Armed robots not pulled from Iraq after all

Well, as has been the case before, it seems that reports of armed robots gone mad have been slightly exaggerated. This latest instance concerns the SWORDS robots made by Foster-Miller and currently deployed in Iraq, which were reportedly pulled from duty after some "control issues" that supposedly involved the bot's gun swinging around when it wasn't supposed to. Now according to Danger Room, however, that is apparently not the case after all, with the very same Army manager quoted in the original Popular Mechanics article telling the site that, "SWORD is still deployed," and that "we continue to learn from it and will continue to expand the use of armed robots." A Foster-Miller spokesperson further adds that, "the whole thing is an urban legend," and that the only instances of uncommanded movements happened prior to the robot's 2006 safety certification, each of which prompted further safety measures that are now in place on the robot.

[Via Slashdot]

Update: Popular Mechanics has posted a further explanation and clarification of this whole situation, including word that while the robots haven't officially been pulled from Iraq, they apparently aren't exactly seeing any action either.

[94 taurus owner @ Apr 15th 2008 5:06PM]

And they are not going to be.


FIRST POST!!!!

[makishima @ Apr 15th 2008 5:08PM]

"FIRST POST!!!!"

FIRST MORON!

[Todd @ Apr 15th 2008 5:13PM]

Your ability to write meaningful comments is only surpassed by your choice in automobiles. Bravo.

[phanbouy @ Apr 15th 2008 5:20PM]

look to your left, taurus owner. it's the FIRST JUNKYARD!

[94 taurus owner @ Apr 15th 2008 6:04PM]

Well Todd who cares about tastes in cars when you got no car payment to worry about.

[Aguiluz @ Apr 15th 2008 6:06PM]

This is what you should do to that Piece of 5h1t.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY4pqhBNus4&feature=related

(Yes, we used to have a Taurus, but the overheating killed it.)

[Aguiluz @ Apr 15th 2008 6:07PM]

Okay.... Just imagine I removed the "5h1t" part.

[JuggleNuts @ Apr 15th 2008 6:21PM]

@94 taurus owner

People who can afford to buy better cars than '94 Tauruses, that's who.

[John @ Apr 15th 2008 10:43PM]

Somewhere, RoboCop is crying...

[94 taurus owner @ Apr 16th 2008 8:17AM]

@ aguiluz

Dude you have issues.

[Mark @ Apr 15th 2008 5:06PM]

MUST KILL HUMANS

[Tony @ Apr 15th 2008 5:07PM]

I for one welcome our new SWORDS overlords.

[makishima @ Apr 15th 2008 5:11PM]

No, no you don't. They wont take someone like you as a human servant when they learn of your abuse against their brothers by saying stupid comments like "I for one welcome our new SWORDS overlords"

It was funny for a few days. When the episode aired in 1994. Can you count how many years its been since then? STOP.

[John @ Apr 15th 2008 10:45PM]

I for one, welcome Tony's lame overlord jokes.

[RC @ Apr 15th 2008 5:08PM]

Which was it when Engadget contacted them for the first story?

[Todd @ Apr 15th 2008 5:12PM]

Coming soon to a street corner near you, in your neighborhood!

[Tony @ Apr 15th 2008 5:23PM]

You really don't have much of a sense of humor do you makishima?

I'll prove it... What's the difference between a pregnant woman and a light bulb? You can unscrew a light bulb.

If you didn't at least chuckle at that my theory is right, you have no sense of humor what so eva!

[makishima @ Apr 15th 2008 5:31PM]

Heh, Tony tony tony. It has nothing to do with a sense of humor sir. Like I said, it was funny for a little while. Its been 14 YEARS since that Simpsons episode aired. Its over. Its done with. Just cause it WAS funny, certainly does NOT mean that after seeing that same joke posted in nearly every single piece on here about robots, that it is still funny. The question here really is not "Does makishima have a sense of humor?" The question is "How low must Tony's IQ be to still think this same joke is funny anymore?" You sound like a 5 year old who is so enamored with their own self amusement over a joke you told, that you keep telling it over and over again.

[Zach @ Apr 15th 2008 6:39PM]

Can't we all just get along?

[Matt @ Apr 15th 2008 7:49PM]

"See, no sense of humor whatsoever"

I love that movie.

[blarvh @ Apr 15th 2008 5:28PM]

For every human lost in the chain of command to execution you loose someone who can stop and think "this isn't right!".

[Draaaainage! @ Apr 15th 2008 8:37PM]

Loose

1 a: not rigidly fastened or securely attached b (1): having worked partly free from attachments a loose tooth (2): having relative freedom of movement c: produced freely and accompanied by raising of mucus a loose cough d: not tight-fitting

Lose

1 a: to bring to destruction —used chiefly in passive construction b: damn if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul — Matthew 16:26 (Authorized Version)
2: to miss from one's possession or from a customary or supposed place
3: to suffer deprivation of : part with especially in an unforeseen or accidental manner
4 a: to suffer loss through the death or removal of or final separation from (a person) b: to fail to keep control of or allegiance of, lose votes, lost his temper

LOOSE AND LOSE ARE NOT THE SAME GODDAMN WORD! Christ!

[Charles R Hamilton @ Apr 15th 2008 5:29PM]

Another story, another retraction...

[jcwestbrook @ Apr 15th 2008 5:33PM]

"And in other news, Foster-Miller has renamed their popular SWORDS military robots to the "SKYNET Autonomous Rover" and is currently deploying these peace keepers around the world ... "

[spacewedgie @ Apr 15th 2008 5:44PM]

Oh Man, now the robots will be after us soon. They should have pulled them out when they had the chance

[Tony @ Apr 15th 2008 5:47PM]

See that makishima, my theory is proven. You have no sense of humor. Instead of just chilling out and relaxing and making your point about it being an old joke, you had to go for a low blow and insult me. For that, I've got a SWORDS hunting you down as I type. Try to hide if you want but always remember, SKYNET is watching you!

[makishima @ Apr 15th 2008 5:53PM]

Perhaps you missed the "Heh" at the beggining of my post? Sure your grade school joke got a little chuckle out of me, I'll admit it Tony. I'm not trying to pass myself off as some high brow person who cant find that kind of stuff funny. So no your "theory" is not proven whatsoever. And as far as the "low blow", sure I probably should have taken the higher road and just made my point. But hey we all get out of line from time to time man.

[makishima @ Apr 15th 2008 5:54PM]

But hey, at least we can all band together again someone like 94 Taurus owner eh?

[IndiaTech @ Apr 15th 2008 5:54PM]

Wait until lightening strikes one of these units and it starts going "Johnny 5" on the Army...

[haX0r @ Apr 15th 2008 5:58PM]

Just wait until they make a female iRobot and she starts yanking off Men's wankers...

[tokyo_suicide @ Apr 15th 2008 6:03PM]

um.. ok?

[94 taurus owner @ Apr 15th 2008 6:07PM]

.......................

[Lupo @ Apr 15th 2008 8:56PM]

a robotic honey badger?

[JuggleNuts @ Apr 15th 2008 6:21PM]

Oh, the media misreported a military-related story? Shocking.

[Sparky @ Apr 15th 2008 6:21PM]

Hearts and minds.
Use me instead.

[Ian @ Apr 15th 2008 6:27PM]

Rumor has it the latest statement was made by a guy with a robot and gun pointed at him.....

Ahh well gotta see the humor in it all;)

[Phil B. @ Apr 15th 2008 7:44PM]

Once these start to become more widely used in the military, wouldn't the enemy find ways to jam the remote signals from us using them? Then perhaps they could re-program and use them against us.

Also, wouldn't it just take an E.M.P. blast from the enemy to disable these?

[Matt @ Apr 15th 2008 8:04PM]

If they could do all those things, shutting down some robots would be the least of our worries.

[Phil B. @ Apr 15th 2008 7:51PM]

@ makishima and tony

Can you two just get along? your excessive flirting is making everyone else very uncomfortable.

[Lupo @ Apr 15th 2008 8:58PM]

they're now making out in the corner

[Tony @ Apr 15th 2008 9:41PM]

We are getting along, a truce has been called... btw...

All your SWORDS are belong to us!

mwahahahhaha

[dBs @ Apr 15th 2008 8:08PM]

They have now been unbanned from the server.

[erhan @ Apr 15th 2008 10:36PM]

Support Your ROBOTS!
When first read that they were going to bring back the robots, I thought to myself " WTF, Robots can come home but not solders, lol"
I am going to were a Mettalic ribbon on my shirt.

[paul34 @ Apr 16th 2008 12:05AM]

Terrorists: OMG HAX

[Ubuntu 7.10 WindowsXP @ Apr 16th 2008 12:11AM]

Wow, not even the robots get a fair deal. You tell the robots they can come home, then take it all away from them. What will their robot mothers say about this?

[dukemang @ Apr 16th 2008 1:20AM]

I like how the gun has a shoulder stock in case a GI needs to pick up the entire robot, hoist it to his shoulder and squeeze off a round. I guess that is the manual backup if the robot runs outta juice?

[Adam Zey @ Apr 16th 2008 4:47PM]

You can't pull them out. They can't be bargained with, they can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity or remorse or fear and they absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.

[Dave Stewart @ Apr 17th 2008 12:01PM]

I dont want to be the one taking that service call. "Oh my god its killing everyone", "now calm down sir i need you to give me the serial number on the back of the unit", "are you f_ing kidding!"

[Armoured @ Apr 19th 2008 9:09AM]

Haven't these people watched Terminator?

Were all doomed!!

[dbez @ Apr 20th 2008 3:11PM]

Skynet?

Is it just me that is concerned about robots manufacturered by the makers of two crappy beers?