Adobe AIR driving the military of tomorrow
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Last week I blogged about how Flash and AIR are used in the motion picture industry. This week I wanted to talk about another fascinating use of Adobe AIR. Wade Arnold and his company T8DESIGN built an AIR interface for the US military that is used to drive a cutting edge combat robot call the R-Gator. You all know Wade as the developer of AMFPHP and now the Zend AMF framework. Well in his real job he is building things that are helping to save the lives of our troops. The R-Gator is essentially an unmanned vehicle that is driven remotely using an XBOX 360 controller of all things. |
Wade talked to me a bit about the scenarios about how these are being used in the field. The R-Gator can be used as an unmanned recon scout or continuose perimeter base defense. Troops will also send the robot into hostile areas and make it appear as if it is being driven by actual troops. The vehicle can also be equipped with REDOWL, or Robot Enhanced Detection Outpost with Lasers, that can detect and locate snipers and mortars on the very first shot fired at personnel or vehicles. The operator can then provide a measured response using a 50 caliber machine gun that is mounted on the back. The R-Gator can also be equipped with a thermal laser to light up targets for air strikes. This keeps troops out of harms way while the R-Gator takes all the risks. Click on the images below to see some screenshots of the interface.
Wade also mentioned how the XBOX controller is preferred as young troops are accustomed to it which I thought was pretty funny. For obvious reasons I can’t go into a lot of details about the underlying technology but it is essentially an Adobe AIR front-end that streams live video using FMS. It has a Linux operating system and there was quite a bit of custom work that T8 had to do to get it running. The R-Gator was created by John Deere and represents the cutting edge of today’s military.
Lee
Sounds like another awesome application of AIR. Good to know. Thanks Lee.
That is pretty innovative. Flash never ceases to amaze me with its capabilities. I wonder if there is an open API for using an XBOX controller so us normal people can develop using one. I know there is a Wii API already. Any ideas folks??
Dude, what about a Playstation 2 or 3 API?
Better than developing for a xbox
That is awesome stuff. AIR just keeps on amazing me.
WoW man! that’s crazy!
I hope this is not an open source project.
AIR for the military? don’t know man. Developers forwing for the army, that is not cool at all. The worst thing is, to pretend saving lifes with a combat roboter.
@steve Not everyone in this world thinks the Army is bad. I respect our military and am not ashamed to say so. Forget about politicians and the decisions they make. People who put their life on the line for their country deserve the upmost respect. Anyone who doesn’t respect them is in turn someone that I don’t respect.
With all my respect to Adobe’s technology, it sounds a little strange to build a very-fast and accurate required real-time UI based on high level platform such as flash/AIR. Other low-level platforms and languages can produce much faster communication for this type of product.
I wish I could find more uses for AIR. My biggest problem is coming up with something to build! This is just freakin’ awesome… AIR, XBOX controllers and military equipment at the other end. Awesome! Makes my simple apps look pathetic by comparison!
)
Great Info! More posts like that – please.
“You all know Wade as the developer of AMFPHP”?
I know Patrick Mineault as the developer of AMFPHP, and Wade as the guy who took the reins and then migrated to Zend AMF.
http://www.5etdemi.com/blog/archives/2007/04/im-retiring/
http://www.5etdemi.com/blog/archives/2007/09/a-new-lead-for-amfphp/
@lee – I am totally with you. Soldiers are out there putting their life’s on the line, and if there is anything a programmer can do is help them out with our own set of skills. Its not their fault that they are put in these dangerous situations.
FLASH RULES!
@Clemente G Acquiring XBox input is essentially the same as using the Wii API. You need a hardware accessing language (C/C++/Java…) to read the controller and a socket to export the data to Flash.
@steve AIR is great for rapid prototyping and in this case allowed the extension of a skill set into a very exciting area. The use of Flex/AIR here is very much what Adobe intended it for: playing the beautiful front-end while appropriate back-end languages do the heavy lifting.
Awesome use of AIR. Get some, Wade!
This is the next coolest thing to being the guy who gets to program those heat seeking landmines.
I don’t know how they are accessing the Xbox input though. They probably have some Win32 process that converts the controller input into keystrokes and move movement, something Flash can understand.
I think, it’s ineluctable that the Flex framework is growing up and that it is on its way to enter the real “business” world. As a developer I am very happy about that! But the US is the largest exporter of military stuff in the world. And sometimes they regret their deals afterward (Iran, Taliban, UAE, …). Hence I assume that not only your army will benefit from this application. I am sorry, in my opinion you are a really great developer, but don’t you think that your perspective is a bit naive in this case?
Not people should put their life on the line for their country.
Politicians should put their lifes on that fucking line!
Maybe lee is present as a soldier in the next war…:-)
@thomas I’m not talking about politics here. But if this keeps some people safe then it is a good thing.
Wait a minute.
So the xbox controller is being used on a real piece of military hardware, making the transition for “young troops” from killing virtual people in their homes killing real people on the battlefield so much easier.
Wow.
Hey maybe they could get scores for killing real people too!
Maybe one day the kids won’t have to go to the battlefield at all, they can kill the people from home or from a coffee shop or on the bus on the way to school, and just get paid freelance rates by the military for doing it.
Yay. Gosh, can’t wait…
@lee: Thanks for your reply. I have to say, that I am from Germany. And maybe the background of my people’s history is causing this red alert in my mind, when I read your article. A weapon is still a weapon. It has the ability to kill people and it is either being navigated by so-called “bad” or “good” persons. And this is something, you – despite your respectable intention – cannot supervise. A scenario: This robot helps soldiers to survive. But someone else is using it to kill civilians. Maybe one, maybe 10, a 100, I don’t know. Would it still justify its existence? I know, this scenario is implementing that someone would give it to the wrong people. But it is very possible. It may be not even political, but market-driven. (I think, you cannot separate the one from the other nowadays.) Another (more gratfiying) thing: The Flash community is growing up and we are facing questions we did not have to care about, when we were just developing games and web banners
Political stuff aside, I think that it is a really cool project. It leverages a good deal of the platform’s potential, unlike my AIR apps. As for the XBox API, if there isn’t an open one, we should create it.
I wish there was a comment rating system so I could digg @fern’s comment. Without meaning to sound too cynical or sarcastic, it is quite funny (in a sick sense) that the controller device is an game controller, making the transition from virtual warfare to real warfare smoother.
P.S. thanks for the very interesting article!
i am Arabian .. i wonder when they will use this cool App on my family !!
oh flash .. i never thought it would end this way !!
I would have far too much fun if I could get my Flash games and other types of applications to respond to input from Xbox or other external devices. That would make for a great tutorial, actually (you reading this, Lee?!).
A Wiimote, an Xbox controller, whatever works. A tutorial for just getting it set up to move a simple sprite around using the directional pad, and rotating it with one of the main buttons, scale up and down with the top left and right buttons, etc., would be awesome.
Will there be an video interview of it? I would definitely want to know more about this app.
“the XBOX controller is preferred as young troops are accustomed to it”
wtf – I had goosebumps when i read this… I quote Fern Snider’s comment entirely.
Despite its use, this seems a great app. And of course this is a great blog. thanx lee
lee’s phone is ringing…
- lee: yeah, it’s me..who this?
- adobe: hey lee..see you have the new tuts up and running..lookin’ goood lookin good..
- lee: yeah you know…work for my money..keepin’ it real…
- adobe: lee…i will cut to the chase right away..you see them arabs and them goddamn europeans are going to give us sh*t if you don’t refrain from posting hairy topics..like..that military article you’ve posted..you know the one that discusses our technology being implemented into..killa apps..you can’t remove you blog entry now but just stay low and just don’t reply and it will blow over soon ok?…
-lee: (wearing his trusty UFC shirt with the washing machine in teh background while he fixes teh community up with another worthy additions of tuts)..oh..sure…you know i’m all in for our troops..they put their live on the line and…
- adobe: yeah , yeah that’s very nice…just watch it..we dont wanna stir sht up or lose customers..you know..the luxury life we live in the west is totally dependent on oil..and we get it..for us..for them..our current way of life would and will come to full stop if we
ceased all efforts to dig up black gold and we dont have any technology yet that can fully replace the oil hungry world’s appetite for gas…and we empower the arabic world to keep their taliban-like nasties under control…so they need to stfu as well but let’s
keep it friendly and all that…we all know how the sht goes down and they will express their political views and you have yours as us citizen cought up in justified but nevertheless faulty reasoning..the whole country is init with you so we can’t blaim you at all…so chill with that patriottic sht right?
- adobe: and also…do a tutorial on basic design pattern implementations..you know programming to interfaces and such..it would leverage our current line of products that they
be used on enterprise level developement for the masses..ok??
- adobe: but dont’s sweat it your doin’ good..good job on that setup with the condens mic and improvement in intelligibility movin’ away from n00b recordings..have you tried Cool Edit..ehh i mean Audition(lol..Sound Forge all the way)…
- lee: (slightly at unease)..sure sure…i get your point of view..of course of course i’m really sorry i wasn’t aware…it wasn’t my intention at aaalll….i mean there must be banners out there in arabic using our new text layout components that link to beheading vids and…
adobe hangs…
- lee : (mumbling to himself) dammit…ok..where’s my checklist..uhmmm..let’s see…flex 4 part3..ehh i mean..flash builder part 3..let’s see design patterns..design patterns…….let’s see whats on piratebay..aha i see…actionscript…3…advanced ..design patterns…oh right..bytearray shts…ok..i do one more comment on that military entry….
)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
great tuts..great site..great dude..but check yourself(you dont want heat like that from the community and adobe)..great move from adobe to hire you btw…greets from amsterdam, europe…
also check: http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/…(summary:we‘re fcked…very soon…when barrel oil at 200)…
“There is no path to peace. Peace is the path”
(from Advanced Actionscript 3 with Design Patterns)
@Demian,
Why are you so surprised? The 360 controller is a product of more than 20 years of development in the games industry. So it’s perfectly suited for controlling any kind of remote device, being virtual or real.
[...] Adobe AIR driving the military of tomorrow [...]
Seeing it in action would be a nice experience
> [...]
> Its not their fault that they are put in these dangerous situations.
> [...]
Sure it is, because they joined the mitlitary. OK, they did it, because militiray propaganda told them that it is in honor and they will “defend democracy” and all that propagandistic sh*t. But if they used their brains a little, they hadn’t joined their army. So it is totally their fault, that they are losing limbs, become mentally damaged or even get totally torn apart and killed. Not to speak of their victims, called “collateral damage”. And it’s also their fault, that their families have to handle these burdens furtheron.
You americans have a lot really good and intelligent anti-war-lyrics, really amazing that so much of you still favour this “bullying the whole world” just to make more money. War is never for defense or protecting but always for profit. Profit by killing innocent people.
Really disgusting to see Adobe involved in guns and warfare.
Regards Paddy
It saddens me, that you removed my comment, lee …
Wicked! Screw politics, this is a fabulous application for AIR. Think about the other applications it can be used… aerospace? flying aircraft? driving fork lifts?
No offense to your other posts, your tutorials are great, but I would love to read more posts like this.
@Paddy I didn’t remove your comment. I approve every comment by hand to avoid SPAM so sometimes it takes a little while to get approved.
@chd I laughed while reading my hypothetical dialog with Adobe
It really goes more like:
Adobe: [says nothing because Lee is simply talking about an interesting use of AIR]
Lee: [is happy he works for such a cool company]
@Lee: Oh, I apologize for my second post then.
BTW: I’m really a big fan of gotoandlearn, your tutorials did open the door for me into Flash and AS Development. Keep on with that.
Regards Paddy
*chd
“There is no path to peace. Peace is the path”
(from Advanced Actionscript 3 with Design Patterns)
here’s a even better solution:
“We practice selective annihilation
of mayors and government officials
For example to create a vacuum
Then we fill that vacuum
As popular war advances
Peace is closer”
(from Guns N’ Roses – Civil War)
@Paddy… “Really disgusting to see Adobe involved in guns and warfare.”
and
“You americans have a lot really good and intelligent anti-war-lyrics, really amazing that so much of you still favour this “bullying the whole world” just to make more money. War is never for defense or protecting but always for profit. Profit by killing innocent people.”
*sigh* Please remove the stick from your ass and take this app with a grain of salt. Lee is showing an application using AIR, he’s not promoting bombing everything in site with Adobe branded nukes…
Most of “us americans” would be perfectly happy if the rest of the world just STFU for a while and played nice with everyone else for a change and left us out of their problems….
Well that’s taking gaming to the next level
Military hardware doesn’t save lives, it makes one side more efficient at killing the other. Remote controlled warfare is evil. It promotes war and all the chaos and suffering it brings by making war more publicly acceptable. Casualties and the bad press and popular opposition that they bring shorten wars and make it more difficult for governments to start them.
Why can’t we put more effort into better communication between beligerent leaders and promote conflict resolution and constructive dialogue. Do we really want Dick Cheney and his followers to have their way?
@Matt technically you’re wrong. Military hardware can save lives of those who have it, but not necessarily for the other side who doesn’t have it.
But I’ll stress again, I thought was an interesting use of AIR and I stand by that. Please try to keep commentary to Flash and AIR as I don’t want this to turn into a political argument post
@Lee I know you just asked to keep the chat on Flash, but I’m quite interested in what you meant by “…the XBOX controller is preferred as young troops are accustomed to it which I thought was pretty funny.”
In the UK there have been ads on TV recruiting for the army, which also showed devices RC-ed with 360 controllers, and I remember feeling a little uncomfortable about it. Aside from any arguments about the nature of war, do you think it’s kind of weird that – as an earlier poster mentioned – it seems to venture that real wars can be fun in the same way that gaming can be? (Not looking for a definitive take on whether it’s right or wrong, but what did you mean?)
Really appreciate the work you do for the Flash community!
@Lee With all due respect, you’ve opened a big ol’ can of worms here. From reading these comments anyone can see it’s an emotive subject and it’s difficult not to have an opinion on it. That’s the responsibility of publishing.
By publishing an “interesting post” that appears to be in support of warfare, particularly for types of technology that are currently being used to kill more civilians than combatants, stirring up hatred and radicalising groups to a point where it’s difficult to see any kind of peaceful resolution, you’re entering into a big ol’ nasty polarised debate.
While you can claim that, technically, this could save a few American servicemen’s lives the net loss of life will, most probably, be higher. There’s strong evidence that remote controlled warfare, while not putting American servicemen in the line of fire, actually increases overall casualty rates in areas of conflict through collateral damage because it tends to be used far more indiscriminately. Also, it doesn’t stop the military remote operators from becoming severly emotionally disturbed from using these technologies.
Hey Lee, was noticing a problem on this post, not sure if it’s your plugin but the lightbox effect on the images is only greying out the screen and not showing the images. I’m using IE8 (not by choice).
Great post!
If i would be in charge of Adobe, i would sue the guys who would use my technology for military purposes. But I guess as always at adobe: profit prevails. right?
My sympathy for adobe just dropped several points.
@lee: Thinking that military hardware could save lives is just “nearsighted”. By that logic using nukes would be the ultimate weapon, since none of the attackers get killed.
Havin “less casualties” will lead to more war, since it’s “clean” now.
Why are the americans considering to withdraw toops from iraq, isn’t it only because they are making no progress at all and their soldiers just keep on dying? It is.
@paddy
you are totally right.
@Matt Yeah I knew the post would be a can of worms. All I can do is to try to keep the discussion focused
@Ilya uhhh we can’t sue people who use our technology. I’m sure you understand that. We didn’t contract with the military to build this. I’m also not sure what you mean by sympathy.
Again, the whole point of any military technology, from tanks to night vision goggles, is to keep your own troops alive while allowing you to take out the enemy. That is just the reality of what a military’s purpose is.
Everyone in the world simultaneously putting down their guns and living side by side in peace is a nice thought but it is nothing more than a fairy tale and is not grounded in reality. I fully agree that we should be careful about WHEN we use our militaries. But having one is an absolute necessity.
I understand everyone’s passion on this subject and I respect your opinions even if I don’t agree. An open dialog is a good thing.
I’m confused and conflicted
what was wrong with just plain old Marquess of Queensberry rules
See I didn’t even follow my own advice with that last comment
“I understand everyone’s passion on this subject and I respect your opinions even if I don’t agree. An open dialog is a good thing.”
While I agree that open dialogs are good, I disagree that this is the place for it. I realize this application of AIR is interesting to many, but aren’t there tons of examples of cool AIR applications that don’t inherently come along with dozens of posts bickering about the morality of war?
In a perfect world everyone would be able to read this post for what it’s meant to be about, the application of a specific technology, but who are we kidding? This is the internet and topics like this always stir up a ton of crap.
continuation of #51…
With all of that said, I see you as a proxy of Adobe. While I’m not sure if this blog is your professional duty or just a personal interest, I would have guessed that you would tread lightly on such topics considering you’re seen as speaking for Adobe in most cases.
Thanks for the post Lee, very cool and interesting to see many other applications of Air far beyond just what we are used to on our PCs. Can you maybe please expand on this with a tutorial on further leveraging air and air apps? Been looking for a way to build a simple air app to update my blog, but being the n00b i am, im lost.
I think the ideas behind this are great, XBox controller input to an AIR interface is a great idea for a highly usable application.
Microsoft will have invested a fortune into the ergonomics and usability of the 360 controller in order to offer maximum functionality within easy reach, why would the military not want to use such a device?
As for the politics, anyone with such a strong opinion really should be lobbying governments not a Flash blog!
Scary though from Fern Snider and it went pretty much ignored… It makes me feel sick that the hundreds of hours I, or any gammer, have spent “killing” virtual stuff on games, could actaully become the norm, but with REAL people being masacrated (“50 caliber machine gun”, anyone?) from a comfortable couch miles away from harm’s way…
@lee: “I thought was an interesting use of AIR and I stand by that.”
I agree with you on that but…
“Please try to keep commentary to Flash and AIR as I don’t want this to turn into a political argument post”
you made it a political argument:
“Not everyone in this world thinks the Army is bad. I respect our military and am not ashamed to say so. Forget about politicians and the decisions they make. People who put their life on the line for their country deserve the upmost respect. Anyone who doesn’t respect them is in turn someone that I don’t respect.”
What is to respect in a human that murders another? What is to admire in a human who tortures and abuses another?
“I fully agree that we should be careful about WHEN we use our militaries.”
Careful? is that a joke? does bullying other countries counts as carefull? does invading another country for the sake of appropiating its resources counts as careful?
I also disagree on the absolute necessity of the military but this post is too long already.
Finally, Lee, I’m a big fan of yours, really, but this is one thing I totally disagree with you…
Really–the “uproar” here is such a non-topic. Regardless how you feel politically this is just a mention of someone using the product. It’s like saying this or that objectionable or worthy organization is using Acrobat for their documents. News flash: the president just used a 3M brand post-it note on an important document!
Screen shots look neat.
@John It would be a disservice to my readers to only talk about politically correct uses of Flash and AIR. If people have political objections to the application of the technology then that is OK. Were all friends here.
Just wait for my post on the use of AIR in the porn industry (jk)
> [...]
> It would be a disservice to my readers to only talk about
> politically correct uses of Flash and AIR.
> [...]
I think it’s not about “political correctness”, it’s more that this (e.g. yours) “Hey, great stuff here .. ok, ok they’ll gonnna use it to kill people and make war with it … yeah I know … but shit happens, no one’s fault, no one to blame, that’s just the way the cookie crumbles … but doesn’t it look just georgeous!? Just imagine controlling real weapons like an XBox-Game!” attitude that is (imho) ethical incorrect. And that feels alarming.
No problem with knowing that pervert weapon-developers are using Flash and are planning to make war and killing more console-game-like to flytrap young people, so that they have fun doing it. But hooraying that just because it’s done with Flash/Air, tastes quite foul.
Just my 2c
Regards Paddy
@Paddy it’s fine that we don’t agree. I stand by my contention that controlling a robot and receiving live multi-camera video back is a really interesting use of AIR. I also think the UI screens do look really nice and props to Wade and his company for designing them.
Continue talking amongst yourselves but I am done with this one. I wish issues like these could be hammered out in comment threads but it is impossible. Find me at the next Flash conference and we can debate over a beer
Wow! When I read the posting earlier in the week, I actually didn’t think it would generate so much controversy and naively thought this was only a posting about an interesting use of Adobe AIR technology.
But in any event, I’ll chime in.
Technology is everywhere and it shouldn’t be a surprise that Flex and AIR are being adopted as goto solutions for both defensive and offensive measures in both the private, public and military sectors.
I don’t really see a debate in the implementation of the technology. Kind of silly actually.
Have your opinions, say how you feel but do so with a little class and thoughtfulness.
Lee’s comment about having respect for anyone who is willing to sacrifice their life for their country, is echoed across this country and across this world and is also not debatable.
What is not appreciated is the implication that our soldiers are not using “their brains” and are “murderers”. Again, have your opinion, but do it respectfully.
Finally; There is not one person alive on this earth today that has not been affected by war and bloodshed in the name of freedom. You may disagree, and you have that right, and soldiers will continue to fight and die so that you may continue to exercise that right.
~moses
I’d love to have a beer with you Lee! I’m a big fan of your tutorials and blog.
Were it not for the responses to this article, I’d feel awkward recommending that up-and-coming Flashers check out this blog. I think this discussion is a good thing and looks far better than if the article just passed by without any comments about its humanitarian implications.
Regarding the comments here about needing a military: Yes, most but not all countries need a military. The US has a military bigger than all the other countries combined and, despite what the Obama administration would like us to believe, is getting bigger. War has become a massive and highly profitable business in the US and the Military-industrial complex, as Dwight Eisenhower called it, needs war to thrive. The question ends up being, do we need the Military-industrial complex to wage war for our security or does the Military-industrial complex make us less secure by waging war in order to ensure it’s own prosperity?
I’d recommend being well informed about it. It’s in everyone’s interests and a primary concern for peace and stability in the world.
BTW, Al-Qaeda’s stated objective is to bankrupt the US by forcing it to swell it’s spending on the Military. Something you don’t hear repeated much on our media in the “war on terror”.
Great – the secretaries of the interior here in Germany just yesterday decided to make a law that forbids production and distribution of “killergames” (yeah, there is no hard definition of what a “killergame” is).
Their argument is that gaming desensitizes the people to violence. They are gonna have a fieldtrip with this App. “See, Xbox Controller used for real war, because it’s easier for them – we said so all along!”
Just great.
This technology is proceeding the developement of the distance weapon. It’s easier for a pubescent adult to kill from a distance, doesnt have to see the pain of other people, the pain he caused by hitting a button. Its preventing him not only from being harmed, but also from having a moral conflict. In earlier times, ones would call this person cowardly, but today we call it efficient. For this person killing will be a “fun” thing, because it can compensate a feeling of helplessness (every one got this) and transfer it to a feeling of power and effect. But is killing a “fun” thing? Not for the victims and their ancestors.
I would appreciate it if both combatants using robots instead of theirselfes on the battlefield – but this is not the reality. The rich nations call for their right to invade poorer countries that can not defend themselfes, only because they can and in the media within the attacking nation, those people who want to defend their homecountry are called terrorists. I also realized that this communication of the conflict persuasively semanticizes the citizens of the “victim” country as a kind of “lower” human being, that is not as worth as the own soldiers. People believe this. But its understandable. If your social environment believes it, so you have to do it as well, frightening being socially excluded. Mass media is using this effect very well.
But I personally don’t believe that this new killing-method is effective. May be short timed. But in the end, more and more citizens (yeah, I call afghans citizens. Isn’t it disturbing?) will estimante it as morally wrong and cowardly and more and more will oppose the occupying forces. Don’t think the russian hind helicopter was low-technology. You can’t win the hearts and minds of people by killing (even by accident) their relatives. As a commander you can win the sovereignty over the airspace in afghanistan, but the ground is still needed for operating. If you can’t make a clean decision from “above” between, who is “good” (doesn’t fight my soldiers)and who is “evil” (fights my soldiers), then you have a problem.
If the US army is proceeding killing the relatives of afghan citizens, it will surely end in defeat or in a new holocaust (because you have to kill all of them, because all had become “evil”). If you live in a democracy, this decision should also ly in your hands. Remember Vietnam, as we germans remember the 2.World War. And learn.
Sorry for my second comment, but above it shouldn’t be “ancestors”, but “relatives”. One more thing: When the USA invaded germany, they were seen as the “moral” winners. Nazi germany had conquered nearly whole europe and did a lot of crimes. So the germans had no argument for keeping up the resistance.
How ironic! The catchpa for this post was “wise wilhelm”!
Re Bilderberg’s comments: Yes, remote controlled warfare does make it easier for leaders to attack countries. BTW, there’s no such thing as defensive military action unless you’re actually being invaded and military action does little to prevent or deter terrorism. But there are casualties on both sides. There are disturbing numbers of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) pilots who have succummed to severe psycological disorders. The military is doing its utmost to prevent genuine statistics about this from getting into the public domain, for obvious reasons, and as a result are suppressing pilots’ claims that they are suffering from the effects of their job.
The IDF (Israeli Defence Force) is also using UAVs extensively in Gaza and the Lebanon. They have, to date, killed far more women and children than they have men, according to organisations such as the United Nations, Human Rights Watch and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
As for preventing Al-Queeda from launching further terrorist attacks, both the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban (BTW – They are separate and distinct organisations, have separate and distinct objectives and have little to do with each other) have almost no contact with Al-Qeeda. What contact they do have is through countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia which are the main sources of funds for Al-Qeeda. So the US UAV bombing Afghan and Pakistani villages does little more than radicalise these two Taliban groups against the US. If this continues, we may see new terrorist groups emerging, citing the US and Americans as their primary target. Far from preventing international terrorism, UAV attacks will most probably provoke it.
If we want to stop Al-Qeeda, we should turn our attention to the UAE and Saudi Arabia and use diplomacy to reduce international terrorism. The thing to do is not kill people indiscriminately in proxy wars in foreign countries but to engage the sources of funds and political support for terrorist organisations.
So in short, again, I think it’s unlikely that remote controlled warfare will save American lives or make Americans safer. There are other far more constructive and effective solutions to the problems we all face with regards to the middle east.
I’d like to keep using a joystick for killing within the realms of fantasy violence and home entertainment. Remote controlled warfare is no way to win the hearts and minds of the international community and forces the US into using force to achieve its goals as opposed to exercising its power to achieve them (Check out Hegemony).
Lee,
The XBOX Controller thing is pretty common and not just via US Army. I know of mining companies that have combined followed suite here, to essentially drive underground earth moving equipment instead of putting miners lives at risk.
-
Scott Barnes
Rich Platforms Product Manager
Microsoft.
[...] 9 2009 by arebentisch Adobe demonstrates that cutting edge software technology is also useful for military uses. In times of stimulus spending and costly military missions certainly an important business option: [...]
Yea, really:
“building things that are helping to save the lives of our troops”
and I must add:
“while helping kill young men and women who were unfortunate enough to be born in another country!”
Damn, I thought you would be a bit more intelligent after reading your blog for all these years. Im sure you wont even approve this comment tho, so whatever!
@scott not only will I approve it but I will also respond. What do you think military technology is for? It is to keep our troops safe while being as efficient as possible at dispatching the enemy. All military technologies used by every military on earth serves this purpose. Obviously you are one of the people who think that the world shouldn’t have militaries. I wholeheartedly disagree but I respect your opinion.
Great! Get excited folks! Then, in the future…run for your lives from such devices! Oooh…cool…50 cal machine guns…powered by the Adobe Corporation toolset!
Wow, didn’t know Terminator 5 is already out. How is it called? “Rise of the Machines”? Oh wait, that was Terminator 3. And what was the name of the company again? “T8Design”… (haha)
“And you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don’t believe
We’re on the eve of destruction.”
[...] Pretty cool how next-generation robots are being built to be controlled by XBox 360 controllers. Not only is that much cheaper than the regular defense controllers, the soldiers prefer it because they are already accustomed to game controllers: http://theflashblog.com/?p=1034 [...]
[...] at the Flash Blog, Lee Brimelow has an interesting scoop on how an XBox 360 interface was designed for the R-Gator, an unmanned vehicle prototype John Deere [...]
Sounds great and innovative.
Hi Lee!
Just saw this video on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cva90NgY9cs) and wondered if you could tell us more about the research on natrual user interfaces at Adobe. Would also be interesting to see some tutorials in that kind of way at gotoandlearn.com (like the nice Flex application that is shown in the video).
I did a project with gestural interaction myself based on Flash and ActionScript 3 (http://vimeo.com/4653071) and there are lots of examples out there for Flash based natural user interfaces, so I’m looking forward to see some excellent stuff of the professionals out there and the use of Flash/Flex/Air and maybe some connecting engines like Box2D.
I also would like to know if Flash is really an alternative to tools like vvvv or processing in the future. Cause at the moment it’s not as good hardware accelerated as they are. So really would like to know what Adobe is up to in this case.
Cheers
Hi Lee,
Am I wrong in saying that building something kind of like this (not nearly as advanced or deadly) is do-able using the Arduino platform ?
- http://www.arduino.cc
Ive been gathering research for an AIR application using Arduino if possible, and Im really trying to wrap my head around the capabilities of the two.
Very interesting post!
Thanks much,
Joe Berry
[...] at the Flash Blog, Lee Brimelow has an interesting scoop on how an XBox 360 interface was designed for the R-Gator, an unmanned vehicle prototype John Deere [...]