Even though
technology has different definitions I have always preferred this one: the total knowledge and skills available to
any human society for industry, art, science etc. Under that principle, it
is tough to understand the role of technology in warfare.
When common
sense tells us that every major progress in terms of robotics is aiming to
solve industrial and scientific problems, reality shows us something completely
different. It’s hopeless to see how much funds are designated to improve mankind
quality of life, if we compare them to the billions involved in warfare.
When I
first saw a Big Dog video on Youtube I actually was expecting for a sort of
robotic pet made by a Japanese firm. Expectations were wrong. The video was
about a four-leg robot that runs, climbs and carries heavy loads. Big Dog has
several computers in charge of controlling all its advanced sensors and can
carry more than 150 Kg, but instead of working in a factory or assisting in a
surgery Big Dog was actually carrying weapons.
Its videos
are scary and hair-raising; it moves like an actual animal, its movements are
surprisingly natural. It seems that all its locomotion, ground contact, visual
and internal sensors are performing in optimal conditions. There are no
obstacles for it; it goes wherever its masters command. It will keep moving at
impressive 7 Km/h.
