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Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

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Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#31

Post by joshpadnick »

This is really cool tech, but given the current political state, I can't help but worry about a powerful army of robots -- presumably with weapons attached -- being put into the hands of a leader we might consider to have "unreliable" judgement.

I wonder: if a country can deploy an army of robots to achieve its military ends, how does that play out in the long run? Does this mean future wars will just be "our" droids versus "theirs"? Does this "solve" terrorism in the long run, or make it much worse. Also, seeing aggressive robots feels scary.

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#32

Post by wott »

joshpadnick wrote: post #31

This is really cool tech, but given the current political state, I can't help but worry about a powerful army of robots -- presumably with weapons attached -- being put into the hands of a leader we might consider to have "unreliable" judgement. I wonder: if a country can deploy an army of robots to achieve its military ends, how does that play out in the long run? Does this mean future wars will just be "our" droids…

Is there still going to be a "theirs" standing after a first power deploys massively "our" robots?

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#33

Post by saulrh »

jameslk wrote: post #11

I can't wait for weapons to be attached to this thing so it can be used against us in the future. Imagine the part where it was spinning, but instead with a firing automatic weapon. What prevents democracy from collapsing when a certain technical elite control the most powerful autonomous weapons and keep tabs on everyone's daily lives?

Probably a few years before they finish developing the flying machines that can be anywhere on the planet within 20 minutes to drop a bomb and obliterate the entire building you're in. Those jet engines they're talking about would be hot enough to melt tungsten, this is just math, it's trivial in comparison.

Edit: and don't get me started on the "cruise missiles". 1000 km range and they hit within five meters, and with unit cost less than training for a single infantryman? Total bullshit, I can't believe anyone buys it.

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#34

Post by BadassFractal »

Nokinside wrote: post #24

News from the future: Man in a wheelchair beats everyone in a street fight.

I think at some point we're going to have to have another uncomfortable conversation about whether cybernetically enhanced (say ex amputees) humans should be allowed to compete in sports where their new physiology is giving them a distinct advantage.

The same way right now we're stuck between biology and political correctness when talking about ex-male MMA or wrestling competitors dominating in the women's side of the sport when most of their physical development happened before hormone therapy and they end up with a distinctly more powerful physique.

Separate bathrooms for cyborgs who maybe will be reviled and feared when they do become a very small minority?

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#35

Post by avenoir »

localcrisis wrote: post #6

If I'd seen this in a horror movie 10 years ago, I'd probably have laughed. There is something about it being real that truly terrifies me.

I felt the same way. I don't know if it's the fluidity of its movements while it was moving or something else. I kept thinking of Silent Hill for some reason.

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#36

Post by thescriptkiddie »

joshpadnick wrote: post #31

This is really cool tech, but given the current political state, I can't help but worry about a powerful army of robots -- presumably with weapons attached -- being put into the hands of a leader we might consider to have "unreliable" judgement. I wonder: if a country can deploy an army of robots to achieve its military ends, how does that play out in the long run? Does this mean future wars will just be "our" droids…

Too late: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_MQ-9_Reaper#Sp...

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#38

Post by jpm_sd »

return0 wrote: post #10

Has boston dynamics put these things to some real usage? They 've been showing impressive videos for 7, 8 years?

Unfortunately there is no practical application for them. They're incredibly capable, but they're also expensive, fragile, and difficult to maintain. This is, in a nutshell, why Google decided not to hold on to the company - no consumer market whatsoever.

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#39

Post by aeleos »

gexla wrote: post #14

I wonder how many cars in the parking lot have been trashed at this place while working out quirks with these robots. I think I would be parking down the road a bit. ETA: I guess that's skin in the game. They probably have an agreement that everyone involved with the project parks their car in the parking lot for the first parking lot run.

A few years ago they were testing one of the big ones they built for the military called the legged squad support system. They were testing it in the parking lot, and it ended up rolling over and totaling this guys car. Turned out it was the guys first day there.

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#40

Post by jameskegel »

wott wrote: post #32
joshpadnick wrote: post #31

This is really cool tech, but given the current political state, I can't help but worry about a powerful army of robots -- presumably with weapons attached -- being put into the hands of a leader we might consider to have "unreliable" judgement. I wonder: if a country can deploy an army of robots to achieve its military ends, how does that play out in the long run? Does this mean future wars will just be "our" droids…

Is there still going to be a "theirs" standing after a first power deploys massively "our" robots?

Allow me to ask you a rhetorical question: Do you see many Raytheon engineers telling the front lines who and where to shoot?
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