Gaming Skill in Action: More Warbots

Meet Crusher, a 7-tonne autonomous military vehicle. Humans can take direct control if necessary, using an Xbox controller to raise and lower Crusher’s antenna, rotate its camera and fire its onboard machine gun. Stephen Welby, director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office joked that soldiers “could finally put their Halo skills to good use.”

Continuing the theme is Packbot, a demolitions robot controlled with a Wiimote that is designed to clear mines and bombs. The scientists developing the unit point to the Wiimote’s intuitive control system as a major factor in their choice.