Robots have always captured the imagination of mankind, as who doesn’t dream off owning their own personal slave robot, who can cater to their every whim and fancy? Unfortunately, personal robots are still a distant dream, but army robots are already grabbing headlines and we have picked the best of the lot.
The rise of the machines in the near future is inevitable, especially in warfare, and you don’t need to be a fan of the Terminator series to know this. In fact, according to artificial intelligence and robotics experts, Terminator-style robots are on a rise, so when Arnie says “I’ll be back,” he means it!
The Slithering Snakebot
With its polymer segments that are powered by electric motors, the snakebot can walk or rather slither on any kind of terrain to keep an eye on the enemy. Developed by a team at the Biorobotics and Biomechanics Lab at the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, it is one lean mean infiltration machine.
Dragonfly Surveillance Robot
Don’t be fooled by this rather innocuous device, as what it lacks in size, it makes up in specs. The robotic ‘insect’ has been designed to spy on the enemy in the battlefield, thanks to its small footprint, which includes circuit board, a tiny motor, and two insect-like wings.
The RHex Robot
Boston Dynamics has designed the RHex Robot, which is a biologically inspired hexapedal robot, that can master any terrain to help the army to bring down the enemy. It is known to climb over rock fields, mud, sand, vegetation, railroad tracks, telephone poles easily.
The Big Dog
The Big Daddy of army robots, this one has been developed with the blessing of the U.S. military. This mammoth looking bot can walk more than three miles an hour, carry weight up to 20 pounds, be inclined to 45 degrees and will soon work without a remote. Its intimidating body houses a one-cylinder gasoline engine, a computer, a fiber-optic laser gyroscope, and even an inertial measurement unit (IMU).
The Chaos Robot
The Chaos Robot lives up to its name and can unleash havoc on the enemy. It was tested in a variety of scenarios during Cobra Gold 2009 and the developer now wants to incorporate a sense of ethics into it!
The VIPeR
This Israeli military robot maneuvers in rough terrain with ease , and also opens fire on targets via the attached submachine gun, when commanded.
The LS3
Move over Big Dog, as soon you may face competition from the LS3. A superior version of the Dog, the LS3 will have cutting-edge hardware, a more efficient design, and of course more robo power. It is being currently developed by Boston Dynamics.
The Croww 540
Still in development stage, this hexapod bot is being marketed as a personal robot (since, we all need robots), but will also work in a military or law enforcement setting. It has all the ingredients to be a desert trooper and can carry heavy loads as well.
The C.R.A.B
You just don’t mess with the C.R.A.B. The Cybernetic Remote Autonomous Barricade (quite a mouthful) reminds us of the Robocop movie and is an army robot, developed by manufacturer Dalton/Stanley and megacorporation Omni Consumer Products. It features next-generation weaponry and armor protection and may just walk the streets in the not so future distant.
The Sarcos Exoskeleton
Technically not a robot, but the Sarcos Exoskeleton turns mere mortals into Iron Man! This robotic suit has been designed to increase a soldier’s efficiency and transform him into a mechanical superhuman!
