iRobot creates military robots for the U.S. military,
including this SUGV 300 Series developed jointly with Boeing.
Credit: iRobot/Boeing
Posted on 05/21/2009 12:54:25 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Human warriors have long spoken of the bonds forged in combat and of becoming a "band of brothers." The fact that some of those fellow soldiers are made of metal has not discouraged human feelings toward them.
Thousands of robots now fight with humans on modern battlefields that resemble scenes from science fiction movies such as "Terminator Salvation." But the real world poses a more complex situation than humans versus robots, and has added new twists to the psychology of war.
"One of the psychologically interesting things is that these systems aren't designed to promote intimacy, and yet we're seeing these bonds being built with them," said Peter Singer, a leading defense analyst at the Brookings Institution and author of "Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century" (Penguin Press HC, 2009).
Singer highlights many accounts of human soldiers feeling strong affection for their robots - especially on the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams where Packbots and Talon robots undertake the risk of disabling improvised explosives planted by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One EOD soldier brought in a robot for repairs with tears in his eyes and asked the repair shop if it could put "Scooby-Doo" back together. Despite being assured that he would get a new robot, the soldier remained inconsolable. He only wanted Scooby-Doo.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
so would the Internet Warrior equivalent be
a "bandwidth of brothers" ?
Salute!
iRobot creates military robots for the U.S. military,
including this SUGV 300 Series developed jointly with Boeing.
Credit: iRobot/Boeing
It is nice to be appreciated... 
but really, campers, I'd rather have cash or real cold beer!
iRobot also makes the RoomBa, sucking up crap for years .. and lovin’ it. ;-)
What a moronic article. For thousands of years men have named their warships and grown quite close to them. I am sure it’s the same for Army vehicles and Air Force aircraft.
Yeah, RoomBa is a fantastic date... 
a clear floor plus a chrome-less bumper hitch!
Rhonda my trusty .45 carry piece.
Band of Brothers, until they turn on you and enslave you, a la Terminator.
An EMP bomb will stop that.
Take care of the Bots!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.