Robot Cannon Kills 9, Wounds 14

[formercia]

Source: Wired

By Noah Shachtman October 18, 2007 | 11:00:00 AM

We're not used to thinking of them this way. But many advanced military weapons are essentially robotic -- picking targets out automatically, slewing into position, and waiting only for a human to pull the trigger. Most of the time. Once in a while, though, these machines start firing mysteriously on their own. The South African National Defence Force "is probing whether a software glitch led to an antiaircraft cannon malfunction that killed nine soldiers and seriously injured 14 others during a shooting exercise on Friday."

-snip--

Read more: http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/10/robot-cannon-ki.html

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Microsoft Genuine Advantage.

[Javaman]

1. "these machines start firing mysteriously on their own."

that's a comforting thought.

[ohio2007]

10. "T-2, Judgement Day" has come to South Afrikka

[Toots]

24. While not mentioned often it is actually quite common

I personally know of several instances where run-away mini-guns sprayed friendly troops. There is also such a thing as "cook offs". That is when the barrel of your machine-gun gets so hot the trigger mechanism stops functioning. Real machine-guns usually have barrels that can be replaced in a matter of seconds but assault rifles which are also catagorized as machine-guns do not..In a real fire fight "cook offs" are very common. The only way to stop it is break a belt or remove the magazine. :shrug: It ain't all cotton candy

[Aviation Pro]

2. The Rise of the Machines........

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. Wait, I remember this movie. Ahhhll be baahk when I recall the name.

[hootinholler]

13. Sarah Conner? n/t

[Ian David]

4. I get the same thing sometimes on computer games. Should they be surprised? n/t

[lpbk2713]

5. One more way to kill indiscriminately.

And another way to shift the blame .... "Hey it wasn't our fault. We didn't mean to kill those women and kids. The gun malfunctioned."

[NYC]

34. Incontinent ordnance.

That has always been the way of saying:

It wasn't our fault. The equipment did it.

[YOY]

6. The metal one are coming for us...

Of course Asminov's first rule of Robotics is completely forgotten...

[Handsome Pete]

7. Exterminate ?

"Do-you-feel-lucky-Punk-?"

[ChairmanAgnostic]

15. doc ???

Ex-terminator
Ex-terminator
Ex-terminator

[Kolesar]

8. The South African National Defence Force ... eom

[Wise Doubter]

9. soon. very soon.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qimi1HLgZg

[bronxiteforever]

11. Are any of you Sarah Connor?

Seriously, this stuff is scary:scared:

[mikeytherat]

12. The opening scenes of "Robocop" come to life.

This robot wasn't named ED-209, was it?



mikey_the_rat

[hootinholler]

14. You're fired!

I was thinking more of the closing scene.

-Hoot

[0rganism]

20. "you have five seconds to comply... four.... "

Robocop should be mandatory viewing for anyone writing software for automated weapons platforms.

[Solon]

22. Robocop was prophetic in many ways, I doubt most people realize this...

or even think about it, but the trilogy(2 and 3 were horrible in many ways), sort of hit home the idea of privatization taken to extremes. Detroit was literally sold of to the highest bidder and was in the process of being rebuilt in the vision of corporate dominance with everything being privatized, from the police to basic utilities. Showing a future of what would happen if Reaganonmics was taken to its inevitable conclusion.

[LeftHander]

16. Microsoft Windows Vista Robot Cannon Edition...nt

[formercia]

18. Service Pack anyone?

10 body bag edition.

[Cronopio]

27. One would hope.

"And the world was saved when it was discovered that the software running Skynet was written by Microsoft. A Pentagon official was quoted as saying that it was the first time that he'd seen a malfunction malfunction. A Microsoft spokesman said that their programmers were "on the case" and that a fix would be available for download on their website within three years.

[formercia]

29. Or they could do like Apple

Take a *NIX variant (FreeBSD), concoct a fancy GUI and a few tweaks and sell it for $120+

[Cronopio]

30. Yeah, but an Apple robot cannon would actually work and look darn good on the battlefield. nt

[formercia]

33. Agreed

The Mars Rovers used an OS in the same family (*NIXBSD) and look how long they have been going and going.

[Gregorian]

17. Has there ever been a more valid time to say- Live by the sword; Die by the sword.

Man. Why not just stop manufacturing death.

[Renew Deal]

19. I've seen this move before

[AndyTiedye]

21. And Who Can Forget…

[Trajan]

23. Imagine tens of thousands of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's)

All fully armed .... All pre-programmed with identify-specific data for each of the current regime's major opponents .....

Night Of The Long Knives - Version 2.0 ....

The hubris displayed by many of those who develop these 'smart' systems blinds them to the possible, eventual misuse by malfeasant governments doing what they always do: Kill their opponents .... It is not a stretch of imagination to think that a regime, say the Burmese Junta, for instance, would use these in a split second, if they could .....

Smart weapons just make the task of massacre easier ....

[formercia]

26. Coming to your neighborhood soon.

I'm not worried too much. Even with GPS, those dorks can't hit the right house.

[UncleSepp]

35. Thanks... I think I'll do without sleep for a week now

Where is that shivering ice cube smiley?

[lostwilderness]

25. nt

sad

[formercia]

28. SkyNet.

Life imitates art.

[kineneb]

31. the next warriors will not have guns, but will be teens with a laptop?

script kiddies to the rescue?

hmmm, considering how hackable most systems are...

[NickB79]

32. Wow, it expended 500 rounds of explosive shells weighing 1.1 lbs EACH

Those are big damn bullets. I'm amazed anyone wounded actually survived those rounds.

[SoCalDem]

36. Should have donated when Grovelbot asked nicely

joking aside, this is a scary thing.. at least humans "can" stand down when things get hinky..a robot just keeps on firing :scared: