Us army offering small fortune for the invention of a humanoid robot.

[Halororor]

The United States is challenging every entrepreneur, engineer, developer and inventor to create the first military robot. The individual or team that creates a humanoid robot capable of walking on two legs and performing various tasks — driving vehicles and using tools — will be awarded $2 million by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The humanoid army isn’t intended for the battlefield, however; the military is interested in using robots for disaster-response scenarios in which robots will be able to assist service members in high-risk situations. “Robots undoubtedly capture the imagination, but that alone does not justify an investment in robotics,” said DARPA Acting Director, Kaigham J. Gabriel. “For robots to be useful to DoD they need to offer gains in either physical protection or productivity. The most successful and useful robots would do both via natural interaction with humans in shared environments.” The Robotics Challenge will begin in October 2012 and run through December 2014. Read on for DARPA’s press release.

 

Read rest of article here.

 

While it's a nice initiative, I can't see anyone jumping to do it unless they're extremely rich and don't really need the prize. I doubt $2 million will do much more than cover the costs of designing and building a robot as elaborate as the military is asking for.

 

This is something that has the potential to change our very lives. I'd expect a reward of $2 billion to be more appropriate, at the very least.

[Thor.]

Interesting idea, might spring up a AI race of some sort as well. We have the power but lack of programming :thumbsup: Watson was only the beginning.

[SubjectProphet]

As if we don't have some of our own? I hope to God this is a cover up and not some truth, we waste too much money to start.

 

We're in the process of making a plane that splits in half, and the prototype was a huge success. We're making helicopters that can be remotely piloted from base. We have under barreled MISSILE LAUNCHERS to replace the old grenade launcher. And best of all, we have DILL PICKELS. :teehee:

 

But seriously, I doubt we don't have a humanoid robot, or lack the power to build one. The US has the best military technology on the planet, it would take a year or so to complete a prototype.

[IndorilTheGreat]

*Sniff, sniff*

 

I smell Cylons...

 

In all seriousness though, it would be quite difficult to create such a robot with no budget to work with. The process of experimenting and R&D alone would most likely cost in excess of two million USD.

[Yoshh]

Why not come up with a robot that can be controlled through brainwaves? The technology exists, but it's still in very early development. While not automonous, it'd still be quite handy.

 

http://blog.ted.com/2010/07/22/a_headset_that/