-.- don't ask
2006-09-16 11:22:19 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Hopefully not at all. If you take away the human suffering caused by war you take away the one thing that helps negate it.
2006-09-16 11:26:38 · answer #1 · answered by intelect1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a joint-muscle problem. We don't have sufficient advanced material science to emulate the joint structure used by vertebrates, or the myopolymer technology to articulate an endoskeleton.
That leaves wheeled, tracked, hover, and aircraft platforms for weapons mounting. Which as noted above are more efficient in most types of terrain, making the investment not worth the cost.
Now, we're likely to be able to develop an exoskeleton model to carry heavier weapons, probably within a couple decades. But it's more efficient to put that research in making the weapons systems smaller and more portable, thus usable by any trooper.
2006-09-16 18:31:56 · answer #2 · answered by coragryph 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hopefully never. Big walking robot? Any advantages gained are lost by the huge profile. It's pretty easy to hit and lacks stability. We can barely get human sized robots to be able to move faster than a walk (one foot on the ground at all times) let alone something big enough to put on weapons systems, armor, communications, a cockpit, etc. so speed is no longer an advantage.
Really, it's a horrible idea and the real future is in adapting tanks for urban combat by making them smaller, faster, better protected from RPGs and IEDs, and with smaller calibre weapons systems that can fight in confined spaces.
2006-09-16 19:40:53 · answer #3 · answered by azrael505 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are talking about some kind of all-terrain android, I imagine it is as far away as true AI.
Otherwise, mechanical devices already have replaced a great deal of the functions humans used to perform in warfare.
2006-09-16 18:34:25 · answer #4 · answered by functionary01 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, i once saw a program on 4 about this idea, the idea of the walking battletank/ 'mechwarrior' thang..basically, their impractical and would be a liability on the battlefield.
What use is a 20 tonne walking tank, when modern battletanks have such a low profile and such a high shoot/kill ratio?
2006-09-16 18:26:03 · answer #5 · answered by thomas p 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They're used right now. A Predator drone has already used rockets to take out Iraqi insurgents. It will be long time before they are allowed to make their own fire decisions.
2006-09-16 18:25:41 · answer #6 · answered by williegod 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
very ******* soon. we've got all this technology now and we still can't just behave ourselves.
it's only a matter of time, really. while we keeping getting smarter, we in turn keep getting stupider- continuing to believe that killing one another solves anything.
humans are stupid.
but at least there will be robots.
2006-09-16 18:25:13 · answer #7 · answered by mica 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it wont be soon because that will mean declassifying restricted and classified information
2006-09-17 12:37:06 · answer #8 · answered by koolhand_kent 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's real
2006-09-20 06:22:06 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Um, OK, I won't ask.
2006-09-16 18:25:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋