Bear robot rescues wounded troops.

This "Battlefield Extraction Assist Robot (BEAR)" may be designed to put the wounded at ease, and while I wouldn't classify it in the "uncanny valley," it definitely looks frightening to me.

Also... it would look so weird on a battlefield. On one hand, if I were the enemy, I'd want to shoot the helpless, wounded passenger so he couldn't patch up and come back to fight my cause/me. On the other hand, the robot's "cute" appearance might dissuade me from attacking. Studies (to which I can only vaguely refer since I forget the source) that human test subjects felt uncomfortable/unwilling to topple or damage a robot that bore a realistic resemblance to a human child.

"A really important thing when you're dealing with casualties is trying to maintain that human touch." I really don't see the human touch in a giant robot bear.

A robot (at least with this technology) also can't dive for cover and reduce its profile the way a human can in the battlefield. The robot might walk away unharmed, only to find that its passenger is now riddled with bullets/shrapnel.

The design philosophy on this strongly suggests the feminine, too. It won't be long before the world is clogged by disgustingly "cute" robots. And they rise up to replace us, we'll just be oohing and aahing.

Those brainwashed islamic militants and terrorists would shoot even if it was a real human child carrying a wounded, so that's not really relevant in the current US wars.

But still, if they build a robot, it has to look like something, and that's definitely better than bare T-800 looks...

Behold the Russian Robot Army that Attacked Estonia!

That thing is creepy. It looks like it's staring deep into your soul.

Pak Chooie Unf!

What the ****? I'd rather die than look at that thing while I'm bleeding out. That hollow, lifeless face would haunt my every night for the rest of my life.

When I read "BEAR", I was expecting to see some giant, intimidating machine. That looks more like the teddy variety.

Give it a gun, teach it to aim, and those things can just do the fighting for us.

(And, eventually, against us.)

Oh, that's the alternative model.

I don't think they found it could safely carry wounded soldiers.

That seems like a pretty illogical design. Why does it need to be so high up? Why is it a humanoid looking thing? A good design would be something that moved the soldier as little as possible, kept the soldier low to the ground, and could move quickly. This doesn't look like any of the above.

Something about the human touch.

If I want a human touch, they had better be conscripting pretty Jewish girls to carry me out the fight.

I'm feeling a little Vaclempt

It's high up because it's in its full-extension position. It barely moves the soldier, it picks them up similar to how an adult would pick up a baby, it has four different positions it can be in while carrying the soldier, all to better navigate different terrain and obsticles, and three of which are lower than a human could achieve trying to carry a wounded soldier out of an area. The humanoid design comes from the idea that dying soldiers are less likely to panic at the sight of a friendly looking robot coming to assist them, than say a massive mechanical spider crawling at them.

That would be extremely cool. You would know for sure it's there either to save you or eat your brain. Both options would offer a relief for a badly wounded person.

Why don't they just make it look like a stunningly attractive woman?

Is it bad to have a wounded person get really excited while he's bleeding his guts out?

What about female soldiers? Sexist *******.

Depends where they're wounded.

Do not trust the carrier robot.

Hahaha, I thought about that when I read the stairs thing.

Yes, more robots indeed.

The next generation of this thing will have another joint per limb, and a more quiet motor, the generation after that will have yet another joint per limb, be able to climb ladders, run, carry 200-300 lbs on its back, and the motor will again be modified to be even more quiet.

That thing is terrifying.

If you had been involved in the private lives of most female soldiers you would know how ridiculous your objection actually is.

oh, wow. that four legged thing would make me defecate myself if i saw it coming toward me.:eek:

Spook you have not and never will be a pimp, even in the U.S. Military. Especially in the U.S. Military.

haha, that is exactly what I thought.

Boston Dynamics, huh...

*two weeks later, cut to Gris riding down the streets on the headless robo-horse*

Now if they can just get it to rear up on its hind legs and kick, I'd ride it into battle anyday. I'd have to be weilding a chainsaw and be dressed up in biker garb, too.

Oh my god, that thing looks like a decapitated goat fitted with a lawnmower engine.

Poor kirby, he'll never understand...

That's not exactly the idea, think more robotic attack dog meets robotic pack mule.