IRL Manhacks? It's more likely than you think...

[Fence!]

http://io9.com/5881126/a-real+life-swar ... rcade-game

Just attach some rotary blades to these little guys and you have some of the combine's most treasured weapons for clearing out sewers and tight spaces!

This is awesome and terrifying at the same time.

[Techercizer]

The problem has never been the ability to provide lift to a small area. The biggest issue is with the stability and durability of such a system, ignoring the obvious challenge of programing autonomous targeting.

We're still a long way off.

[Fence!]

The autonomous part, sure, but the stability isn't too much of an issue. They seem to have the ability to self-correct/reorient pretty well as evidenced by the part in the video when the guy just tosses one in the air. Plus, if you had a spinning disc on them you could use the angular momentum to further stabilize.

And the durability part? Lolnaaah. Manhacks get destroyed by being hit with a crowbar... I think these little guys would suffer a similar fate.

The biggest challenge is as you said though, the autonomous targeting. UPenn has a pretty advanced robotics division though, so I wouldn't put it past them to team up with their CS guys and hash something out.

[Jettrax]

Quadrotor aircraft are very stable and easy to maneuver. Controlling all of those at once though i'm pretty sure is a challenge. I have one and it's a blast to play with. Except i'm the loser that doesnt control it with an iPhone.

[Phantom]

I want a RL manhack.

[Rologton]

AND SO IT BEGINS!

No, but in all honesty, the autonomous targetting system really isn't going to be that hard to do. American tanks and bombers already have auto lock on features, not to mention the technology in surface to air missiles and others kept on fighter planes. I mean, just look at the rovers we have on Mars right now. They're doing seperate and specific tasks, and nobody on Earth has a joystick to them.

It's not too far off. Not in our lifetime, but eventually all wars will be faught with robotics, and guys like me will be obsolete. Assuming we havn't already killed ourselves by them.

And that's when the robots rebel...

[Arty_pn]

AND SO IT BEGINS!

No, but in all honesty, the autonomous targetting system really isn't going to be that hard to do. American tanks and bombers already have auto lock on features, not to mention the technology in surface to air missiles and others kept on fighter planes. I mean, just look at the rovers we have on Mars right now. They're doing seperate and specific tasks, and nobody on Earth has a joystick to them.

It's not too far off. Not in our lifetime, but eventually all wars will be faught with robotics, and guys like me will be obsolete. Assuming we havn't already killed ourselves by them.

And that's when the robots rebel...

Robot Revolution?
I need to prepare!!! What should I bring?

[meh]

Robot Revolution?
I need to prepare!!! What should I bring?

Bring a crowbar, that's all you need.

[Fence!]

Robot Revolution?
I need to prepare!!! What should I bring?

Bring a crowbar, that's all you need.

Seriously. Manhacks + Crowbar = HL2 baseball. Shit's amazing.