Technology firm Ghost Robotics has unveiled a new version of its “robot dog,” or quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicles (Q-UGVs), equipped with a 6.5-millimeter Creedmoor assault rifle.
The latest variant, a collaboration between Ghost Robotics and SWORD International, was shown during the Association of the United States Army’s main annual convention in Washington, DC. The manufacturer said this Q-UGV can be instructed remotely to chamber the first round from an unloaded state, and then clear it and safe the gun.
Although information about the newly-mounted rifle is limited, Ghost Robotics disclosed that the weapon is capable of hitting targets at a distance of 1,200 meters (0.7 miles). The robot also provides impressive stabilization to the rifles because of its quadrupedal design.
According to a report by The Drive, the rifle could have “some degree of additional autonomy” because it is based on artificial intelligence, which enables the weapon to detect and lock on potential threats.
The weapon also reportedly has a sound suppressor, making it more difficult for enemy soldiers to determine where the shooting is coming from.
About the Q-UGV
Ghost Robotics explained that the Q-UGV features a system that ensures the robot keeps functioning even if the sensors it uses for moving around crashed or got destroyed.
“When our robots move around and you shove them, these forces are computed at 2,000 calculations per second per leg,” company CEO Jiren Parikh told the outlet last year. He further explained that the Q-UGVs are designed in a way that ensures they can keep working even if the sensors they use to help them move stop functioning.
Mounting a weapon on the robot dogs can allow them to immediately prosecute any targets, either at extended ranges or in tight spaces that are considered risky for soldiers.