Transforming Robot Dog ‘Robo Soldier’ also sold at Ali… [Read About Science]

Ukrainian military preparing robot dogs for combat against Russia
Modifying Chinese-made robots for reconnaissance
Possibility of conversion to attack mode remains
Ethics controversy surrounding ‘killer robots’ is unavoidable,

Ukrainian military unveils robot dogs prepared for deployment on the battlefield. [Image source=AFP News],
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, “The novel ‘Dogs of War’ written by British author Frederick Forsyth in 1974 depicted a European mercenary unit hired by a British businessman to overthrow the fictional African nation of ‘Zangaro.’ While the novel referred to mercenaries as ‘dogs,’ the advancement of science and technology is now leading to situations where robots are deployed in combat.”,
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, ‘Efforts to integrate robots into the military have been ongoing, but the actual utility in combat situations has been uncertain. The turning point came with the Ukraine War, as the importance of using robots in warfare has increased as Ukraine and Russia have engaged in a prolonged conflict for over two years.’,
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, ‘Ukraine is preparing for combat using advanced technology. While drones are being utilized for attacking Russian territory, Ukraine is also preparing robot weapons to target Russia on the ground. This attempt to compensate for the lack of combat troops compared to Russia by utilizing advanced scientific technology like robots and drones.’,
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, ‘◆Combat robots unveiled by the Ukrainian military=Ukraine has already deployed the unmanned ground combat robot ‘Lyut 2.0.’ This robot, equipped with a machine gun turret mounted on armored wheels, swiftly moves even in rough terrain and supports infantry. The robot, known to be produced by a Ukrainian company, can travel up to 20 km and is relatively affordable at £12,200 per unit (approximately KRW 21.3 million).’,
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Lyut combat robot deployed by the Ukrainian military,
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, ‘It is said that if Lyut is a combination of autonomous cars and armored vehicles, the robot dogs could be a game-changer in terms of changing the concept of robot participation in combat.’,
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, ‘In early August, the Ukrainian military unveiled plans to deploy quadrupedal robots ‘BAD one’ and ‘BAD two’ for combat. According to the released footage, the robots being prepared by the Ukrainian military freely move through dense foliage to perform reconnaissance missions. Depending on the situation, the robots huddle close to the ground to hide or move in a leaping or tumbling manner to avoid the enemy’s sight. Their small size allows them to conceal themselves effectively.’,
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, ‘The robots could also be used to capture video from a distance to confirm the enemy’s movements. It is suitable to use robots for mine detection tasks, as robots can undertake dangerous tasks typically done by humans and reduce the risk of casualties.’,
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, ‘The video released by Ukraine shows that the robot dogs can also carry guns or ammunition. The robots can quietly supply about 7 kg of ammunition or medical supplies, and can operate for up to two hours on a single charge, making them highly versatile.’,
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, ‘Even if the robots fall into the hands of the Russian military, they also have the capability to remotely erase all data and disable the robots.’,
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The robot dog being researched by the Ukrainian military for combat deployment was modified from a robot made by a Chinese company. The robot available for sale on AliExpress can be purchased for as low as 600,000 KRW for the low-end model. Photo=AliExpress Capture,
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, ‘◆Low-cost robots made in China, changing the battlefield environment=Price is an important factor in deploying robots for combat. These robots are civilian products made by Chinese companies modified for military use. These robots are also available for purchase on the Chinese online distribution channel, AliExpress. The cheapest robot price is only 600,000 KRW. The cost of the robots used by the Ukrainian military is known to be around $2,000. If Ukraine’s military can achieve significant results such as stopping the enemy or destroying expensive weapons with this cost, from Ukraine’s perspective, which is numerically inferior, it can be considered a significant achievement.’,
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, ‘After being produced in China, the robots undergo the transformation into true battlefield robots through a modification process by British companies. During this process, the operating time, range of movement, speed, and other aspects of the robots have been significantly improved.’,
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, ‘However, there is a difference in views between the UK and Ukraine regarding the robot dogs. The UK has rejected adding an attacking function to the robots, but Ukraine emphasizes the necessity of an attack function. Therefore, Ukraine is considering a strategic approach of installing explosives on the robots to attack enemy entrenchments. This is seen as an evolution towards ‘killer robots.”,
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, ‘Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Khainatsky voiced these intentions without concealing them. In July, he stated that Ukraine is focusing resources on creating a new robot army. He remarked at a NATO summit in Washington, “We will see more robots on the front lines in the future. We expect robots to become game-changers in 12 months.”‘,
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, ‘According to Minister Khainatsky, there are currently 250 startups in Ukraine developing various ground unmanned vehicles, and the military authorities are testing more than 50 types of ground systems.’,
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A combat robot dog from the Chinese military participating in training. Photo=Chinese CCT,
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, ‘◆Can combat robots escape ethical controversies?＝There are several issues surrounding the use of combat robot dogs. China may realize that the robot dogs are being used as weapons and may restrict exports.’,
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, ‘If they fail to secure low-cost Chinese robot dogs, they will have to use robot dogs manufactured by Western companies at a higher cost. For example, the price of the robot dog developed by the U.S. company Boston Dynamics reaches the tens of thousands of dollars, making it less competitive compared to Chinese-made robots. Additionally, there is a possibility that China could gain control of the wireless control functions installed in the robots and extract related information. It is also known that Ukraine is considering modifying the robot dogs considering these points.’,
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, ‘Recently, China sparked controversy by displaying robot dogs equipped with automatic rifles during military exercises with Cambodia. The appearance of robot dogs in joint military exercises between nations demonstrates China’s confidence that its related technology has sufficiently matured, according to experts. It is known that China is mass-producing combat robot dogs.’,
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, ‘There has been a report that even U.S. Marine Special Forces personnel have showcased weapon-mounted robot dogs.’,
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, ‘If robot dogs are deployed in combat and cause casualties, ethical issues could arise. If opposition to the development of killer robots intensifies, there is a possibility of forming international opposition.’,
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The appearance of a robot dog that surprised viewers in the episode ‘Metalhead’ of the Netflix series ‘Black Mirror’. Photo=Netflix,
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, “Similar cases have already occurred. The episode ‘Metalhead’ of the Netflix series ‘Black Mirror,’ which deals with situations where technology surpasses human ethics, featuring a robot dog attacking humans, left a significant impact.”,
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, ‘Subsequently, the New York City police authorities in the US withdrew patrol robot dogs following strong public backlash. The emergence of ‘RoboCop’ or ‘RoboSoldiers’ that could threaten humans is also a premature development.’,
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, ‘Boston Dynamics, the original creators of the quadrupedal robot dogs, have announced in a letter in 2022 that they will not weaponize robots for combat purposes. The company expressed concerns that “weaponizing robots could damage public trust in the technology.”‘,
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, ‘CNN criticized the combat robot dogs developed by the Chinese military, calling them “turning man’s best friend into a killing machine.”‘<,
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