The Mars rovers
Spirit
and
Opportunity
are (depending on time of year)
between 4 and 20 light minutes away from Earth, which has implications for remote control.
(Earth is 8 light-minutes from the Sun.
Mars is 12 light-minutes from the Sun.)
Remote-controlled drones
(not controlled by AI)
play a major role in current precision warfare against individuals.
(Contrast with the simple
carpet bombing
of previous warfare.)
The remote-controlled
Predator
is in widespread use in combat,
for reconnaissance
and attacks on small targets (individuals, vehicles, etc.)
The remote-controlled
Switchblade
drone
by
AeroVironment
is a tiny "suicide" drone that can be carried in a backpack.
It is launched from a tube, and can be steered onto a target,
where it explodes.
It is already in use in combat.
The Predator.
The
X-47B
is a larger unmanned bomber
with extra capabilities (stealth capability, invisible to radar,
faster, aircraft carrier launch and landing, midair refuelling).
Swarm of nano quadrotors.
Autonomous (not remote controlled).
From GRASP Lab, University of Pennsylvania.
Car crashes
- 0.5 million dead a year worldwide,
25 million dead so far (since the 1890s).
Road accidents are the single largest killer of men aged 15 to 44.
If we could stop this,
AI could save millions of lives in the next century.
On Internet since 1987.
