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| Rise of the machines? There is a fear that one day, Ivan and his robo-warrior comrades will become self-aware and subjugate humans to their 'iron'will |
This metal marvel might just be the soldier of the future... but far from being science fiction, this one is real.
Affectionately known as Ivan the Terminator, Project Iron Man is a humanoid military robot currently being developed in Russia.
For
years, the country has been trying to keep up with the U.S. and China,
which are building robots, drones and other military hi-tech machines
with great success.
The
aim of the Russian robot soldier is to 'replace the person in the
battle or in emergency areas where there is a risk of explosion, fire,
high background radiation, or other conditions that are harmful to
humans', Komosomolskaya Pravda reported.
This humanoid military robot is
currently being developed in Russia. Its purpose is to 'replace the
person in the battle or in emergency areas where there is a risk of
explosion, fire, high background radiation, or other conditions that are
harmful to humans'
Designed by Russia's Foundation for
Advanced Studies, Ivan is currently remote controlled by an operator
(from up to several miles away) wearing a special suit, which contains
sensors in the neck, hands and shoulders. This enables the robot to
simulate driving a car
Designed
by Russia's Foundation for Advanced Studies, Ivan is currently remote
controlled by an operator (from up to several miles away) wearing a
special suit, which contains sensors in the neck, hands and shoulders.
This enables the robot to accurately copy the movements of a human.
It can even drive a car - scanning the road for obstacles - albeit via a driving simulator computer screen.
Ivan is put through its paces on a
treadmill. For years, Russia has been trying to keep up with the U.S.
and China, which are building robots, drones and other military hi-tech
machines with great success
A
longer term goal is for the robot to carry out a 'maturity test' set of
actions, including: complete an obstacle course; get into a car and
start it; and enter a room and turn on the lights.
And, ultimately, no doubt, fire a gun and throw a grenade.
Then
there is the elephant in the room: the 'rise of the machines' - the
fear that one day, Ivan and his robo-warrior comrades will become
self-aware and subjugate humans to their 'iron'will.
However,
the (relatively) more realistic question that springs to mind is: just
what would Vladimir Putin do if he got his hands on an army of them?
CAMPAIGN TO STOP 'KILLER ROBOTS' (BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE...)
A killer cyborg from the film Terminator:Genisys
Technology
allowing a pre-programmed robot to shoot to kill, or a tank to fire at a
target with no human involvement, is only years away, experts say.
A report published in April called for a ban on such 'killer robots.'
The
report by Human Rights Watch and the Harvard Law School International
Human Rights Clinic was released as the United Nations kicked off a
week-long meeting on such weapons in Geneva.
The report calls for humans to remain in control over all weapons systems at a time of rapid technological advances.
It
says that requiring humans to remain in control of critical functions
during combat, including the selection of targets, saves lives and
ensures that fighters comply with international law.
'Machines
have long served as instruments of war, but historically humans have
directed how they are used,' said Bonnie Docherty, senior arms division
researcher at Human Rights Watch, in a statement.
'Now there is a real threat that humans would relinquish their control and delegate life-and-death decisions to machines.'
Some have argued in favour of robots on the battlefield, saying their use could save lives.
But
last year, more than 1,000 technology and robotics experts — including
scientist Stephen Hawking, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and Apple
co-founder Steve Wozniak — warned that such weapons could be developed
within years, not decades.
In
an open letter, they argued that if any major military power pushes
ahead with development of autonomous weapons, 'a global arms race is
virtually inevitable, and the endpoint of this technological trajectory
is obvious: autonomous weapons will become the Kalashnikovs of
tomorrow'.
According
to the London-based organisation Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, the
United States, China, Israel, South Korea, Russia, and Britain are
moving toward systems that would give machines greater combat autonomy.
Human Rights Watch is a co-founder of the organisation.
The U.N. meeting of experts on the issue, chaired by Germany, continues talks that took place in April 2015 and May 2014.
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