Flame-Throwing Robot Dog Now Available Under $10,000 (throwflame.com)
- Reference: 0173622672
- News link: https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/04/24/0258249/flame-throwing-robot-dog-now-available-under-10000
- Source link: https://throwflame.com/products/thermonator-robodog/
> For $10,000, you can now get a flamethrower mounted on a robotic dog. Just load [2]the webpage and scroll down. I saw this on the news today. *Definitely* we need to have a conversation about where AI is going.
The robot, called the Thermonator, is constructed by Ohio flame throwing manufacturer [3]Throwflame and features one of the company's ARC flamethrowers mounted on its back. The 26-pound robotic quadruped "can shoot fire in a 30-foot stream and comes with a built-in fuel tank powered by gasoline," [4]notes Gizmodo . "The company says the robot also has an hour-long battery, a laser sight, and lidar mapping, and it can be remotely controlled via the company's app."
The company [5]says its product is designed for "wildfire control and prevention," "agriculture management," "ecological conservation," "entertainment and SFX," and "snow and ice removal." It can be yours for the low price of $9,420 with free shipping.
[1] https://slashdot.org/~Okian+Warrior
[2] https://throwflame.com/products/thermonator-robodog/
[3] https://throwflame.com/press/
[4] https://gizmodo.com/thermonator-the-flame-throwing-robot-dog-can-now-be-y-1851429292
[5] https://throwflame.com/products/thermonator-robodog/
Why not just go the whole hog... (Score:2)
... and simply mount an automatic rifle on the top. That after all is where this ultimately is all leading but no one dare say it.
Re: (Score:2)
Inaccuracy and inability to handle recoil most likely. Robodog seems to be crap tier, so unlikely to produce any meaningful accuracy for a rifle.
Re: (Score:3)
> Inaccuracy and inability to handle recoil most likely. Robodog seems to be crap tier, so unlikely to produce any meaningful accuracy for a rifle.
That’s why you go whole newton and mount two opposing shotguns. By firing in opposite directions at the same instant with shot that scatters and loses most of the damage past a hundred yards the dog can more easily spray down everything in the area without falling over.
Re:Why not just go the whole hog... (Score:4, Interesting)
I may be wrong, but I think I heard somewhere that flamethrowers aren't classified as weapons in the US. Might be why it's legally easy to market Thermo.
Re: (Score:1)
> I may be wrong, but I think I heard somewhere that flamethrowers aren't classified as weapons in the US. Might be why it's legally easy to market Thermo.
They are not classified as a firearm...they are perfectly legal to own in the US.
Re: (Score:2)
Plausible deniability? You could claim you use it for the tasks they list, not a home defence system.
What's the legality of owning a flamethrower, and of using it on a suspected intruder? They seem to be readily available in the US, but would there be any issue with burning someone instead of shooting them?
Re: (Score:2)
> Plausible deniability? You could claim you use it for the tasks they list, not a home defence system.
> What's the legality of owning a flamethrower, and of using it on a suspected intruder? They seem to be readily available in the US, but would there be any issue with burning someone instead of shooting them?
In the USA it is legal to own a flamethrower.
And it is legal to use them for self-defense.
That's why it's hard to find them at the hardware
store, and why the daily news is filled with stories
of people burning intruders and the occasional
paperboy all the time. At only $10,000 this new
robot will be flying off the shelves. The hospitals
are already oveerrun with incinerated children
from the traditional flameweapons.
You can expect even more casualties in the
coming year with the autonomous mobile
AI-enabled 3D-pri
Re: (Score:2)
Black Mirror said it. Scary episode!
Re: (Score:2)
If the BM dog had had a flamethrower, it could've burned down that tree... 100% that's where they got the idea from XD
Re: (Score:1)
> ... and simply mount an automatic rifle on the top. That after all is where this ultimately is all leading but no one dare say it.
Well, at least in the US, it is incredibly expensive to attain any full auto weapon (can't be manufactured after 1986 for any civilian possession)....and with that scarcity factor, you might be a bit apprehensive to modify or alter a collectors piece.
Then, you have to go through the lengthy federal background checks and licensing to possess a full auto weapon.
And frankly, IMHO
Re: (Score:2)
> ... and simply mount an automatic rifle on the top. That after all is where this ultimately is all leading but no one dare say it.
The announcement was focused on price. Do you REALLY want to know what taxpayers pay for THAT model, at government pricing?
I don’t.
Well this seems good. (Score:3)
Everything is fine.
(Picture the dog in the burning room cartoon. Very apt considering this product. Lol)
"Metalhead" (Score:1)
This bring to mind the Black Mirror episode "Metalhead" with killer dog-like robots on the loose. What could possibly go wrong?
Re: (Score:2)
Tech bros (and they are always bros) have been using the intended-as-cautionary tales of science fiction as the initial phase in their R&D for about a century now. They were so concerned as to whether they COULD do it that they didn't even stick around for whatever Jeff Goldblum said after that part.
Re: (Score:2)
> Tech bros (and they are always bros) have been using the intended-as-cautionary tales of science fiction as the initial phase in their R&D for about a century now. They were so concerned as to whether they COULD do it that they didn't even stick around for whatever Jeff Goldblum said after that part.
Ooooh, ahhhh that's how it starts...and then later there's flamethrowing and barking...
Serious question (Score:2)
Can anyone buy one of these? Does the company only sell to select other companies or programs? If I had a bag of cash, could I walk in off the street and buy one? How much do the refills cost, or is the gasoline the propellant and fuel (the blurb isn't clear)?
Re: (Score:2)
Yes. It's 9420 USD. Free shipping in US.
It's not particularly special. It's just a low end robot dog with a low end gasoline electric flamethrower attached on top. It costs as much to refuel as gasoline costs at your location. You can also mix it with some diesel if you want a slightly smaller and longer burning flame. Mix needs to be gasoline rich enough to ignite with a plasma arc through, manufacturer recommends no more than 50:50 mix.
It's all on product page and in the manual linked on it: [1]https://throw [throwflame.com]
[1] https://throwflame.com/products/thermonator-robodog/
Re: (Score:2)
> Yes. It's 9420 USD. Free shipping in US.
> It's not particularly special. It's just a low end robot dog with a low end gasoline electric flamethrower attached on top.
Perhaps the emotional reaction to this is the so called "robot dog". Because civilian flamethrowers are and have been in use for a long time, largely used as firebreaks these days. The US has a lot of area prone to wildfires. In addition to fighting fires with firebreaks to limit their spread, we have a lot of controlled burns. The controlled burn is a weird but successful concept that since an area simply will burn at some point from natural causes, you do a controlled burn during a time when it is least
Re: (Score:2)
> Perhaps the emotional reaction to this is the so called "robot dog".
I thought about that. It would be hard to call it anything else. You don't really want wheels on something this short on rough terrain because if it overturns, you lose the thing in a wildfire. And generic quadruped just doesn't have quite the same sound to it.
Re: (Score:2)
>> Perhaps the emotional reaction to this is the so called "robot dog".
> I thought about that. It would be hard to call it anything else. You don't really want wheels on something this short on rough terrain because if it overturns, you lose the thing in a wildfire. And generic quadruped just doesn't have quite the same sound to it.
All true. It "walks" like a dog, and has that doggish look. The awkward thing is that yes, the doggone thing is kind of cute. Until it spits at you, of course.
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They are illegal in Maryland
will there be a 7-day wait period (Score:2)
Unconfirmed reports also mention that the passage from the Old Testament will be quoted in the instruction booklet; it's the part about Sodom and Gomorrah
Kind of expensive (Score:2)
Buying each piece separately and bolting the gas burner on the robot should at least halve the bill.
Re: Kind of expensive (Score:2)
Just wait for the cheaper Chinese version. !
Re: (Score:2)
Looking at what's available, you can have the robot for about $3.5k and the burner for another $35. Free shipping, assembly tools and a leaking gas canister included.
Still too expensive by an order of magnitude.
Optimus with not-a-flamethrower (Score:2)
Elon thought years ahead of this gimmick.
Insurance (Score:2)
How much does public liability insurance for using one of these cost?
Re: Insurance (Score:2)
Nothing. No insurer will cover anything related to a product like this. Zero cost , zero coverage, you own all liability. Not that anyone who would actually buy a product like this would care about something like insurance.
Re: (Score:2)
> How much does public liability insurance for using one of these cost?
Most will be used by the forest service for controlled burns and fighting forest fires. Limited liability for controlled burns, and all bets are off in the event of forest fires.
The insurance risk will be for any used for entertainment. At least here in verdant Pennsylvania, we take our forests pretty seriously. If you are burning trash and it turns into a wildfire, you are going to jail. So this flame-spittin' doggobot is probably not going to be used too often for entertainment. At base, insurance wi
My bald boss wants to know (Score:1)
Does it come with a freaking laser on it's freaking head? Well, is it at least ill tempered?
And that night (Score:3)
And that night Aibo shed a tear for what had become of cute robot dogs.
But wait... there's more! (Score:2)
I mean... it's a good product and all, but can you integrate AI into it? Then it would check ALL the boxes.
If anyone can buy them, ... (Score:2)
how long until it gets used in terrorist attacks?
I mean, no need for a suicide mission when you can remote control this thing.
What could possibly go wrong?
What could possibly go wrong? (Score:1)
> how long until it gets used in terrorist attacks?
> I mean, no need for a suicide mission when you can remote control this thing.
> What could possibly go wrong?
The US has enough mass shootings already and with [1]quality [danieldefense.com] guns mind you, including [2]incredible credit availability [danieldefense.com]. Like this never happened [3] before, with that particular manufacturer's guns. [wikipedia.org]
I'm too lazy to research how many of those particular weapons were bought on credit and potentially paid off although that would be an interesting statistic. I know for a fact at least one of those mass shootings was with weapons purchased on credit, and again I'm too lazy and otherwise disturbed to provide a citation. A
[1] https://danieldefense.com/
[2] https://danieldefense.com/daniel-defense-financing
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Defense#Relation_to_mass_shootings
Re: (Score:2)
> I'm too lazy to research how many of those particular weapons were bought on credit and potentially paid off although that would be an interesting statistic.
But not too lazy to post wildly offtopic. ;^)
Re: (Score:1)
> But not too lazy to post wildly offtopic. ;^)
Imagine the possibilities this tool implies. This a tech site after all. Learn from history.
Re: (Score:2)
>> But not too lazy to post wildly offtopic. ;^)
> Imagine the possibilities this tool implies. This a tech site after all. Learn from history.
Before going too far, people who use flamethrowers against others, especially in t-word usage deserve being terminated with extreme prejudice. At least in my estimation.
But this pretend doggo with a flamethrower on top is aimed at a practical market. firefighting and controlled burning. As a tactical weapon, it is pretty lame. Simple to take out.
For all of that, it has pretty much the same possibilities that all of the flamethrowers of the past had. The question is why would one with the form factor of
Re: (Score:2)
> how long until it gets used in terrorist attacks?
> I mean, no need for a suicide mission when you can remote control this thing.
> What could possibly go wrong?
Here's a thought. Most people think of terrorists as foreigners, yet that is rarely the case. Although I won't exclude the potential.
From the manufacturer's webpage (I copy/pasted) (Score:2)
[1]https://throwflame.com/sfx/ [throwflame.com]
Throwflame On the Big screen
senator Niraj Antani (2024)
Fox
Ohio Senator Niraj Antani prominently features an XL18 flamethrower in his campaign ad, using it as a powerful symbol of his determination to challenge both the Biden administration’s policies and the moderation within his own Republican party, emphasizing a fiery approach to political change and conservative values.
[1] https://throwflame.com/sfx/
Re: (Score:2)
Why remote control it and risk getting jammed? Why use a flamethrower and have horrible range and ammo limits?
I say, strap a PI to it in an armoured box and make it autonomous. Give it target coordinates before it starts with the murdering.
When you have that working, replace the flamethrower with a sentry gun and mount a firearm with a high-capacity magazine in it.
Maybe replace the battery with a fuel cell for extended range and duration, and add a microwave area denial device to stop people from getting
Re: (Score:2)
Oh, one more thing...
Give it a couple of classic pineapple grenades for testicles and have them set to go off if the system faults or the weapon runs out of ammo.
Re: (Score:2)
> how long until it gets used in terrorist attacks?
> I mean, no need for a suicide mission when you can remote control this thing.
> What could possibly go wrong?
Robot flamethrowers have existed for a long, long time, and arson even longer.
The only thing different about this is the somewhat cute robodog. But if a person is nasty enough to want to kill others in this heinous way, the old standby molatov cocktail will suffice.
We probably don't see that too much because those who might use it know what is likely to happen if they do.
Re: (Score:2)
Admittedly, I know nothing about terrorism and don't plan to learn but this seems awfully expensive compared to FPV drones and IEDs. One thing we have all learned from the war in Ukraine is just how dangerous cheap drones can be. And it's likely that nowhere in the world is well prepared for the changing battlefield tactics. The best we have is the Iranian attack on Israel where most of the drones were shot down. But they were going after hardened military targets over long distance. If you can pilot fr
Re: (Score:2)
> Admittedly, I know nothing about terrorism and don't plan to learn but this seems awfully expensive compared to FPV drones and IEDs.
Improvised Enflagration Doggie
Re: (Score:2)
One human pyromaniac with a bic lighter can probably do more damage.
don't be a sucker (Score:3)
it's an off-the-shelf $1,600 Unitree robot dog with a $700 flame thrower attached to its back
Re: (Score:2)
> it's an off-the-shelf $1,600 Unitree robot dog with a $700 flame thrower attached to its back
Well damn, I was totally going to buy one before you said that!
Re: (Score:2)
Once again, the sensible, prudent flamethrowing robot dog shopper owes you a great debt. Keep the savings tips coming!
AI? (Score:2)
*Definitely* we need to have a conversation about where AI is going.
Probably, but I don't see AI mentioned on the product page, and I do see a picture of a handheld FPV controller, so I don't think that conversation would be in relation to this product specifically. Yes, it's a small step from "robot dog" to "AI-controlled robot dog", but the same goes for anything with a control system.
Re: (Score:2)
> Why does anyone think this is a real story, product and company? Either this fake or it's an ad for weapons. Neither should be shared and neither is news. Yuck.
Aside from fear culture writ large, these things have very practical uses. Firebreaks, control burns that are hella less dangerous for the humans already putting themselves deep in harms way.
Here in the US at least, we have a lot of land that is prone to fires, so firebreaks and control burns are really important.
So the cute little robodog with the tiny flamethrower mounted on it is not remotely set up for weapons use. It has zero armoring, and if people are trying to fight it, it would be simple to d
flame throwing dog (Score:1)
Wait a few weeks it will be on Temu for $100.
Limited use (Score:2)
Given the modest size of this flamethrower, the fuel capacity must be very limited, so you could deploy it against a single target, but it would have to return to base to refuel very soon.
In order to carry enough fuel to spend minutes functioning autonomously, you'd need a much larger reservoir, resulting in greater weight, requiring a larger 'dog'...
One assumes that a 'giant deluxe' version is in the works...
Re: (Score:2)
I'm imagining a set of these daisy-chaining fuel tanks and batteries between home base and an engagement zone...
Re: (Score:2)
Or a larger dog that's actually designed for a meaningful purpose as the OP mentioned
Re: (Score:2)
> Given the modest size of this flamethrower, the fuel capacity must be very limited, so you could deploy it against a single target, but it would have to return to base to refuel very soon.
> In order to carry enough fuel to spend minutes functioning autonomously, you'd need a much larger reservoir, resulting in greater weight, requiring a larger 'dog'...
> One assumes that a 'giant deluxe' version is in the works...
That's assuming it is a weapon. It isn't.
Re: (Score:2)
--That's assuming it's a weapon. It isn't.
Actually, I wasn't thinking that narrowly.
Any device that you use to accomplish a task more than once needs to have the capacity to support your workload or it becomes very limited use. Think a laptop with only a 30-minute battery capacity. If a tool is constrained in capacity, then you really can only use it within a limited scope. (Not that it's always a bad thing - it depends on how frequently it's used)
Re: (Score:2)
According to their site, the fuel tank is 0.4 gallons. For that same flamethrower without the dog, there is an accessory 3.5 gallon fuel tank backpack. Their marketing says that the 3.5 gallons gives you 5 extra minutes of fire. So it sounds like this dog can shoot fire for a little over 30 seconds on a full tank.
What's Updog? (Score:2)
When will the bullet-shooting ecological-conservation dogs be available?
Re: (Score:2)
Eco-con will be done with crude-oil-eating bacteria ( [1]https://www.google.com/search?... [google.com] ). Bullet dogs will be for enforcing human rights...
[1] https://www.google.com/search?q=oil+eating+bacteria
Prior art (Score:2)
Trogdor the Burninator! [1]https://youtu.be/90X5NJleYJQ?s... [youtu.be]
[1] https://youtu.be/90X5NJleYJQ?si=H_fEyz71qmTJPKrw
Postal workers on strike (Score:2)
Postal workers have to deal with mad dogs skunks and bears. Now they will have to deal with children who found the remote to play smoke the squirrel on the roof or get the postie. These will have to be universally banned. If they want marketshare, get the dog to chase NYC rats.
"Is this immolation necessary?" (Score:2)
Remember: Just as important as teaching the robot dog WHAT to incinerate is teaching the robot dog WHY to incinerate.
It's not fully autonomous, and not AI (Score:2)
It's just a remote controlled robot dog. Like a video game with a flame thrower attached. It has autonomous navigation, meaning it can walk on its own, but it cannot spew fire on its own.
critters (Score:2)
Can it auto-detect and deter critters?
The next racoon to tear up the yard is going up in smoke!
Well i for one... (Score:1)
Well i for one welcome our quadruped flame throwing overlords. Or wait... Imagine a beowulf cluster of those. (Yes i'm that old). but in all seriousness, A swarm of those assaulting trenches... you don't even need accuracy. The sheer horror of seeing those come at you would make you reconsider your life choices.
Re: (Score:1)
> Well i for one welcome our quadruped flame throwing overlords. Or wait... Imagine a beowulf cluster of those. (Yes i'm that old). but in all seriousness, A swarm of those assaulting trenches... you don't even need accuracy. The sheer horror of seeing those come at you would make you reconsider your life choices.
Nah...just pull out your EMP gun....*ZAP* they all fall over.
Better If Flame Came Out It's Ass! (Score:2)
They've got it backwards!8-) Maybe the upgraded version...
Here and now Terminators (Score:1)
When BattleBots escape
Rent-A-Goat (Score:2)
For the purpose of clearing hard to reach vegetation, Rent-A-Goat service may be more practical and draws less scrutiny.
getting one (Score:2)
Going to name it Jody Foster.
carry it with you (Score:2)
You can carry it with you in the bed of your F150 in case you come across Hamas protestors blocking a bridge.
Finally (Score:5, Funny)
I think I speak for many when I say we'd been waiting for them to break the $10k mark. At this price, my fleet of armoured watch dogs becomes realistic and affordable at last.
Re: (Score:2)
Glorious day.
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They offer discounts if you need a "wolf pack". I'm not joking, that's what they're advertising bulk discounts as.
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Makes sense. And with Iceland currently helping out in the volcano-adjacent property market, there has never been a better time to get the basics grounded for your world-domination bid.
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Perfect for cartels in the south, and for prepper security
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> I think I speak for many when I say we'd been waiting for them to break the $10k mark. At this price, my fleet of armoured watch dogs becomes realistic and affordable at last.
I'm planning on replacing one of my cars with one. I'll send it out to clean the driveways and sidewalks on snowy days and save myself some time.
Re: (Score:3)
> I'm planning on replacing one of my cars with one.
I'm picturing a robot powered dog sled.