Free Republic

In an era where technology increasingly interweaves with the fabric of modern warfare, the United States Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) has embarked on testing a new frontier of combat capabilities: armed robotic dogs. These quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicles (Q-UGVs), developed by Ghost Robotics and equipped with weapon systems by Onyx Industries, represent a remarkable leap in military robotics. MARSOC’s current evaluation of these Q-UGVs, as disclosed by Onyx Industries, includes testing two variants equipped with the company’s SENTRY Remote Weapon System (RWS). This system, which is AI-assisted and features advanced digital imaging for target acquisition, maintains a crucial...

Last week, flamethrowing robo-dogs became the newest draft pick for the military-industrial complex. Now, I love dogs. I am proudly a “dog person.” Hopefully, my dog buddies will be waiting for me in heaven. But I don’t know how to feel about Throwflame’s weaponized dog, Thermonator. With the push of a button for the plasma arc ignition, the murder mutt starts marching in a perfect cadence. Think of it as a kind of video game. A great one about the collapse of human civilization or imprisonment of sentient robot soldiers: These diesel-fueled canine machines are as heartless as any death-ready...

In a bizarre twist that seems straight out of a dystopian sci-fi movie, U.S. residents can now legally purchase a flame-throwing robot dog named Thermonator for just under $10,000. AutoEvolution reports that Ohio-based Throwflame, the oldest flamethrower manufacturer in the United States, has introduced Thermonator, a robot dog equipped with a flamethrower capable of shooting flames up to 30 feet. The company, known for its unique products, is now offering the Thermonator for sale in all states except Maryland and California, where flamethrowers are restricted. The Thermonator is essentially a combination of Throwflame’s ARC flamethrower and a modified version of...

technology has completely changed how countries fight wars: precision airstrikes, drones and now… militarized robot dogs. Jim Lewis, @Galactic_Trader on Twitter, shared a video early Monday that showed a Chinese robot dog (with machine gun)(added) dropped off by a drone.

(video) In 2020 I became immersed in the marvelous world of quadrupedal robots. Viewing YouTube videos of robots such as SPOT by Boston Dynamics, and the MIT Mini Cheetah has inspired me to make my very own. These cleverly crafted bots are known for their dynamic movements and realistic appearances. Over the past year, I've made it my personal goal to create my very own affordable quadrupedal robot. One that could function similar to the high-end quadrupeds. Here I present ARES, a fully 3D printed 12 DOF robot dog capable of omni directional travel as well as many other maneuvers....

In 2017, we first wrote about the Chinese startup Unitree Robotics, which had the goal of “making legged robots as popular and affordable as smartphones and drones.” Relative to the cost of other quadrupedal robots (like Boston Dynamics’ $74,000 Spot), Unitree’s quadrupeds are very affordable, with their A1 costing under $10,000 when it became available in 2020. This hasn’t quite reached the point of consumer electronics that Unitree is aiming for, but they’ve just gotten a lot closer: now available is the Unitree Go1, a totally decent looking small size quadruped that can be yours for an astonishingly low $2700....

Leaves crunch underfoot as Spot marches through the park, back straight as a tabletop, stride brisk as a soldier’s. A grassy field encircled by trees beckons. But Spot is focused on the asphalt path ahead, where a few joggers and bicyclists are out for some socially distanced sunshine. A cyclist in a brimmed hat rides past. Spot pipes up, not with a bark, but with a recorded message. “Let’s keep Singapore healthy,” comes a woman’s voice, polite but firm. “For your own safety, and for those around you, please stand at least one meter apart. Thank you.” Spot, clearly, is...

Massachusetts State Police (MSP) has been quietly testing ways to use the four-legged Boston Dynamics robot known as Spot, according to new documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. And while Spot isn’t equipped with a weapon just yet, the documents provide a terrifying peek at our RoboCop future. The Spot robot, which was officially made available for lease to businesses last month, has been in use by MSP since at least April 2019 and has engaged in at least two police “incidents,” though it’s not clear what those incidents may have been. It’s also not clear...