Sony Robots Get Down

live leak ^ | Oct 17 2008 | "critical thinker"

[robomatik]

Sony Robots bust a move!

holy cow. the japanese are taking things to a whole new level. this is awesome, if not for much more than entertainment value.

[robomatik]

c'mon m.i.t., emory, caltech... c'mon.

[robomatik]

mini-robots

[counterpunch]

These are going to put a lot of gay men in Hollywood and New York out of work.

[robomatik]

maybe. but those 'bots are c. 8" tall with an internal power source and how many servos? pretty cool in my book.

p.s. speaking of gay, have you seen any japanese t.v. in the past 25 years? :^)

[counterpunch]

8” tall with an internal power source?
Hey, I think Madonna might be getting some new backup dancers.
Especially now that Guy is divorcing her.

[robomatik]

i’m beginning to think that your sense of humor is not that far detached from mine. given the recent pictures of the “material girl,” i would have to say that i “fart in your general direction” (monty python reference in case you don’t get it) for daring to bring up the topic of that skank. ;^)

[Spktyr]

Honda’s ASIMO has been able to do that for years now.

[Spktyr]

Honda’s ASIMO robot conducts the Detroit Symphony Orchestra 9oh, the irony): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf5szwz6Qzc

[robomatik]

agreed. but asimo is much larger. micro-engineering has it’s own magical qualities. what will the world create next...

[Spktyr]

If we’re lucky, giant walking robot tanks. :D

[robomatik]

something is coming, and i don't think you or i will like it. imho

Early models were simply super-heavy tanks controlled by programming intended to reduce the need for a human crew through automation. However, as the programming increased in complexity, Bolos became more effective at mimicking intelligence, and finally self-aware. Later models were controlled by artificial intelligences.

The first Bolo was developed in the late 20th/early 21st century by the (fictional) Bolo Division of General Motors.[1] As humanity spread beyond Earth, Bolos followed to protect the Empire, and later the Concordiat.

For millennia they provided the bulwark of humanity's defenses, participating in numerous wars against various aliens, most notably the Deng and the Melconians in the 30th century. After the end of the Final War with the Melconians, surviving Bolos became crucial in sheltering and protecting the few scattered remnants of humanity while the long slow process of survival and rebuilding began.

Bolos are assigned to the Dinochrome Brigade, which traces its lineage back to various units on Earth, although individual Bolos are occasionally detached to serve with Planetary Siege Regiments.

At a certain phase of their evolution, Bolo psychotronic design[citation needed] was greatly influenced by the ideal of "the perfect knight" or "knight errant". However later models incorporated circuitry capable of directly interfacing with a feral human mind, and so failed to live up to the ideal.

Bolos were designed to be invincible, i.e., to be able to withstand the dominant weapons platforms of their day, but also completely loyal to humanity. Their psychotronic brains were rigorously tested before being installed into a suitable body. Bolos are programmed to avoid killing humans unless by explicit order of their human commanders. One of the greatest fears of humans is that a Bolo's programming will become corrupted and will go rogue.

-snip>

---i love sci-fi as much as the next guy, but when i look to the sky, i just see I.

[Spktyr]

Wrong robot tanks. I like Bolos, though.

This is what I had in mind:

And a youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD2eiMsYh40&feature=related

[robomatik]

well, unleash those in "swarms" and at a low cost, and you are correct.

urestricted warfare

[Reeses]

We could use a few lettuce pickers that stay out of our jails, schools, hospitals, court rooms, and don't vote Democrat.

[SunkenCiv]

Ping!

[PapaBear3625]

well, unleash those in "swarms" and at a low cost, and you are correct.

Have a whole bunch of little robots that can "tiptoe through the tulips", looking for the enemy and reporting their coordinates to nearby Predator drones with high-resolution video, and you have a transformational fighting force.