Live data from Hacker News

Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

youtube.com

11–20 of 123 posts

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#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?

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#13
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?

You mean like the kind that comment here and have all sorts of interesting ideas that 90% of people don't care about or would resent? I wonder about that a lot too. Like what are googlers really up to with all that control of knowledge...

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#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.

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#15
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?

You mean like the kind that comment here and have all sorts of interesting ideas that 90% of people don't care about or would resent? I wonder about that a lot too. Like what are googlers really up to with all that control of knowledge...

If you thought I was referring to Google, or any specific corporation, government or entity, I wasn't. Technical elite was ambiguous intentionally, because it really can be anyone who has the ability to fund this type of technology, forward thinking enough to realize the power of it and isn't concerned about using it against others. Historically, this doesn't seem far fetched.

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#18
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?

Someone still has to man the lengthy manufacturing and supply chains to build these things and their consumables plus someone needs to be deployed into the theater of operations to perform logistical support and maintenance to keep your hypothetical killbots in action. (Automated manufacturing is one thing, automated diagnosis and repair is quite another.)

Someone also has to have acquired enough military expertise to command these units effectively, something "a certain technical elite" feels is beneath them.

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#19
This is an interesting combination of wheels and more articulated actuators (er, limbs?).

It certainly solves most of stability problems for a typical inverted pendulum configurations (cornering, obstacles of different height, lowering weight for more speed, raising it for more reach).

Re: Introducing Handle – Boston Dynamics [video]

#20
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?

Someone still has to man the lengthy manufacturing and supply chains to build these things and their consumables plus someone needs to be deployed into the theater of operations to perform logistical support and maintenance to keep your hypothetical killbots in action. (Automated manufacturing is one thing, automated diagnosis and repair is quite another.) Someone also has to have acquired enough military expertise t…

> something "a certain technical elite" feels is beneath them.

A very common sentiment. However, please remember that the skills to get in at the bottom of each field are radically different and don't let that colour your perception of the top of each field.

Post reply on HN