Marine Corps Wants a Throwable Robot 270
coondoggie writes "The US Marine Corps has a request — build and rapidly deploy more 10lb-or-under robots its personnel can throw into dangerous situations that can quickly gather information without endangering Marines. The throwable robot is part of a family of robots that would range from the 10lb version to one that would act as a central controlling device and weigh close to 300lbs. Marine commanders are demanding ever lighter robots so that troops don't have to offload critical equipment from their rucksacks to accommodate them."
First Prototype (Score:5, Funny)
Oh great (Score:3, Funny)
Just what George Lucas needs to hear about...
Has anyone considered infants? (Score:5, Funny)
They're about 10 pounds and very throwable.
Re:But that's against the law... (Score:4, Funny)
Existing solution (Score:5, Funny)
Why not just arm one of these. [shaharazran.com]
Re:Existing solution (Score:1, Funny)
Paint them orange and...
Oompa, loompa, oomptiddy do...
If you attack a marine,
you will get it too..
What do you get when you arm a child?
a machine gunning BRAT!
Oompa loompa ...
Re:Good idea. (Score:3, Funny)
In Soviet Russia, robot throws you!
Re:They should send in a giant robotic dog (Score:3, Funny)
Obligatory XKCD link [xkcd.com].
Re:But that's against the law... (Score:4, Funny)
And the other police directives:
Throwable? That's easy. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:They should send in a giant robotic dog (Score:1, Funny)
A visual display could be distracting in a live fire situation. Perhaps some sort of loud, auditory signal...
Re:Um... they have one already (Score:3, Funny)
Um... LEGO beat them to it.
http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/Throwbots [wikia.com]
Robot - I choose you! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:U R Doing It Wrong (Score:2, Funny)
How about a robot that throws the marines. Preferably out of your country. ^^
Re:U R Doing It Wrong (Score:4, Funny)
When I read as far as the header, I thought you were going to say the robots should throw the Marines into the rooms. (And that part of the brain that still retains my old drill instructor's best routines said "makes sense"...).
Re:U R Doing It Wrong (Score:3, Funny)
Sounds good, who are the unlucky fucks we're landing on?
Re:They should send in a giant robotic dog (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Good idea. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:They should send in a giant robotic dog (Score:2, Funny)
I believe normal procedure upon encountering a mine is to jump two hundred feet into the air and scatter yourself over a wide area.
Re:Waste of energy (Score:3, Funny)
Can't they just use cats with cameras strapped to their heads?
Yes! Extremely well-trained, obedient cats who will bravely follow instructions to the letter even in the harshest, most dangerous environments...
I like this idea. I am confident that no flaws will be found in it.
Re:10lbs...throwable? (Score:2, Funny)
I know, from personal experience... competition-wise that I can throw a 28lbs object 72 feet and change. With a wind and one-step? 54feet last night (on a lark, demonstrating a primitive technique)
10lbs?? Might as well make me an arty unit.
Re:Has anyone considered infants? (Score:1, Funny)
And they can be used as a food source in an emergency.