Although not quite as stealthy as some of the other spybots that we've seen, the 6.5-ton Crusher UGCV (Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle), with its 8,000-pound payload and one-kilometer range, is certainly more versatile than your typical
robosnake or
Packbot. Unveiled today by the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) at Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science's Robotics Institute, Crusher, like its predecessor Spinner, was commissioned by DARPA to provide combat troops with a durable cargo and surveillance option that can operate mostly autonomously even in rough terrain. Crusher is powered by a series of electric motors whose batteries are charged with a turbo diesel generator -- giving it a top speed of 26 miles-per-hour -- and manages to avoid obstacles using an array of cameras and
ladar lidar. Although its first two years of service will be restricted to support role duties, Army and DARPA officials will use Crusher's performance during the probationary period to evaluate its potential use in combat as well. [Warning: PDF link]
posted Apr 28th 2006 5:02PM
Our robotic overlords arrive!
Can we try it out on the French?
All hail the daleks!
Better try it out on the White House
1km range ... that'll work :P
I liked it better when it was called the Batmobile.
http://www.cnv.co.il/pics/weeklypics/batmobile.jpg
why do these things need to be autonomous? we have 2 million military personnel and not 40 qualified people can remotely operate these things themselves?
oh, and that 1 km thing better be it's artillery range cause iv seen RC cars from Radio Shack do that
I for one, welcome our....I mean....ask not what your country can do....I mean ummm..... fool me once shame on you....fool me ttttttt.......hhhhrrrrr....agggg gggg...boom chika boom.. boom chika boom..
i want one
looks fun to play with
Does it come in black?
Is it just me, or does that vehicle look like that kick-ass troop transport in Aliens?
If only Bishop could pilot this one...
o baby its come in ever color and ever size
I'd expect things like this will make local wars and military intervention much more likely in the future.
Drop in army of these that can can be directed from afar, throw in metal storm and therombaric weapons with robotic air cover and sophisticated sensors and no worries about casualties and who will gave a damn. Lastly make sure no media coverage of cilvilian casualties and you have a perfect war.
Those guys at CMU sure know how to build robots!
I can't look at that thing without imagining it rolling over a pile of skulls.
This thing sure looks like the from M577 APC Aliens:
http://www.brainkiller.it/aliens/aliens/apc01.jpg
damn that thing looks just plain meeeeeeaaaan!
I'll take a dozen.
Oh, and the reason for autonomous is obvious...So we dont need a guy remote controlling it....since that wouldn't be any better then just being in it and driving the damn thing.
All branches of the military are trying to do one thing...and thats have less people, but be able to do more. Hence UAV's, and unmanned ground vehicles, and the Navy is building their ships to operate with far less people then before.
Its not just the whole media & casualty thing, its that people are very expensive...not just there salary, but food & water & shelter & the list goes on & on. machines can be ready to go to war immediately, they dont need to have training, or miss there friends & family, & they never complain.
Theres tons of reasons why the US military is doing what their doing.
That thing's gonna rock in the next TV series of 'Robot Wars'.
Its LIDAR, *not* LADAR. Oh brother.
Can anyone say "Bolo"? I knew you could.
Seriously, we're approaching the point where the Bolo's of Keith Laumer's S/F universe could start appearing. Nuclear power. Weapons arrays. Super computers. It's coming ... assuming we don't have a blow out with Iran that reduces the planet to slag first.
Can we send a few into Iran and North Korea for fun?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I prefer the larger version that was in Aliens...
http://upx.primenova.com/2/msf/Aliens-APC.jpg
#18
Both LADAR and LIDAR are generally used and accepted in the literature.
Meh.
Wake me up when the US Gov't can make Droidekas.
That'll be the day I get real interested.
Where can I buy aftermarket stealth upgrades?
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They need to build them to look like Humvee's and then drive them around like decoys.