Army/MIT Techno-Wanking

Ted C · Post by **Ted C** » 2003-05-23 01:54pm

I see Trekkies aren't the only ones to make extremely far-fetched claims of military strength by assuming that dubious scientific research will produce tremendous capabilities.

Yahoo New Article

U.S. Army Chief Scientist Michael Andrews wrote:If you want to visualize the impact of nanotechnology, think about the movie Predator.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-05-23 02:02pm

Where's the wanking? All I see is possible uses for technology in the future if they go ahead and get it working.

This is still old news anyway.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-05-23 02:26pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Where's the wanking? All I see is possible uses for technology in the future if they go ahead and get it working.

This is still old news anyway.

Somebody assuming "Predator" to be a realistic movie... ??? Go figure the weirdness in that.

Ted C · Post by **Ted C** » 2003-05-23 03:01pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Where's the wanking? All I see is possible uses for technology in the future if they go ahead and get it working.

This is still old news anyway.

1) The movie Predator had nothing to do with nanotechnology.

2) Nanotechnology is not a sensible path to most of the capabilities they want to develop.

The idea is to develop high-tech gear that would allow soldiers to become partially invisible, leap over walls, and treat their own wounds on the battlefield.

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2003-05-23 05:15pm

I don't recall any nanotech in predator...there was light bending stealth but that was about it. There is a primitive form of optical camouflage that utilises TIR though.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-05-23 07:00pm

They aren't comparing it the cloak but to some type of armor system that means they haven't really seen the movie.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-05-23 07:41pm

Standard soldier gear typically weighs up to 120 pounds. The goal is to cut that weight by more than half.

All that means if the soldier will be given twice as much to carry. Its almost an axiom. If you make a soliders load half as heavy you give him twice as much to carry. I doubt that will ever change.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-05-23 08:30pm

The Predator comment was silly, in Predator the armour was obviously stuff we can't make now and the active camouflage was probably some special light refraction field, maybe via ultrasonics.

They are however doing such projects with tanks and commercial objects that use LCD or possibly LEP screens around the object to mimic roughly the light intensity and colour/pattern around the environment to enable a better camo ability.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-05-23 08:36pm

You know, the guy might not be making a comparison of the mechanism though which the cloak works, but rather just the tactical implications of an ultra high level of camouflage in combat.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-05-23 10:03pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:You know, the guy might not be making a comparison of the mechanism though which the cloak works, but rather just the tactical implications of an ultra high level of camouflage in combat.

Naturally, that's what he means.

When we talk about genetic engineering we don't just refer to eugenics in say, Star Trek II and say that's what we'll be doing, it's just to give an example of what to expect to the laymen in the public.

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-05-24 01:58am

I remember seeing in an ooold Popular Mechanics an M-60 tank with "Active Stealth"!

They'd mounted fairly close to flat panel TV screens on the surfaces and had each linked to a camera pointing the opposite way so it showed what was on the other side of the tank, as if the tank wasn't even there.

Whoever dreamed up and then sponsored that program should have been shot.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-05-24 02:35am

Fuck they look stoopid.

Raptor 597 · Post by **Raptor 597** » 2003-05-24 02:51am

Vympel wrote:

Fuck they look stoopid.

AHHH! Stormtroopers! But the project looks interesting from a design view atleast whether successful onthe field or not.

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-05-24 02:54am

Vympel wrote:http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ ... 283640.jpg

Fuck they look stoopid.

The guy on the left looks constipated while the one on the right would appear to be a mock-up of the SWAT3 tactical outfit.

Darth Gojira · Post by **Darth Gojira** » 2003-05-24 07:26am

I swear, they should try to do a drug investigation in the Pentagon. You'd think they'd do it by now.

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2003-05-24 10:57am

Captain Lennox wrote:AHHH! Stormtroopers! But the project looks interesting from a design view atleast whether successful onthe field or not.

Hell no, stormies look alot better than that.

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-05-24 11:24am

I've said it heaps of times- the guy on the right looks like a Power Ranger. He also doesn't have a rifle- just a little pod on his wrist that launches 'smart missiles'.

The guy on the left is more acceptable, but his helmet is stupid and he does look constipated.