Aussie Army Trains With Fleet of Robots On Segways

kkleiner writes "The armed forces of the world have already begun to hunt down and shoot robots. No, it's not the beginning of the man-machine war; it's a state-of-the-art training simulation that's very cool to watch. Australia-based Marathon Robotics has taken Segways and turned them into human-shaped autonomous robots capable of moving around streets and buildings just like people in a crowd! The Marathon bots can act like insurgents, hostages, or civilians, letting armed soldiers practice before being exposed to the real thing. The Australian Department of Defense already has a training camp using the robots, and the US Marine Corps will be establishing one this year."

I for one welcome...

[Anonymous Coward]

...eh...nevermind

Re:Ridiculous

[c++0xFF]

... and shooting at real people during training generates a lot of paperwork.

Only if you miss.

Insurgent on Segway ..

[Anonymous Coward]

Insurgent on Segway http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pFv8CAniYQ [youtube.com]

Re:Amazing

[Planky]

and you get to shoot them! What better use is there for Segways :)

Re:Ridiculous

[Bugamn]

That's ridiculous. Everyone knows that dolphins use sonic amplificators.

Re:Wait... What?

[TheRaven64]

I think insurgents in real life can climb stairs. I hope that doesn't come as a nasty shock to some Aussie soldier in the future...

Re:Wait... What?

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

But we'll know who to call when the Daleks show up...

Re:Life imitating (recent) art...

[grcumb]

If only they made some of those robots similar to Serge Graystone; or perhaps, more appropriately, to few targetbots we've seen in the pilot.

I'm waiting for the robotic kangaroos with Stinger missiles [snopes.com]:

Eager to demonstrate their flying skills for some visiting American pilots, the hotshot Aussies "buzzed" the virtual kangaroos in low flight during a simulation. The kangaroos scattered, as predicted, and the Americans nodded appreciatively . . . and then did a double-take as the kangaroos reappeared from behind a hill and launched a barrage of stinger missiles at the hapless helicopter.

Re:Ridiculous

[Eth1csGrad1ent]

Let's just hope they aren't paying the price of an Apache helicopter for these robots.

Its the Australian Army. The only thing they're going to spend the "price of an Apache helicopter" on is an actual Apache helicopter - and even then, that'd be *one* Apache helicopter, and one only.

Re:Resourceful... and comical

[mjwx]

Few can command respect by being simultaneously resourceful and comical. Aussies seem to accomplish this feat regularly.

We are also training killer Wombats [abc.net.au] and Koala drop bears.

Fear your beer swilling, redneck English, southern hemisphere overloads and our homicidal marsupials.

Re:I don't understand

[deniable]

Have you ever tried to dress a live 'roo? The bastards will beat you up, then start with all four sets of claws.

Re:Ridiculous

[Cassius Corodes]

Why do you think we are in Iraq and Afghanistan :D

Re:I don't understand

[Anonymous Coward]

I was lonely and the 'roo was a cutie...

Re:Simulate people?

[Jeremi]

I thought aussies are fighting with cane toads and camels.

Indeed they are. Once trained, an Aussie sniper can reliably strike a target with a high-velocity cane toad from up to 2000 meters away. Camels, on the other hand, are too large to fire from a rifle, and require the use of motorized artillery.

Re:Ridiculous

[Bearhouse]

Not to dispute your point, but we're buying Tiger's

You are buying Tiger's what? Old golf clubs? Whores?