Technology in the Armed Forces

Article 1 : 

US Army Wants Biodegradable Bullets That Sprout Plants

Not only are bullets a physical hazard, but they're an environmental hazard, too. At US Army training facilities around the world, hundreds of thousands of spent shells litter proving grounds. Because there is no efficient way to clean up the shells, they're left where they fall.

But that's a problem. The shells, which contain metal and other chemicals, can rust and pollute soils and groundwater.

The DoD wants to do something about it, though. They're soliciting proposals for biodegradable bullets "loaded with specialized seeds to grow environmentally beneficial plants that eliminate ammunition debris and contaminants."

Such materials best suited for these bullets could include the same biodegradable plastics used to make water bottles or plastic containers. Or it could be some other material altogether.

According to the request for proposal, the US Army Corps of Engineers' Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory has already developed and tested seeds that can be embedded into a biodegradable composite. They've been bioengineered to germinate only after they've been in the ground for several months.

Proposals are being solicited until February 8, after which time, the chosen contractors will produce the biodegradable bullets as part of a three-phase process. In phase one, the contractor will focus on making 40 mm to 120 mm training rounds. "Bullets" might be a bit of an understatement here. Even the smaller 40 mm rounds, which are essentially grenades, are pretty hefty (see image below). The 120 mm rounds are even bigger; they're used in tanks.

Phase II includes developing a prototype and the means to manufacture it and phase III has the biodegradable round transitioning to use at the Army training facilities.

The plants that grow from the seeds could also help remove soil contaminants or feed local wildlife. According to the proposal, "Animals should be able to consume the plants without any ill effects."

In other words, these bullets won't kill.

Article 2 : 

UN Will Take on 'Killer Robots' in 2017

Good news, fellow humans: The United Nations has decided to take on killer robots.

At the international Convention on Conventional Weapons in Geneva, 123 participating nations voted to initiate official discussions on the danger of lethal autonomous weapons systems. That's the emerging designation for so-called "killer robots" — weapons controlled by artificial intelligence that can target and strike without human intervention.

The agreement is the latest development in a growing movement calling for an preemptive ban on weaponized A.I. and deadly autonomous weapons. Last year, a coalition of more than 1,000 scientists and industry leaders, including Elon Musk and representatives of Google and Microsoft, signed an official letter to the United Nations demanding action.

The UN decision is significant in that it calls for formal discussions on the issue in 2017. In high-level international deliberations, the move from "informal" to "formal" represents a real step forward, said Stephen Goose, arms director of Human Rights Watch and a co-founder of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots.

"In essence, they decided to move from the talk shop phase to the action phase, where they are expected to produce a concrete outcome," Goose said in an email exchange with Seeker.

t's widely acknowledged that military agencies around the world are already developing lethal autonomous weapons. In August, Chinese officials disclosed that the country is exploring the use of A.I. and automation in its next generation of cruise missiles.

"China's plans for weapons and artificial intelligence may be terrifying, but no more terrifying than similar efforts by the U.S., Russia, Israel, and others," Goose said. "The U.S. is farther along in this field than any other nation. Most advanced militaries are pursuing ever-greater autonomy in weapons. Killer robots would come in all sizes and shapes, including deadly miniaturized versions that could attack in huge swarms, and would operate from the air, from the ground, from the sea, and underwater."

The core issue in regard to these weapons systems concerns human agency, Goose said.

"The key thing distinguishing a fully autonomous weapon from an ordinary conventional weapon, or even a semi-autonomous weapon like a drone, is that a human would no longer be deciding what or whom to target and when to pull the trigger," he said.

"The weapon system itself, using artificial intelligence and sensors, would make those critical battlefield determinations. This would change the very nature of warfare, and not for the betterment of humankind."

Goose said that pressure from the science and industry leaders, including some rather apocalyptic warnings from Stephen Hawking, helped spur the UN into action.

"The scientific community appears quite unified in opposing the development of fully autonomous weapons," he said. "They worry that pursuit of fully autonomous weapons will damage the reputation of the AI community and make it more difficult to move forward with beneficial AI efforts."

Aside from the obvious danger of killer robots gone rogue, the very development of such systems could lead to a "robotic arms race" that threatens international stability, Goose said.

"The dangers of fully autonomous weapons are foreseeable, and we should take action now to prevent potentially catastrophic future harm to civilians, to soldiers, and to the planet."

Commentary : 

The gun bullets used by the US Army and other army, are a source of pollution for the environment, In order to address this problem, researchers have set up biodegradable pistol bullets, these bullets of pistols have the capacity to contain seeds of plants that will allow to grow plants rather than to pollute.

The fiction becomes reality, the film terminator that puts forth uncontrollable robot man killer are close to becoming a realistic. Indeed, some countries whose united states and China are way ahead of producing military robots.The question of an autonomous weapon is becoming more and more topical.