US to build super-fast military robots

US scientists say the new 'land speed king' robot is capable of supporting troops performing more effective combat missions.

According to the US Department of Defense (DARPA) high-tech research agency, the headless robot is called Cheetah. It can be "galloping" at a speed of 29km / h in a lab treadmill - surpassing the speed record of a four-legged robot set at 21km / h.

DARPA has sponsored Boston Dynamics, Massachusetts to build Cheetah. This project is in the effort to develop military robots.

Cheetah robots can gallop at 29km / h

'We plan to move the new robot from the lab to the battlefield as soon as possible. We really want to know what factors can help robots move fast, '' said Alfred Rizzi, a robotics expert.

Cheetah's motion is simulated by wildlife - the fast-paced species. It is designed to be flexible, can bend or straighten the limb to increase the stride length and improve the speed of travel.

The current active version depends on the hydraulic pump and the external pipe system. But researchers say they will design a robot that will run automatically without any support devices by the end of the year.

The project lasts four years from February 2011 to build a new robot, which can run zigzags for chase, hiding or sudden stops.

Boston has built its own robot based on different animal models, including the BigDog, which is used in hilly terrain, designed to recycle energy from the steps. run. And it uses the claws of the six legs to climb walls, trees, fences and use the tail to balance like a lizard.

Noel Sharkey, a professor at the University of Sheffield, said: "The new achievement is a breakthrough in the field of robotics, which has made killers faster than humans. to hunt down and destroy the enemy. "

At present, what worries most experts is that this version has no artificial intelligence system to distinguish between civilians and the enemy. Therefore, new robots can get into trouble with the law of war if it works.