China is Improving in Military Robots
China is advancing in Military robotics and showing them off.
We know that in the 2020s Russian and China have been investing more in military robotics.
Boston Dynamics' mission is to imagine and create exceptional robots that enrich people's lives. But their template might also be used for military confrontations. That is a start contrast. The Global Times is often seen as the mouthpiece of the Chinese State. Right out of the horse’s mouth comes the Robotic Yak.
China claims to have built the “world’s largest quadruped bionic robot,” a gigantic “mechanical yak” that can carry over 350 pounds at a shambling 6.2 mph, according to a report by the state-run Global Times.
The robot has been designed and developed for use by the Chinese military.
It will act as a packhorse, working alongside soldiers in very difficult terrain.
Experts predict it could be sent into areas humans can't safely walk or drive.
It’s not overly clear why China has felt like making the Military Robot Yaks or why they so resemble Boston Dynamic Robo-Dogs, but they do.
I’m not going to lie, DARPA’s R&D has been spread far and wide by now. The robot bears a striking resemblance to Boston Dynamics’ DARPA-funded quadruped “AlphaDog” robot, which was first shown off to the public back in 2012.
China’s new robot yak is capable of moving forward, backward, and diagonally. According to state media, it can even “dash and jump.” You never know when you might need a robotic donkey.
Its missions will include working in remote border regions, as well as in high risk combat zones, according to reports by Chinese state media.
It’s also part battle drone. The robot comes with multiple sensors, giving it a high degree of situational awareness that analysts say can be fed into commanders in a battlefield environment.
The country’s military is apparently envisioning using it to lug materials including munitions and food through mountainous regions or deserts where conventional vehicles struggle. Tibet or Taiwan could have such terrain. China also developed a much more compact dog-sized quadruped, dubbed Geda, could also help schlep supplies in remote areas.
If China has such robots I’m pretty sure Russia does as well that is even more motivated to develop Military robotics and drone technology. Russia’s style is more robotic tank prototypes. Russia has been working to improve its robot combat vehicle capability for years and previously tested a prototype of the Uran-9 on the battlefield in Syria.
With geopolitical tensions, AI and robotics could have a field day in China with military applications. Indeed, China’s latest arsenal of quadruped robots proves the country’s latest technological advancements when it comes to the battlefield, a rapidly growing industry that could change the face of combat forever.
What’s not totally evident is that the Yak can also be a robotic horse for a military personnel Star-wars style. China also has some interest in creating a large spaceship craft, you know, like a mile long.
The project is part of a wider call for research proposals from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, a funding agency managed by the country’s Ministry of Science and Technology.
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