This terrifying Robot Dog carries a gigantic working rifle on its back

The United States military has often explored the use of robotics for warfare. In the recent past, everything from drones to mechanical exoskeletons have been tested. Nowadays, the military is testing more advanced technologies, like lock-on weapons and robot dogs.

As the idea of the modern robot dog becomes more familiar with the general public, they could become a household device. Boston Dynamics’ Spot and the Xiaomi Cyberdog both aim to improve the robotics field for the good. However, the military has different ideas.

Military forces will be using robot dog weapons

Reported by The Warzone, Ghost Robotics and SWORD International have collaborated on a robot dog with a mounted weapon. Designed to infiltrate tight spaces or areas that would put soldiers’ lives in danger, the “dog” uses complex algorithms to navigate its environment.

At the moment,  it doesn't look like the companies’ project is any more efficient than that of a Boston Dynamics dog. However, it does have one thing that the competition doesn't have: a massive rifle strapped to its back.

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Let's address the massive gun

Ghost Robotics’ robot dog comes equipped with a SPUR — a Special Purpose Unmanned Rifle. The 6.5mm Creedmoor rifle is taken straight from the company's unmanned ground vehicles and bolted onto the robotic animal.

The robot can carry a “Sniper payload” that can be fired from a distance of 1,200 metres. Ghost Robotics doesn't state how many rounds the device can store or how easy the reloading process is. However, it does state that the weapon features stabilisation techniques to stop the robot from flying around while shooting.

Due to its place in active warzones, the robot dog is being tweaked to not rely as much on its array of sensors. Ghost Robotics CEO and founder Jiren Parikh claims the machine can run “completely blind”. He says this is because “if a warfighter or a mining company, if anybody is using our robot, this robot had better operate 99.99% of the time”.

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