The U.S. Army Is Eyeing Robots For It's Future

The Segway 440X robot could be used to carry soldiers' packs and supplies, lightening their load and making them more agile. (Photo: 5D Robotics)

U.S. Army Foresees Robots Becoming Squad Members -- Computer World

Autonomous, bomb-sensing vehicles and personal robotic assistants could transform teams of soldiers.

Computerworld - The U.S. Army wants to move from using robots as tools to creating a human-robot cooperative that will make machines trusted members of the military.

"The issue is can I have a squad augmented with robots cover more ground, be more effective, do more things on a 72-hour operation than they can today?" asked Lt. Col. Stuart Hatfield, Branch Chief of Soldier Systems and Unmanned Ground Systems with the Army. "We see a transition from a dumb robot being a tool to it becoming a member of the team. Do I have a robot that carries my stuff, or do I have a robot that is a member of the squad?"

The Army is using robots, such as semi-autonomous vehicles, mainly as dumb tools. However, the military has a different vision of the future of robotics and how the machines will fit in a soldier's life at home base, as well as on the battlefield.

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Update: Are Robot Warriors Finally Coming to the Battlefield -- Popular Mechanics

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My Comment: The Army is behind the Air Force and Navy when it comes to applying "robots" and drones to the battlefield. If the Army is given the budget .... a big if in today's world .... I do expect them to start applying some of these technologies to assist their troops on the ground.