---
title: "This Aussie Inventor Is Building Robots to Help Soldiers Become Better Killers"
description: "Since 2007, his company, Marathon Targets has sold hundreds of its autonomous robot targets – which cost about $250,000 each – to defence forces on four continents."
date: "2015-08-10"
modified: "2015-08-13"
authors:
  - name: "Alex Klokus"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/alex-klokus"
url: "https://futurism.com/this-aussie-inventor-is-building-robots-to-help-soldiers-become-better-killers"
categories:
  - "Robotics"
  - "Robots and Machines"
tags:
  - "robotics"
---

# This Aussie Inventor Is Building Robots to Help Soldiers Become Better Killers

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Robottargets.jpg>)

- Unlike other robotic targets, which are joystick-controlled, the Marathon robots are autonomous: the on-board software allows the robot to react the way that combatants might typically behave, using sensors to locate themselves and other targets while moving in and out of buildings on a live-fire all-terrain range.
- A separate study found that robot training allowed 3.5x more personnel to be trained in the same time period compared to traditional training methods.
- Dr Brooks did acknowledge the [rising concern](<http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/stephen-hawking-in-reddit-ama-to-promote-call-to-ban-killer-robots-20150727-gilsf0.html>) about autonomous robots and the risks that they might pose. He argues against weapons-toting robots, saying they currently lacked the "perception" of humans – making them, for example, unable to distinguish whether the person carrying a bundle was carrying a baby or was a suicide bomber.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexklokus>)