Isaac
Years ago
NH: Video Thursday (Easter Edition) - BigDog
BigDog is a project from Boston Dynamics, funded by DARPA.
First stop, you'll quickly assume, is as a military mule traversing difficult terrain. (OK, maybe before that they need to deal with the noise...) Then, add weapons and you have automated sentries (a la the rat thingies in 'Snowcrash' for those who've read it), and then armoured platforms like the Imperial walkers of the Star Wars universe.
Starts slowly, but watch for how it reacts to being kicked while walking on ice, then to slipping on ice (and recovering) and then to jumping a designated area. It's almost creepy and you might wonder if they've engineered a cybernetic goat (look out Jordy).
A robot-based military is inevitable. Won't need supplies or training, won't suffer fatigue (as long as its power source endures) - when the cost shrinks and the hawks don't have to worry about body bags coming home, what's left to prevent war?
