German army hosts military bot "competition"

In an effort to remind other countries developing fully automated combat forces -- like the US, India, and South Korea -- that "ve Germans are not all smiles and sunshine," the European powerhouse held its first Grand Challenge-like competition this week, where autonomous robots brought in from around the continent showed off their driving, surveillance, and urban warfare skillz. It's actually a bit misleading to call the first European Land Robot Trial (ELROB) -- which was hosted by the German army, or Bundeswehr. in the town of Hammelburg -- a competition, as participants were not eligible for any prizes or supply contracts, and even had to pay their own expenses, all in the hope that the 1,000-or-so venture capitalists and foreign military attaches on hand would take notice of their technology. Both amateur and professional roboticists entered their creations (which curiously, were required to house a small animal -- don't ask us) in one of two obstacle courses designed to simulate either combat driving or building infiltration -- tasks which were made even more difficult due to the fact that mission specifics were not revealed prior to the event. Although Germany has yet to even appropriate a portion of its budget to research in this area, military officials are optimistic that robotic support vehicles will be deployed to the armed forces within five years.

[Via Hindustan Times]

[Nukes and Candy @ May 21st 2006 3:54PM]

Zee Germans trying to get a lead on zee robotiks arena? hmmmm....

Sounds interesting.

Its a good move not to offer any prizes, for getting chosen for investment by venture capitalists is a big enough prize.

I actually dont unterstand why every country is constantly preparing for war? New super rifles, weapons of mass destruction the size of pocket knives, and robots. Unmaned, super killing machines.

pffff.... I'll be in my underground bomb shelter if you need me.

Alexander Wunderlich
.

[Andre @ May 21st 2006 4:17PM]

Ze GERMAN WAR MACHINE IS GETTING BACK ZITS FEET! Zieg Heil! Zieg Heil!

[Brandon @ May 21st 2006 4:47PM]

@1

Say you have country A and B. Each country has an equal military.

The two countries are neutral towards each other.

Now, if country A starts to build a slightly better military what happens when country B tries to get a better trade agreement?

A knows that B can't back up any claims, thus A can strong arm B into a lesser deal.

Even if neither country ever plans on using their military, trying to keep up with the Joneses plays a large part in global politics.

Consider how seriously the US takes India and Pakistan now that they have Nuclear weapons. This is why Iran wants to join the party.

Unless all forces are equal, there will always be the perceived need to upgrade armed forces.

[Nick @ May 21st 2006 5:02PM]

Excellent post #3. I agree with your point completely. The arms races are a big part of world politics. They always have been and, without a major change in human behavior, always will be. It's disappointing yes, but what else is a country to do?

[fubar @ May 21st 2006 8:08PM]

I, f�r ein, begr��en unsere deutschen Roboter overlords.

[Johnny Carnage @ May 21st 2006 8:10PM]

Required to house a tiny animal?!
Good God, can't you people see what is right in front of your eyes? They are going to upsize these monstrosities and fit humans inside!!!
Forty-foot, missle-dispensing titanium colossi, coming soon to a country near you!
It begins... ^__^

[Just a guy from Poland @ May 21st 2006 8:46PM]

Why do news like that make me nervous, I wonder? I'd rather read the hundreds of cluless apple fanboys that still can't grasp the idea that my one year old Inspiron 9300 with its 1920x1200 resolution and 256RAM Geforce 6800 is superior to any Apple notebook.

[Thomas Averin @ May 21st 2006 9:44PM]

AND THEN THE SEXY JAPANESE ROBOT JUMOS IN AND KICKS EVERYONES ASS!

:P

[Vanilla Spice @ May 21st 2006 10:44PM]

@8 Just a guy from Poland - it is funny, isn't it ? Everyone, including yourself, goes on and on about these alleged "Apple fanboys", and yet, the number of postings from Mac-lovers is completely outweighed by the number of postings complaining about Apple fanboys, or saying why the poster thinks product A is superior to Apple product B, or accusing Engadget or Engadget commentors of having an Apple bias.

This post had nothing to do with Apple or Apple products, and no fanboy had mentioned that company in their comment. So why did you bring it up? You did it deliberately, because you wanted to add to the "too much Apple on Engadget" problem, so that you could complain about it later on.

It is the haters, not the fanboys, who are responsible for the majority of comments referencing Apple - and their major complaint is always about how often Apple is mentioned! We're through the looking-glass, here.

[KameronKilchrist @ May 21st 2006 11:45PM]

Wow. That's really cool.

[Aaron @ May 22nd 2006 3:53AM]

Required to house a small animal... that's really weird. Maybe it's to show that your robot can keep a living thing safe and still get the job done? Hey, maybe #7 isn't too far off.

And #10... Don't complain. If there's one thing I've learned in my life, it is that this world NEEDS more people trying to shut up the Apple cultists (they are beyond fanboys at this point).

[Claudiu Spulber @ May 22nd 2006 5:12AM]

Anyone up for a bet that "Matrix IV - Machines break the pact" will be filmed out of real events? Clock is ticking.a

[heyhow @ May 22nd 2006 11:37AM]

Ah number 2, please realise that not all germ�ns are nazis ... although its calles "sieg heil" ;)

[Marc Mayor @ May 22nd 2006 2:36PM]

Europe is the birthplace of Lego, so clearly we should have the robot elite here...

[Chris @ May 22nd 2006 3:00PM]

"(which curiously, were required to house a small animal -- don't ask us)"

A small animal is the cheapest, yet most sophisticated "indicator" if a chemical or biological weapon has been used.

(This is just what my German brain thought, when it read this message, though).

[Vanilla Spice @ May 22nd 2006 11:15PM]

@12 Aaron - cultists are cultists, and fanboys are fanboys, no matter what product or company they're evangelising. They're as annoying as each other, and the idea that we need to shut up ONLY the Apple fanboys is crazy - despite what you think, they are not the only people who worship their platform and shout about it in inappropriate places ... witness #8.

#8 is no less a Dell cultist/fanboy than any Apple-booster, and this was most certainly NOT the post for them to place their comment (as I said, it wasn't an Apple - or Dell - post, and it had no Apple comments). Why is #8's actions less objectionable than an Apple fanboy who does the same thing (proclaim the supposed superiority of their choice on an unrelated post) ?