Ghost Robotics has equipped a four-legged robot with weapons

offered a company Ghost Robotics is a four-legged robot outfitted with a custom weapon by small arms specialist Sword International.

Four-legged robots are one of the most interesting developments in the field of robotics in recent years. They are small, nimble, and capable of navigating environments that frustrate wheeled machines. So, it was only a matter of time until she became armed.

It appears that the weapon itself (which is called SPUR or standalone special purpose rifle) designed to be mounted across a variety of motorized platforms.

It has a 30x optical zoom, a thermal camera for targeting in the dark, and an effective range of 1200 meters.

It is unclear whether Sword International or Ghost Robotics currently sells this combination of gun and robot. But if they aren’t, they seem to be close.

Sword International’s marketing copy boasts: SPUR is the future of unmanned weapons systems, and that future has become a reality.

The device was first shown at the 2021 annual League of the United States Army conference earlier this week. The conferences consider themselves the Land Forces Show and Professional Development Forum held in Washington, DC, October 11-13.

Details about the partnership between Sword International and Ghost Robotics remain unclear. But Ghost Robotics’ four-legged robots are being tested by the US Army.

And last year, the 325th Squadron of Security Forces at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida became the first unit in the Department of Defense to use quadrobots in regular operations.

The unit uses them to patrol the perimeter of the base and navigate swampy areas that are undesirable for humans and vehicles.

And though survey is one of the more obvious use cases for robotic dogs. But manufacturers are slowly testing other forms.

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A four-legged robot becomes a lethal tool

In addition to providing video and remote mapping, the machines can be used as mobile cell towers, to defuse bombs, or to detect chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials. They can also become weapons.

Boston Dynamics, the best-known manufacturer of quadrupedal robots, has a strict policy against arming its machines.

It seems that other manufacturers are not. Many companies sell standalone rifle platforms that use tank wheels. So adding the same basic set to legged machines is not so difficult.

Experts have been warning for some time about the slow rise in the use of killer robots (known as Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems, or LAWS, in official terms). Anddon’t prevent Official US policy developed or published.

Many groups are campaigning for duty Proactive ban on such systems. But at the same time, companies seem to keep building on what’s possible. This means putting guns on the robotic dogs.

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