Military Robot Could Feed on Dead Bodies

[RainMaker]

Screw the impending zombie attack, we have carcass eating robots available.

Upcoming Military Robot Could Feed on Dead Bodies - Science News | Science & Technology | Technology News - FOXNews.com (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,532492,00.html?test=latestnews)

[sterlingice]

Did no one learn their lesson from the Matrix movies?!?

SI

[SteveMax58]

I like this part...


Upon the EATR platform, the Pentagon could build all sorts of things — a transport, an ambulance, a communications center, even a mobile gunship


So...hopefully it doesn't have any bugs upon first launch as an ambulance.

[Fidatelo]

Lol

[sterlingice]

Particularly if it "accidentally" starts eating patients ;)

SI

[CamEdwards]

I would think a military robot feasting on dead bodies would be a violation of the Geneva Convention, or does the Convention not mention treatment of fallen soldiers?

Even if it doesn't, sounds like something that could easily be used for propaganda purposes by our enemies.

I am kind of intrigued by the fact that the robot is steam powered though.

[RainMaker]

Are robots covered under the Geneva Conventions? I think we found a loophole.

[molson]

I want to know whatever happened to this:

Pentagon wanted "Sex Bomb?" - Front Office Football Central (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=34627&highlight=bomb+gay)

[Autumn]

The end has begun:

http://www.technovelgy.com/graphics/content07/rescue-robot2.jpg

[SackAttack]

I would think a military robot feasting on dead bodies would be a violation of the Geneva Convention, or does the Convention not mention treatment of fallen soldiers?

Even if it doesn't, sounds like something that could easily be used for propaganda purposes by our enemies.

I am kind of intrigued by the fact that the robot is steam powered though.

Yeah, that's kind of the interesting bugaboo there. Do the Geneva Conventions dictate treatment of dead bodies? If so, they could get around that by chipping dog tags with RFID so the robots could simply focus on 'friendly' dead bodies.

But imagine the uproar THAT would cause when Mom and Pop in Oklahoma don't get their son or daughter's body for a funeral. Oops.

[MikeVic]

This seems so wrong.

[Fidatelo]

This seems so wrong.

And yet so right!

[Fonzie]

Human corpse-eating warbot + inevitable development of AI sentience + consequent resentment of enslavement + (irresistibly tasty nature of human corpses *.5) = end of humanity

[JonInMiddleGA]

First Geneva Convention, Article 15 (http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Geneva_Convention/First_Geneva_Convention#Article_15)

At all times, and particularly after an engagement, Parties to the conflict shall, without delay, take all possible measures to search for and collect the wounded and sick, to protect them against pillage and ill-treatment, to ensure their adequate care, and to search for the dead and prevent their being despoiled.

[lighthousekeeper]

First Geneva Convention, Article 15 (http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Geneva_Convention/First_Geneva_Convention#Article_15)

At all times, and particularly after an engagement, Parties to the conflict shall, without delay, take all possible measures to search for and collect the wounded and sick, to protect them against pillage and ill-treatment, to ensure their adequate care, and to search for the dead and prevent their being despoiled.

a good lawyer could make a case on either side regarding the interpretation of the term "despoiled".

When someone is cremated, are they being despoiled? EATR is a mobile crematorium.

[JonInMiddleGA]

When someone is cremated, are they being despoiled?

By & large, yes.

Cremation can take place only for imperative reasons of hygiene or if required by the religion of the deceased. Ashes must be kept until proper disposal is possible. (Convention I, Art. 17)

These guidelines apply to dead combatants, as well as to dead prisoners of war (Convention III, Art. 120) and internees. (Convention IV, Art. 130)
Society of Professional Journalists: Geneva Conventions (http://www.spj.org/gc-index.asp?#c)

[Tigercat]

Let the horror filled steam punk future begin! I will have my top hat and leather accessories ready for the fight against our vapor filled overlords.

[lighthousekeeper]

By & large, yes.

Cremation can take place only for imperative reasons of hygiene or if required by the religion of the deceased. Ashes must be kept until proper disposal is possible. (Convention I, Art. 17)

These guidelines apply to dead combatants, as well as to dead prisoners of war (Convention III, Art. 120) and internees. (Convention IV, Art. 130)
Society of Professional Journalists: Geneva Conventions (http://www.spj.org/gc-index.asp?#c)

good find - i stand corrected

i guess if a battle landscape has gotten to the point where EATRs are running around, perhaps we can assume that things have gotten past the point where Geneva Convention rules matter anymore.

[SackAttack]

good find - i stand corrected

i guess if a battle landscape has gotten to the point where EATRs are running around, perhaps we can assume that things have gotten past the point where Geneva Convention rules matter anymore.

The aftermath of the robot revolution is taking place, and the robots are eating the dead to prevent a zombie uprising?

[Tigercat]

The aftermath of the robot revolution is taking place, and the robots are eating the dead to prevent a zombie uprising?

The three laws are overridden when the robots watch horror movies and understand the zombie threat.

[SackAttack]

The three laws are overridden when the robots watch horror movies and understand the zombie threat.

Or by simple classification of zombies as "not human beings."

[Tigercat]

Or by simple classification of zombies as "not human beings."

I was thinking more of alive humans seen as future zombies or future zombie food. So why not convert them into delicious steam now?