Singapore Announces Contest To Build Urban Warfare Robots
Know how to build robots? Wanna earn $600k? Singapore's Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) is offering 1 Million Singapore Dollars (US$ 652,000) to anyone who can "build a robot that can operate autonomously in urban warfare conditions." The list of requirements is, well, slightly idealistic, to say the least. The DSTA wants to create a robot that "must, on it's own, be able to navigate both indoors and outdoors in an urban landscape and accomplish a set of assigned tasks within a stipulated time." The robot must also be capable of negotiating stairs and elevators, opening and closing doors, all without the aid of satellite navigation, and "search and destroy targets like a human soldier".
Engadget, Gizmodo, and NewScientistTech have the story in more detail.
Now, I understand the benefits of having a small fleet of robots capable of achieving all these things (who wouldn't want to have in AI warfare robot with the ability to move about anywhere, attending to your wishes and needs...), what with the safety implications, being able to infiltrate, safely, efficiently, environments which are becoming too hazardous and costly in human lives in the war on terror. In the right uses, it would be a priceless asset.
But seriously, this kinda scares me. It reeks of "those-things-only-happen-in-movies-we-won't-have-any-problems-like-that". Every movie with robots that possess artificial intelligence, what can go wrong, will go wrong. What especially concerns me is that in order for there robots to be self-reliant and able to navigate everywhere without the use of GPS is their need to be able to visually engage environments and the humans they come in contact with. Is it just me, or does "search and destroy targets like a human soldier" sound like it'll end in tears? As magnificent as the idea sounds in theory, there are still numerous hurdles to overcome.
Nevertheless, if you're interested, the deadline in admitting your entry is May 31st, 2007, after which elimination trials take place until the final winner is announced in August 2008. Get to work...
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