From Fox News:
A steam-powered, biomass-eating military robot being designed for the Pentagon is a vegetarian, its maker says.
Robotic Technology Inc.'s Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot — that's right, "EATR" — "can find, ingest, and extract energy from biomass in the environment (and other organically-based energy sources), as well as use conventional and alternative fuels (such as gasoline, heavy fuel, kerosene, diesel, propane, coal, cooking oil, and solar) when suitable," reads the company's Web site.
But, contrary to reports, including one that appeared on FOXNews.com, the EATR will not eat animal or human remains....
RTI said Thursday in a press release:
"Despite the far-reaching reports that this includes “human bodies,” the public can be assured that the engine Cyclone (Cyclone Power Technologies Inc.) has developed to power the EATR runs on fuel no scarier than twigs, grass clippings and wood chips -- small, plant-based items for which RTI’s robotic technology is designed to forage. Desecration of the dead is a war crime under Article 15 of the Geneva Conventions, and is certainly not something sanctioned by DARPA, Cyclone or RTI."
Well, that's a relief. Yes, these autonomous, self-powered military robots--which, according to the manufacturer, could roam on their own for months or even years--will inevitably turn on their human masters. But at least after they've killed us, they won't eat our corpses.
Update: Oops! I didn't see that Brad had already uncovered the possibly-carnivorous battle robot menace last night, linking to a press release that included this line for the ages:
"We completely understand the public’s concern about futuristic robots feeding on the human population, but that is not our mission,” stated Harry Schoell, Cyclone’s CEO.
--Christopher Orr