Robohub.org
c-Military-Defense
General purpose robots should not be weaponized: An open letter to the robotics industry and our communities
Open Robotics
07 Nov 2022
After a lot of thoughtful discussion, deliberation, and debate with our colleagues, we have co-authored and signed an open letter to the robotics community.
‘Killer robots’ will be nothing like the movies show – here’s where the real threats lie
The Conversation
19 Oct 2022
Killer robots won’t be sentient humanoid robots with evil intent. This might make for a dramatic storyline and a box office success, but such technologies are many decades, if not centuries, away. It’s much simpler technologies we should be worrying about.
UN fails to agree on ‘killer robot’ ban as nations pour billions into autonomous weapons research
The Conversation
16 Jan 2022
Given the pace of research and development in autonomous weapons, the U.N. meeting might have been the last chance to head off an arms race.
ep.
325
podcast
The Advantage of Fins, with Benjamin Pietro Filardo
Abate De Mey
16 Dec 2020
Robohub Podcast · The Advantage of Fins
Abate interviews Benjamin "Pietro" Filardo, CEO and founder of Pliant Energy Systems. At PES, they developed a novel form of actuation using two undulating ...
United Technologies acquires Rockwell Collins for $30 billion
Frank Tobe
08 Sep 2017
Aerospace conglomerate United Technologies is paying $30 billion to acquire Rockwell Collins in a deal that creates one of the world’s largest makers of civilian and defense aircraft components.&nbs...
The Digger Foundation competing for a $1million prize
The Digger Foundation
30 Jan 2017
The DOME Project of the Digger Foundation has been shortlisted as finalist of the
prestigious Robotics Award for Good taking place in Dubai in February 2017, where
a $1million price will be awarded ...
Report examines China’s expansion into unmanned industrial, service, and military robotics systems
Robohub Editors
03 Nov 2016
In October, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission released a report, China’s Industrial and Military Robotics Development, prepared by the Defense Group, Inc. at the Commission’...
Unmanned and underneath: Stay in the know about underwater drones
Dan Gettinger
02 Nov 2016
Editor's note: This article is adapted from a post from November 2015 and includes recent developments and updated spending figures.
In October 2016, the U.K. Royal Navy hosted Unmanned Warr...
ep.
219
podcast
ICRA 2016: Landmine Detection Challenge, with Edson Prestes
Audrow Nash
16 Oct 2016
In this episode, Audrow Nash interviews Edson Prestes, Professor at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and an organizer of the Humanitarian Robotics and Automation Technology Challenge (HRATC) 20...
Over 1,000 robots in use by US law enforcement, based on public data
Download (PDF, 599KB)
Background
Robots are an increasingly common sight in U.S. police departments. These unmanned ground vehicles are used for roles that are deemed too hazardous for law enforce...
Unmanned combat robots beginning to appear
Frank Tobe
14 Jun 2016
IAI's RoBattle unmanned, heavy duty, highly maneuverable, combat and support robotic system (UGV) is being shown at the Eurosatory 2016 Land and Airland Defence and Security tradeshow in Paris this...
Talking Machines: AI safety and the legacy of Bletchley Park, with Nick Patterson
Talking Machines
29 Feb 2016
In episode four of season two, we talk about some of the major issues in AI safety, (and how they’re not really that different from the questions we ask whenever we create a new tool.) We take a lis...
iRobot sells off defense & security division
Frank Tobe
04 Feb 2016
In a transaction valued at $45 million, iRobot has sold its Defense and Security division to Arlington Capital Partners. Sean Bielat, who takes over as the CEO, says the new company wil...
What you need to know about underwater drones
Dan Gettinger
16 Nov 2015
Late last month, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus appointed Brig. Gen. Frank Kelley to become the first deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for unmanned systems, a position that was created in April...
Icelandic research institute unveils ethical robotics policy
Adriana Hamacher
16 Sep 2015
The Icelandic Institute of Intelligent Machines (IIIM) has become the first R&D centre in the world to adopt a policy that repudiates development of robotic technologies intended for military oper...
DARPA’s legacy: Open source simulation for robotics development and testing
DARPA Robotics Challenge
27 May 2015
When the DARPA Robotics Challenge first began to coalesce from an idea to a plan, we knew that we wanted to create a lasting legacy not only for robot hardware capabilities, but also for robotics simu...
Minesweepers uses robotics’ awesomeness to raise awareness about landmines & explosive remnants of war
Alaa Khamis
27 Feb 2015
Paul Jefferson, one of the earliest humanitarian deminers, said “a landmine is the perfect soldier: Ever courageous, never sleeps, never misses”. The simplicity and cost-effectiveness of mines are...
GridBot robot takes just 5 hrs to remove wood log stuck in high-pressure powerplant pipe
Frank Tobe
29 Oct 2014
Gridbots Technologies, a start-up located in Ahmedabad, India, has focused their efforts on providing the power industry, particularly nuclear power companies, defense organizations and space agenci...
Disaster relief this year’s theme at University of Maryland | The Diamondback
Robohub Editors
20 Oct 2014
Because of the prevalence of environmental and man-made disasters from Ebola, earthquakes, oil spills and Wednesday’s tornado warning, the engineering college [at the University of Maryland] decided...
Can killer robots learn to follow the rules of war? | The Smithsonian
Hallie Siegel
29 May 2014
Using robots is potentially more efficient, more precise and less expensive than relying solely on humans in warfare. And it would also, of course, mean fewer human casualties.
But this transforma...
America’s dominance in military robotics is starting to crumble
Frank Tobe
19 May 2014
Foreign Policy Magazine's recent examination of "The Looming Robotics Gap" by University of Pennsylvania International Relations Associate Professor Michael C Horowitz, and recent Pentagon in...
1.1M£ robotic “Porton Man” to test protective clothing for UK’s armed forces
Ioannis K. Erripis
07 Apr 2014
UK’s Ministry of Defense invested 1.1M GBP in a new robotic mannequin that will test protective suits and equipment for the UK’s armed forces. The project is named “Porton Man” and is able to ...
DARPA’s Gill Pratt on Google’s robotics investments
Gill Pratt and Robohub Editors
19 Mar 2014
When Google bought Boston Dynamics last December, the news made headlines, but it was not the first time the Internet giant has invested in DARPA-funded robotics. As part of Robohub's Big Deals series...
American nuclear materials storage site guarded by robots
Frank Tobe
10 Mar 2014
Since 2011, a Nevada nuclear materials storage site has been guarded by robots (Mobile Detection, Assessment and Response System). Last week the US Marines announced that their airbase in Twentynine P...
New book on disaster robotics
Robohub Editors
25 Feb 2014
A new book by MIT's Robin Murphy documents the use and performance of tactical ground, aerial, or marine robots at 34 incidents between 2001 and 2013....
Robots, soldiers and cyborgs: The future of warfare
Armin Krishnan and Footnote
05 Feb 2014
Boston Dynamics' BigDog.
When we imagine the future of warfare, we often envision a battlefield where humanoid robots and other machines fight alongside or in the place of human soldiers. From the dr...
DoD Unmanned Air, Sea & Ground Budget 2014-2018
Frank Tobe
03 Feb 2014
Within the defense sector, demand for unmanned air, ground and sea systems continues unabated. Drivers include combat operations, reduced military budgets, a changing national security environment and...
GuardBot: From protecting territory to playing with dolphins
Daniel Faggella and TechEmergence
30 Jan 2014
What has the capability to strengthen homeland security, produce a ball’s-eye view of a soccer match and swim underwater with dolphins? GuardBot: the latest development in unmanned amphibious vehicl...
Unmasking the RQ-180 | Ares blog
Ioannis K. Erripis
06 Dec 2013
The Air Force has long debated how to conduct penetrating intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions since the venerable, high-speed SR-71 retired in 1998. But despite the need and a linge...
Autonomous lethal weapons, with Peter Asaro
AJung Moon
17 May 2013
Link to audio file (29:07)In this episode, AJung talks to Peter Asaro from The New School in New York city about autonomous weapons systems. Peter tells us about the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, an...
Campaign to Stop Killer Robots: Let’s all stop them, shall we?
AJung Moon
27 Apr 2013
Killer robots.
Looking at the two words together is enough to conjure up images of chaos and destruction. They're an image far too familiar in science fiction settings such as Isaac Asimov or Ar...
Blimp-in-a-box contract causes acquisition
Frank Tobe
06 Apr 2013
Global Telesat Corporation (think Globalstar, inmarsat and Iridium), and Lighter Than Air Systems, were awarded a DoD contract to provide the Army with two Blimp-in-a-box systems....
How will robots shape the future of warfare?
RBI Editors
15 Mar 2013
Updated March 17, 2013 | This month we've asked our experts to weigh in on the future of robotics in warfare, and the broadness of this topic has prompted some of our panelists to push back and reques...
Active military robots around the world
Ioannis K. Erripis
15 Mar 2013
This is a brief presentation of some of the most widely used robots (or remotely controlled, semi-autonomous systems) from militaries around the world. There are numerous other projects that are curre...
Robohub focus: Robots and warfare
Hallie Siegel
13 Mar 2013
For the rest of this week, Robohub will have a special focus on the use of robots in warfare.
All kinds of robots are being developed for strategic defence and military action (in space, in the...
Swedish UAV ready for lift-off
Wolfgang Heller
10 Jan 2013
In December 2012, Swedish CybAero AB, a company developing and manufacturing autonomous unmanned helicopters, signed a strategic partnership agreement with the world's leading UAV company, Aer...
