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posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday July 18 2017, @05:19PM   Printer-friendly
from the what-could-possibly-go-wrong dept.

Submitted via IRC for TheMightyBuzzard

Recently, Russian arms manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern has unveiled their work on a fully automated combat machine. It looks like a drone, but the neural network that controls it allows for some autonomous ability, which is going to make for some very interesting conversation at the upcoming ARMY-2017 forum. Did somebody say war robots?

For that matter, now that neural networks are basically being weaponized, I'm sure there will be some important moral debates about their use in a field of battle. Not the least of which will be: "Isn't this exactly what Skynet wants?"

But, and we've said this many times before, technology is a tool.

It isn't inherently good or bad; that depends entirely on the intentions of the user. In this case, the technology is a weapon, but that is the purview of a military, and I think we can judge them according to their actions instead of their tech.

Plus, the robot is really freaking cool. We'd be doing it a disservice by ignoring that. Let's take a closer look.

We all know that drones are already used in combat, but this robot is no drone.

Drones require operators, and while modern drones do have elements that can acquire targets without human control, they aren't fully autonomous. By using a neural network to control the drone, full autonomy is possible.

So far, there's no word on whether the module will fire without human authorization. What information we do have suggests that the use of a neural network is intended to quickly acquire many targets–something well within the capabilities of modern AI technology.

Source: https://edgylabs.com/war-robots-automated-kalashnikov-neural-network-gun/


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 18 2017, @07:05PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 18 2017, @07:05PM (#541101)

    Pretty sure they had radar lock in ww2, some 70 years ago.

  • (Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Tuesday July 18 2017, @07:08PM (2 children)

    by tangomargarine (667) on Tuesday July 18 2017, @07:08PM (#541102)

    No.

    --
    "Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 18 2017, @07:18PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 18 2017, @07:18PM (#541106)
      • (Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Tuesday July 18 2017, @07:38PM

        by tangomargarine (667) on Tuesday July 18 2017, @07:38PM (#541120)

        Although the precise origins of the concept are unknown, on 8 March 1941 Bertrand Lovell recorded the concept of lock-follow in his notes for the first time.

        Two sections further on they explain it wasn't actually deployed until January '44. It sounds like the Mark X actually went into use before the Mark IX?

        The first SCR-720 was delivered on 12 July for fitting to Mosquito HK195, which was turned over to the FUI on 11 August and flew for the first time two days later. Small batches were completed on various marks of Mosquitos before the production was turned over entirely for installation on the NF.XIX, which featured Rolls-Royce Merlin 25 engines and a strengthened wing allowing them to carry external fuel tanks. Unfortunately, deliveries of the Mk. X proved to be greatly delayed, with the first 40 arriving in late autumn and found to be lacking many of the requested upgrades.[89] Once these were finally adapted, they were found to interfere with the radio sets in the aircraft,[m] and it was not until January 1944 that the first Mk. X sets were sent to squadron use.[90]

        --
        "Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"