Finally, robots have joined the infantry.

Robots have been serving in the armed forces for more than a century. In the 19th century there was the torpedo, which moved at high speed just below the surface, making it harder for ships to spot, and avoid. Modern torpedoes are "fire and forget," as they can go looking for targets on their own.

Then came naval and land mines, some now equipped with computers, sensors and some mobility. The Air Force has had cruise missiles for several decades, and the Navy has missiles that seek out enemy ships on their own. The Air Force has used robot reconnaissance aircraft since the 1970s, and now has models that can cross oceans and stay aloft longer than any manned aircraft. Robot bombers and fighters are being designed. Everyone has gotten into the robotic warrior business except the Army, until now.

Armies always have taken more casualties than air forces or navies. So why hasn't the ground combat crowd acquired robots for their more dangerous work? Because land warfare is a lot more complicated and messy than that in the air or at sea. The most dangerous infantry work is sneaking around forests or buildings, never knowing exactly where the enemy is or when a firefight will break out. By far the most dangerous job is "point," the guy who goes ahead to prevent ambushes. Often he just gets shot. Even when defending, there have to be some troops out front to provide warning of an attack. Dangerous business. Perfect for robots.

The US Marines are buying two models of robots for fighting in urban areas, a type of combat more dangerous than out in the countryside. The K8 weighs 30 pounds (so it can be carried to buildings where it is needed) and small (24x20x7 inches). It carries video, infrared (see in the dark) and still cameras, as well as microphones. It broadcasts what it sees and hears to nearby troops. Using tracked paddles to get around, the K8 can climb stairs and rubble. If it gets knocked over, its paddles can right it. It's also built to survive a six-foot drop, for often the troops will have to throw the K8 through a window or a door to check out a potentially dangerous situation. The other Marine robot is the Lemming. Roughly the same size as the K8, it has an arm that can carry a camera so a picture can be obtained without exposing the entire robot to possible enemy fire. The Lemming also can operate under water, making it perfect for checking out sewers.

The Army looked into mobile (like the K8) anti-tank robots in the 1980s, but never went past the discussion stage. Cheap (relatively) civilian technology was increasingly suitable for things like combat robots. And the technology was getting better, and cheaper, every year. The Israelis had long been taking advantage of cheap civilian technology develop successful robotic recon aircraft. But the U.S. stumbled along doing it the old-fashioned way (sort of reinventing the wheel, rather than buying a better and cheaper one at Wal-Mart). But the 1970s U.S. cruise missile boasted extensive use of off-the-shelf technology. There was a trend, using newer and cheaper equipment instead of milspec (military specification, meaning too expensive, obsolete or both).

Gradually, there developed the idea of making combat druids that were "fast, cheap and out of control." Not fast speedwise, but more in terms of thought - artificial thought. Cheap in terms of making many thousands of the robots. Out of control in that you just turned them loose and overwhelmed the enemy's ability to cope.

Faster microcomputer technology had made missiles, radars and navigation equipment smarter and faster. Electronics became so cheap that tanks now have dozens of microprocessors, and individual soldiers carry a few around in GPS or radio sets. "Out of control" is more commonly known as "fire and forget." All this is coming together in the design of infantry robots. The battle droids have to think fast to find their way around the battlefield.

During the first attempts at driving a truck (or tank) using a computer, it was obvious you needed a very powerful microprocessor to deal with all the decisions we take for granted when roaring down the highway or cross country. But there is sufficient cheap computing power for a slow moving robot, under some degree of human control, to be made cheap and light. Inexpensive digital video, battery, miniature electric motors and wireless technology that provide cheap cameras, toys and cell phones also combined to make combat robots possible. Police have long used large, tracked, robots for going into buildings containing bombs, or armed criminals. The Navy is now building underwater droids to find and disarm naval mines.

There is one complication, however. There is a widespread and growing fear of arming robotic soldiers. When the Army tried to build mobile anti-tank robots in the 1980s, the project was canceled because of a feared public backlash against armed robots. The treaty to eliminate landmines, no matter how misguided and futile, showed how popular the robot disarmament movement is.

But there is still plenty of dangerous work for unarmed robots. Information is a powerful weapon on the battlefield and robots can snoop around without getting the troops killed. Small droids can be dropped from the air deep in enemy territory. You program these droids to only use their radio when they find something important to report, then send it quickly and move away before enemy troops use the transmission to find the droid.

The side with scout droids has a big edge in combat. Knowing where the other guy is first lets you get the first shot in. And any infantryman will tell you that's often the difference between surviving and dying.

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