US Army's Joint Repair Facility acts as ER for injured robots

While we're still a bit wary about letting a robotic M.D. get to work on our operating table, we certainly wouldn't trust those two-timing humanoids to sufficiently repair one of their own. Thankfully, the US Army seemingly agrees, as the volunteer-staffed Joint Repair Facility at Camp Victory provides human TLC for robots that receive injuries in the heat of battle. The facility is mostly responsible for mending and rebuilding devices that protect live soldiers from encountering improvised explosive devices, and it has reportedly increased exponentially in use and size since its inception just three years back. Notably, the gurus that work here are famous for repairing even the most obliterated of robots, and while they did admit that some bots are too damaged to repair, those are "few and far between."

[Via CNET]

[strider_mt2k @ Jun 7th 2007 9:07AM]

You hear that?

Wait for it...
(helicopter sounds)

"Attention all personnel, attention all personnel we have incoming wounded bots!"

We just do meatball robot surgery here.
Anything like reprogramming or coring a motor and we ship 'em up to the 8063rd...

[Chuckles McGee @ Jun 7th 2007 9:24AM]

Excellent, JRF (division of Skynet) will soon be fully operational and repairing our robot overlords damaged in the coming battle against humanity.

[noob @ Jun 7th 2007 9:29AM]

those guys have the right idea, they are buildling up kudos points now so that they will be spared in the inevitable battle to come!

[Pauly @ Jun 7th 2007 9:33AM]

Sounds like M A S H for robots.
Where's Hawkeye?

[Mike @ Jun 7th 2007 9:39AM]

Um... And this is significant why? Is this all it takes to be news-worthy these days??

THESE JUST IN!

New Dell repair center acts as ER for dropped laptops!

New local body-shop repairs accident(and drive-by)-stricken car!

And the US Army repairs robots!

All this, and so much less, at 11!

[Mike @ Jun 7th 2007 9:43AM]

(cont.)

Honestly, I think the iPod commercial that just played right next to this article captured more of my excitement than the idea of an Army Robot Repair Center. I mean, really, do you think it's any harder than repairing, say, a helicopter? Or a ship?

[Kamokazi @ Jun 7th 2007 11:11AM]

If you don't like the article, then you don't like the article. You're not required to like everything Engadget posts. I don't really care for the Mac fanboistic articles (i.e. the pics of the banners that show nothing of significant about the WWDC), but I don't complain about them, I just stop reading halfway through and go to something else.

I rather enjoyed this and like to hear that these robots that take the IEDs for our armed forces can be reassembeled and see service again.

[Magallanes @ Jun 7th 2007 11:06AM]

WOW... a robots that can apply duct-tapes to other robots!.

Or

Robots that can apply service pack for "wounded" (obsolete) robots.

[John Stracke @ Jun 7th 2007 12:48PM]

Once the robots do start repairing each other, it'll be a short step to upgrading each other. "This? Uh, it's a birthmark." "But...it's four feet long, emitting laser light, and setting off the geiger counter." "Hey, do I comment on *your* personal problems, meatsack?"

[Bill @ Jun 7th 2007 1:00PM]

The part not mentioned:
1. How much (of our tax dollar) does it cost to repair a robot?
2. Is there someone who takes responsibility to say when one is beyone repair financially (totaled)?

In the real world, decision of repair or replace is based upon cost. Makes one wonder who's pockets we are filling... Or is this government program done right?