# So lets say I want to build a killer robot **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 27, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-lets-say-i-want-to-build-a-killer-robot/780927 "2017-02-27T05:50:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-lets-say-i-want-to-build-a-killer-robot/780927/1 "2017-02-27T05:50:43Z")
One of the parts of the Terminator movies I’ve always been skeptical of is the super strength of the Terminators. Making a robot that can fire weaponry and at least outwardly appear human as long as you don’t try to have a deep conversation with it seems like it could be done today, or pretty soon. Now while I’m not an engineer, I’m skeptical that you could build such a machine sturdy enough, or with reactions quick enough, to handle a human in hand to hand combat. Unless we assume magical future technology, building a human like machine would require many of the same tradeoffs nature had to make to create a human. So if I wanted to create a human-like infiltrator assassin-bot, how far could i get with current technology in making the body strong? Would it be possible to make a robot stronger and faster than a human while retaining human shape, or is there just no way to do that without designing it totally differently? And is there any conceivable technology that could make a terminator-style robot as powerful as the T-800, or would such a creation always be a little clumsier and weaker than a human? ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-lets-say-i-want-to-build-a-killer-robot/780927/2 "2017-02-27T09:11:15Z")
Depends on what you mean by strength. Crushing a human hand or picking them up, easy. Surviving a giant explosion, being run over by a truck, or brushing off a hail of gunfire, not so much. Current bipedal robots are bulky and make a lot of conspicuous whirring noises and couldn’t display anywhere near the complex behavior or environmental navigation of the Terminator robots, though you might be able to build robots that could do very specific things sorta good enough, like aim and shoot a gun, drive a car, or navigate a room, but not all in one machine. The power supply would be a serious obstacle even if you got the right software. For lifting, you can look at [military exoskeletons](https://youtu.be/V87lSB5XWVs) which let users lift a couple hundred pounds. That was a several years ago. [High speed robot hand.](https://youtu.be/-KxjVlaLBmk) In Rogue One there’s a humorous scene where the K-2SO robot snatches a grenade out of the air, which reminded me of all those demonstration videos of robot arms catching stuff, [like this.](https://youtu.be/EqMPLnIRUvQ) Future robots might use [artificial muscles.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_muscle) > [@](#): > > As of 2014, the most powerful artificial muscle fibers in existence can offer a hundredfold increase in power over equivalent lengths of natural muscle fibers. The T-800 in the Terminator movies, at least the first two, aren’t really that quick or agile. Humans easily out run them and often get in several attacks before having their day ruined. Recall Reese hitting him in the head several times with a steel rod in the original, or the bar scene in the sequel. They weren’t exactly lifting cars over their head, either. Chimps are way stronger than humans and we’re made of the same stuff. I’d expect any futuristic killbot to turn humans into pudding. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-lets-say-i-want-to-build-a-killer-robot/780927/3 "2017-02-27T18:59:22Z")
I’m not aware of them having anything that can travel through time or go one-on-one with tank (yet) but if you’re just looking for something to relentlessly stalk and kill all humans? Google Boston Dynamics and get a quick look at our future overlords. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-lets-say-i-want-to-build-a-killer-robot/780927/4 "2017-02-27T19:20:52Z")
Even though it’s not an explosive device, I suspect that owning a Killer Robot would make you liable under various “Infernal Machine” statutes like this: > [@](#): > > 2016 New Hampshire Revised Statutes > Title XII - PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELFARE > Chapter 158 - EXPLOSIVES AND EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES > Section 158:35 - Possession of Infernal Machine; Penalty. > > Universal Citation: NH Rev Stat § 158:35 (2016) > 158:35 Possession of Infernal Machine; Penalty. – Whoever, other than a police or other law enforcement officer acting in the discharge of his official duties, or fire or military personnel while in performance of their duties, has in his possession or under his control an infernal machine or a similar instrument, contrivance, or device shall be subject to the following penalty: > I. If the offense occurs prior to November 1, 1973, he shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned in the state prison for not more than 10 years, or both. > II. If the offense occurs on or after November 1, 1973, he shall, if a natural person, be guilty of a Class A felony, and any other person shall be guilty of a felony. > III. The said machine, instrument, contrivance, or device shall be forfeited to the state. Notice of the seizure of any such machine, instrument, contrivance or device shall be sent forthwith to the director of state police and the article seized shall be subject to his order. > Source. 1973, 419:1, eff. Aug. 29, 1973. That “…or a similar instrument, contrivance, or device…” probably allows a lot of legal leeway in determining if you’re in violation of the law. > **[2023 New Hampshire Revised Statutes :: Title XII - Public Safety and Welfare...](https://law.justia.com/codes/new-hampshire/2016/title-xii/chapter-158/section-158-35)** > > Justia Free Databases of US Laws, Codes & Statutes ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-lets-say-i-want-to-build-a-killer-robot/780927/5 "2017-02-27T20:56:42Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > One of the parts of the Terminator movies I’ve always been skeptical of is the super strength of the Terminators. Making a robot that can fire weaponry and at least outwardly appear human as long as you don’t try to have a deep conversation with it seems like it could be done today, or pretty soon. Now while I’m not an engineer, I’m skeptical that you could build such a machine sturdy enough, or with reactions quick enough, to handle a human in hand to hand combat. Unless we assume magical future technology, building a human like machine would require many of the same tradeoffs nature had to make to create a human. > > So if I wanted to create a human-like infiltrator assassin-bot, how far could i get with current technology in making the body strong? Would it be possible to make a robot stronger and faster than a human while retaining human shape, or is there just no way to do that without designing it totally differently? And is there any conceivable technology that could make a terminator-style robot as powerful as the T-800, or would such a creation always be a little clumsier and weaker than a human? At one point in the Freefall comic the author has one of his robot characters make the same point to a human, that in general humans and other biologicals are a lot more robust than most robots _(I’m sure a war-machine would be different, but he doesn’t depict those)_. If you can get over one of the main characters being furry its a really interesting read with quite a few ideas I haven’t come across elsewhere. [http://freefall.purrsia.com/](http://freefall.purrsia.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-lets-say-i-want-to-build-a-killer-robot/780927/6 "2017-02-27T20:59:41Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > So if I wanted to create a human-like infiltrator assassin-bot, how far could i get with current technology in making the body strong? Would it be possible to make a robot stronger and faster than a human while retaining human shape, or is there just no way to do that without designing it totally differently? Right now, nobody can build a robot that can stand and walk in a human shape, period. Current robots have to stand and walk in a “frog walk” position, move with the speed of an octogenarian, and need a cable connection to an outside power supply. We are years, possibly decades away from being able to build a human-sized, human-shaped robot that moves in a way that looks human, and then you will be very lucky to keep it running for an hour or two on an internal battery. Even the CPUs would quickly drain away the battery power, much less moving around or fighting. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-lets-say-i-want-to-build-a-killer-robot/780927/7 "2017-02-27T21:04:10Z")
[This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVlhMGQgDkY) is what a state-of-the-art “humanoid” robot is like today. It is no match for a guy who lightly pokes it with a stick. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2017, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-lets-say-i-want-to-build-a-killer-robot/780927/8 "2017-02-28T00:08:03Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVlhMGQgDkY) is what a state-of-the-art “humanoid” robot is like today. It is no match for a guy who lightly pokes it with a stick. There are a few others that, in their way, are probably closer to being more convincingly human. ASIMO’s movement is more fluid, and [this one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvbAqw0sk6M) is more human-like in stance, although still stiff and robotic. Both of these lack the terrain adaptibility of the Boston Dynamics walker, however.