Gizmodo
A robot cannon began wildly and autonomously firing its huge gun in South Africa last Friday, killing 9 soldiers and wounding 14. The Oerlikon GDF-005 antiaircraft gun suddenly began uncontrollably shooting as it swung back and forth, spraying hundreds of high-explosive 35mm cannon shells all over the place. The crazed robot's handlers are still trying to figure out what sort of software bug would cause such mayhem. The video you see above is not the actual incident, but is a similar occurrence from a few years ago when an XM-151 remote weapons station filled the air with lead, and then spun around toward the reviewing stand in search of even more targets. Hey, good thing it had run out of those .50 caliber bullets, or else it would have laid waste to some pretty important suits. These robots, they're going to take over the world, I tell ya. [Danger Room]
Robot Cannon Goes Berserk, Kills 9
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12:25 PM on Thu Oct 18 2007
By Charlie White
95,297 views
78 comments
Comments
Judgment Day?
Don't worry, once we get Skynet up and running, all our computer problems will be fixed forever!
I flip the switch tomorrow and I gotta tell ya, I have a good feeling about this.
fixed forever!
@freeway8989:
Nah... most likely the control interface was an iphone and it just had the firmware upgrade.
I bet someone put down the controller and their Cat/ kid brother started playing with...
@aec007:
You're not wiggling out of this one at all, let alone that easily.
You know as well as the rest of us that it must have been running that new Microsoft Sky.Net Framework we've been hearing rumors about.
ED-209 anyone?
[en.wikipedia.org]
wow. this gun looks similar to the guns israel has set up along it's borders. i wonder how many palestinian civilians those are going to "accidently" kill.
Nice to see the requisite Terminator references and Apple/MS fanboy ribbing in the comments. Par for the course.
"Please put down your weapon. You have 20 seconds to comply." (Deep Robot Voice)[www.imdb.com]
Damn, I hate when that happens. Ruins a nice day in the field.
@RAIN-MAN - a little RoboCop if you please? Nice.
@strider_mt2k: Phil Tippet rocks.
... must kill all humans....
Hey baby... wanna kill all humans?
I'd buy that for a dollar!
It was playing DOOM!
Mandarin, FTW!
I call it now. Someone someday will take robot-controlled/remote-controlled firearm's unclear accountability into account when planning an assassination or murder. Either a large group of protesters or a high-ranking official will be killed, and those in control will be shrugging their shoulders. A patsy will be blamed, and the world will be none the wiser.
I keep saying it.
We're boned
Oh God! We can't even make jokes about this out of context.
@omg-ponies:you don't know how right you are.
I, for one, welcome our robot-cannon overlords. Long live Autotron!
What kind of idiots are using these weapons?
It doesn't take an engineering genius to install a mechanical stop on a turret so that they can demonstrate new systems in safety.
Most turrets have them already and a simple add on or adjustment can keep the barrel pointed in a safe arc even if the servos pushes it towards your audience.
I blame the Lord of War for not providing a User Manual in the buyers language.
...later. Let's play Global Thermonuclear War.
@Rain-man: Shame you can't program this robot to "Be loyal as a puppy" with an archaic laptop and a standardized leg-mounted interface.
Skynet is coming!
I say give the Robots a chance!!
It's not like we're doing such a great job...
Yep. that's all I can say...Yep. :-/
The disastrous effects of 1.1.1 are now complete. I believe it was searching around for a Wi-Fi signal to connect to the iTunes Music store.
Ok, I just got done reading the article and I'm not too clear on what exactly happened here. It sounds more like an ammunition explosion than computerized gun going nuts. I'm so compfused!
"Wouldn't you prefer a nice game of chess?"
"Later. Right now lets play Global Thermonuclear War."
[imdb.com]
no "Maximum Overdrive" references yet? don't let the designers of this cannon make soda vending machines otherwise the consequences could be fatal on a large scale
I'm expecting the "Arnold" Governbot 3000 to go apeshit on California any second now. As soon as he gets more of his "people" into positions of authority...
@DeeJayQueue: You beat me to it. LOL! I didn't see your quote. Nice.
How come I don't hear any Apple fanboys saying how this couldn;t have happened on Apple software?
And the NYC MTA wanted to implement automated L trains in the subway.
@Skeptical_Geezer: Because we don't need to expound upon the fact that Win2K should not be used in killer robo-brains.
@Skeptical_Geezer: When the iCannon emerges from the design board in 2011, it will revolutionize the home-killing industry. A simple touchscreen interface links you to Apple's online database of pre-loaded targets, divided into simple racial, economic and military categories. Each target can be easily purchased over iTunes and installed immediately. The unit will be a giant chunk of burnished titanium. Fanless design and Apple's patented No-Blood coating will make this an easy-to-rinse tool of murder. Unfortunately the battery will be un-replaceable. So after about 15 000 civilian targets, the whole thing needs to be sent back to the factory.
they fired first let it be known, (smashes iPhone)
@IRSHLIQUOR
This type of discussion just doesnt feel complete without the obligatory, "I for one welcome the (insert topical item) overlords". When no one posts this... I feel empty and sad.
@Kaiser-Machead: Did they install the guns in the L trains yet? I was hoping they might take care of smelly offenders. Oh and people who litter/cut their fingernails on board. Filthy humans.
Jesus Christ, it's started. WHERE THE FUCK IS SARAH CONNER???? We need help..... Now.
@Pope John Peeps II:
And most likely they will be Sony batteries...
Note to self: Bring marshmellow after unit runs out of ammo.
HAAAA HAAAA!
This reminds me of the movie Robocop when the ED-209 went nuts during the meeting and killed the poor schmuck holding the gun.
DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! DANGER! DANGER!
A-I part 2?
It's a quagmire.
Leela: Bender, get outta that tank!
Bender: Aww... I was just about to fufill my lifelong dream... Of killing all humans.
What no Screamers references?
[www.imdb.com]
Listen, Decepticons, this isn't funny, ok?
y'all crazy on this one. fact is, training accidents with live weapons is a not uncommon occurrence around the globe. had a sergeant tell me that one time back in mid 60s he was training some grunts on the .50 caliber (remember the one Rambo used?) and the receiver overheated, started firing the rounds from the heat alone, without needing the pin action. the grunt on board panicked, stood up with his hands spread apart like "wtf do I do now", meanwhile the gun was turning a little with each shot and was about to start spraying the grunts in line when my friend leaped forward and twisted the ammo feed belt, stopping the mechanism. Told me he had to clean out his shorts after that one. could have easily killed 9 soldiers, and that one was MAN operated, how do like THEM apples?
Jokes aside, that sounds like a horrendous incident. It emptied 500 rounds of 1 lb, 35mm shells on full auto. I can't even imagine the terror of being caught in that kind of firestorm.
@theorie: Lots one would hope.