3 ms·
The biggest problem with this is that this is perfect for political assasinations. It can be precise enough and it can be probably leave little traces or be mad
by zby 11y ago
The biggest problem with this is that this is perfect for political assasinations. It can be precise enough and it can be probably leave little traces or be made hard to identify who was controlling the weapon - just like now we have problem with identifying the sources of internet attacks.
I remember reading, many years ago, a very short SF story about a robot built specificially to kill targeted people and leave false traces. I think even now it would not be too difficult to built a small bug-like (or wasp-like) robot with a poisonous sting that could autonomously navigate a few hundred meters to reach a bed of a politician (or activist) - how are you going to protect your leaders against an attack like this?
- adam12 11y agoThat is terrifying.
- tjl 11y agoDune hunter/killer drones? Although, those weren't actually autonomous.
- jjwiseman 11y agoThe Unreconstructed M, by Philip K. Dick: https://books.google.com/books?id=R7rALwfN6pYC&pg=PA117&lpg=PA117&dq=the+unreconstructed+m&source=bl&ots=bYuTuMNwXQ&sig=PV8bEX5iPTDadyfu1XHq5NJim44&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiclt-k17bLAhUN8mMKHe3KCoIQ6AEIQTAG#v=onepage&q=the%20unreconstructed%20m&f=false https://books.google.com/books?id=R7rALwfN6pYC&pg=PA117&lpg=...
- zby 11y agoYeah - that was it. Apparently it is in public domain now: http://www.sffaudio.com/the-unreconstructed-m-by-philip-k-dick-is-public-domain/ http://www.sffaudio.com/the-unreconstructed-m-by-philip-k-di... so you can read it here: http://www.sffaudio.com/podcasts/TheUnreconstructedMByPhilipK.Dick.pdf http://www.sffaudio.com/podcasts/TheUnreconstructedMByPhilip...
- 13thLetter 11y agoYou'd have the same problem identifying the source of a sniper's bullet, in the context of a world where the government is willing to take people out like this.
- zyxley 11y agoAnd a sniper is far less likely to end up Youtube than a random swarm of little drones.
- zby 11y agoHmm - but: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_attempts_on_Fidel_Castro https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_attempts_on_Fide... Looks like it was not that easy - even for a superpower like the USA. Now imagine that they had miniature bots that could follow the target (and then kill him).
- 13thLetter 11y agoOr imagine if the USA had sophisticated military aircraft that could just drop a bomb on his office!