Amazing future military techs

[Mr. Oragahn]

I don't know what's amazing about them. They are technological prowesses, absolutely, but the power they give to their users is both immense and frightening.
Got this from an article at some random website.


Kiplinger

What is so amazing about them? What is there to be so happy about?




Meshworm

One of the tiniest robots in development -- about the size of a fingertip -- the Meshworm moves and acts like a small earthworm. It propels itself inch by inch, using artificial muscles that mimic the way an earthworm moves, by stretching one part of itself forward, then pulling the rest of its body along behind it.

The Meshworm can move silently into the tiniest places to report back data, such as temperatures inside a confined space. It can also record audio and maybe even video in future versions. Made entirely of synthetic fibrous material, it's nearly indestructible. You can step on it or hit it with a hammer and it will keep going because the fibers are not damaged by impact.

Working alongside DARPA on the Meshworm are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and South Korea's Seoul National University.

How are you supposed to protect yourself from such machines? They can sneak anywhere, and could transport any small needle. They'll be meant to record any kind of data. Your privacy is so screwed.





Microwave Ray Gun

This weapon is designed to inject blasts of sound directly into a person's head from a couple of hundred yards away.

Microwaves enter the head directly through the skull, not the ear, so protective earplugs are useless. The inner ear will sense the microwave and recognize it as sound. And the microwave blast can be adjusted to create different kinds of sounds.

Versions being developed include bulk microwave-emitting systems for the Army and small, rifle-style versions for the Marines and special operations forces. Some early versions have been field-tested in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It's also envisioned that police could use versions of the gun for crowd control -- "sound bullets" instead of nonlethal rubber pellets. Sierra Nevada Corp., headquartered in Sparks, Nev., is working on a version of the microwave ray gun under a U.S. Navy research contract.

What a lovely weapon. We can barely have authorities stop using depleted uranium, which poisons soils and causes countless health problems to people living in war theaters, and now we're going to allow that kind of stuff to be used... even against civilians???




Space-Based Laser

Though international agreements bar the militarization of space, researchers are nevertheless working on weapons that could be used in space – just in case. Existing agreements could someday expire and a space laser deployment would be seen as necessary if any other country moves toward deploying its own.

As envisioned by scientists, a space-based laser could send a powerful destructive beam at, say, an enemy's ballistic missile site a few thousand miles away. Another possible application would be to use a space laser to provide protection against attacks made on U.S. satellites in orbit.

Working on the space laser are the Sandia National Laboratory, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a number of defense contractors, including Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.

Who the hell needs a satellite mounted with a beam cannon when you can keep the beam on the ground and merely use a mirror in space, which wouldn't break any rule about militarization of space?
I'd be surprised this kind of "basic" tech wouldn't already be in use considering how producing lasers is a piece of cake these days and lasers have been used for so many decades.
LOL, might explain "crop circles"! :D Super space printers; j/k





Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots

PAL Robotics in Barcelona, Spain, is developing advanced bipedal robots that can recognize people, enter buildings, avoid obstacles and pick up objects in their "hands." They also have voice recognition systems that can take verbal commands.

The military envisions using these robots to enter buildings in danger zones or to bring emergency medical supplies across battle zones to help wounded soldiers. Consumer versions of the REEM line of robots are also coming. For peace time, they'll include robots that can serve drinks and snacks at public receptions, trade shows, parties, etc. Some will even be able to carry on limited conversations.

If they can recognize people, in theory they just need a gun strapped to some arm and here we go, Cylon/Terminator. Simply put, if robots can recognize people like they can easily recognize faces, hands and so on on cameras or on gigapixel pictures, then I don't see any reason not to already and internationally implement an abridged version of the 1st Law of Robotics. I'm not kidding.





Flybot

With the look and size of a lightning bug, this tiny robotic fly will be sent on reconnaissance missions in areas too dangerous for soldiers, including places contaminated by chemical or biological weapons. It weighs less than a pin and can be remotely controlled in flight.

Developed at Harvard with support from DARPA, the Flybot engineers say it could also be used to find hidden chemical bombs. Later incarnations of the Flybot may also be able to rely on tiny solar power cells for propulsion.

Here's another one that's going to ruin your privacy. Like if Google Glass and gigapixel cameras weren't already a massive problem, what are we supposed to do here against that? They could even put a needle with poison in it. Boy, you better never even think about toeing the line once they get that shit running around. In case you didn't notice lately, "your" government doesn't trust you.

[User2005]

So they have robot flies. Maybe instead of fly tape we'll just spread magnets at strategic locations around the house, as well as motion sensor rigged electromagnets and tiny EMP guns ready to respond to the chemical sting threat these flybots represent.