Stories

Mon, 08 Jun 2026

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 Could humanoid robots be heading for the battlefield?

Armed forces are experimenting with humanoid robots, but battlefield deployment is some way off.
Key points: 1. Challenges: Building a humanoid robot capable of handling uncertain environments is a significant challenge. Researchers at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition have found that these systems struggle with unpredictable situations, such as navigating uneven terrain or responding to unknown obstacles. 2. Power consumption: Runtime issues are a major problem for humanoid robots, as locomotion and moving joints require a lot of power. While Foundation's goal of six hours is impressive, it remains to be seen whether they can achieve this level of efficiency. 3. Ethical concerns: The development of lethal autonomous weapons raises ethical questions about accountability and the potential for misuse. Nicole van Rooijen from Stop Killer Robots argues that international rules are necessary to de-escalate the technological arms race. Interesting quotes:
* "You get an impression of human-level capability by seeing the human form… but [these autonomous systems] don't know how to handle open-ended uncertainty yet." - Robert Griffin
* "The humanoid form is extra worrying because it appears familiar and trustworthy, increasing the risk people misread danger." - Nicole van Rooijen