Singapore's DSTA launches urban warfare robot contest

While it's not unusual for a nation to desire a full fledged robot army to handle its dirty work, Singapore's Defense Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) is actually offering up a reward to anyone who can "build a robot that can operate autonomously in urban warfare conditions." Obviously, the task is easier said than done, but the country is aiming to acquire an intelligent, street-fighting machine that can move in and out of buildings, open and close doors, and most importantly, "search and destroy targets like a human soldier." Notably, anyone (including institutions) in the world is open to participate in the TechX Challenge, but foreigners must collaborate with local partners in their construction. The contest is being created in order to shift away from remote-controlled robots that tie up human resources, but the goals of the project may indeed be a bit lofty for today's technology. Robert Richardson from the University of Manchester, UK has proclaimed that the "competition could present a major challenge to even the most sophisticated robot," and added that doors and elevators would likely give the autonomous drones the most problems. Crafty individuals interested in the admittedly tempting S$1 million ($652,000) reward must (hastily) submit their entry by May of this year, where a few rounds of elimination will eventually end when a winner is chosen in August of 2008.

[Thanks, John S.]

[AG @ Jan 24th 2007 5:16PM]

YAY! Metroplex =)

[Aaron @ Jan 24th 2007 5:22PM]

How can a government be that naive? It took us two years to get a truck across the desert and they want a Terminator by May?

[xiath @ Jan 24th 2007 5:30PM]

Holy crap! I used to have that transformer (probably still do somewhere...)

[len @ Jan 24th 2007 6:53PM]

God damn, I had that transformer - it was my favorite. My idiot mother gave them to my cousins while I was at college, and those idiots sold them for drug money. Thanks for opening an old wound, Engadget.

[Sugemax @ Jan 24th 2007 5:36PM]

I for one welcome our new door/elevator-challenged street-fighting robots.

Sorry, but somebody had to say it ;)

[nigel @ Jan 24th 2007 6:45PM]

Aaron, its not going to happen by may but i will lead to advancements that will make it possible, some time in our life span (hopefully).

[Another_Andreas @ Jan 24th 2007 6:51PM]

"Fellow executives, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the future of law enforcement,... ED 209."

[JRA219psu @ Jan 24th 2007 7:13PM]

For creating such a sophisticated machine you would think that the reward might be a little more...but hey thats just me. I mean it would only be the beginning of a new era of warfare, you know 652k is plenty......or not.

[prophetone @ Jan 24th 2007 7:31PM]

METROPLEX !!!! Raaaarrrrr!

[George @ Jan 24th 2007 10:59PM]

Sounds like the Singapore Government are not only unrealistic but also tight fisted. Don't they have any scientists with half a brain cell who could perhaps inform them that creating such a terminator that could think, open doors, navigate, kill, detain etc etc... is way more advanced than anything even the Japanese could dream up in the next few years? Until we solve the lack of real A.I. problem and power issues humanoid combatants are a no-go. Heck they are more likely to get a demented farting Robosapien for a wife :)

[S @ Jan 25th 2007 2:53AM]

If it's an urban warface situation, surely it could just walk through the doors? Or blast them down?
No real need for it to be able to open them...

[Ignacio @ Jan 25th 2007 8:10AM]

Not only is this contest technically flawed (current AI is nowhere nearly as developed as to accomplish the required tasks) but also short sighted: why must it search and *destroy* human targets? With all the advances in non-lethal weapons one would expect a robot to use that. After all, is not as if its "life" would be at risk by not using the biggest, baddest rail-gun to blast an enemy soldier. Also, if by any chance it chooses the wrong target (and it *will* happen eventually) collateral damage at least won't be measured in deaths...

[cuby @ Jan 25th 2007 1:01PM]

engadget should simply replace all of their blurb images with unrelated transformers. i swear their readership would double.

[Adrian Heng @ Jan 27th 2007 1:07AM]

I wonder how it'll be tested should some smart geek gets a real-life optimus prime working. Find Waldo and destroy him?

[stuart "not a robot" bird @ Jan 28th 2007 8:39AM]

So, ideally, the robot will be trained to kill. And act autonomously. And have the capabiity to kill humans. What could possibly go wrong?

http://robotswilltakeover.blogspot.com

[drwtsn32 @ Feb 7th 2007 10:15AM]

lol! maybe Singapore will get the movie rights for T4 after the competition...or robocop(army series) the movie ..staring jack neo's brain...lol!!!

[Hackson @ Mar 23rd 2007 11:31PM]

Gundam perhaps~
haha