startled by the PUH. The project should be completed by late 2010 and the Pentagon says it would like a third of all forces to be robotic by 2015.

Via New Scientist

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iRobot Develops Warrior 700

iRobot is working on a larger and more talented version of its PackBot. The Warrior 700 can actually carry a PackBot and, when standing, can deliver one through a window. Should it trip and fall, it can get itself upright and go on with its robotic duties. Here's hoping that the Warrior doesn't trip and fall on its way to its evil spy missions.

Via iRobot

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Drones, Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

We were watching an episode of "60 Minutes" recently that seemed very jazzed to visit Creech Air Force Base and show us all how their drones are used to destroy the "bad guys." They were very proud to show how a silent Predator could stay up for 24 hours pursuing its "prey" while, back in Nevada, the trigger is pulled when the "pilot" is sure that its 500 lb. laser guided bomb has found its target. When one of the pilots was asked if he felt that flying a drone was similar to playing a video game, he responded that there was no reset button.

Via CBS News

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Army Wants More PackBots

iRobot Corp. says it was given a $5.1 million order from the U.S. Army, making this the 11th as part of its $286 million xBot contract. They will be supplying them with 14 more PackBots and spare parts, to be used in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Via Forbes

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CIA Drone Takes Out Mehsud

Last week, one of the CIA's drones was apparently responsible for the death of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud when it fired two Hellfire missiles at a farmhouse where he and his wife were staying, moving us one up on the evil terrorists. Meanwhile, on a recent "Meet the Press," Pakistani president Asif Ali Zadari mentioned that he wanted his own killer drones. And the remote control war continues.

Via Guardian

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Dr. Ronald Arkin Interviewed on Robot Warrior Behavior

We told you a while back about Dr. Ronald Arkin's book "Governing Lethal Behavior in Autonomous Robots" and his rules for engaging them in war, his main premise being that "intelligent robots can behave more ethically in the battlefield than humans currently can."

He was interviewed in h+ magazine recently and more of his ideas, an updating of Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics which includes:

1. Engage and neutralize targets as combatants according to the ROE.
2. Return fire with fire proportionately.
3. Minimize collateral damage -- intentionally minimize harm to noncombatants.
4. If uncertain, invoke tactical maneuvers to reassess combatant status.
5. Recognize surrender and hold POW until captured by human forces.

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