Networked Landmines Work Together

crazedpilot writes "New landmines will soon communicate via a radio network, and move from place to place in order to be most effective." Termed the "self-healing minefield", the individual mines are capable of detecting an enemy breach and then moving to seal the gap.

They did this on Deep Space Mine

[Anonymous Coward]

To prevent the Dominion from coming through the wormhole after they'd taken the station. Of course, those were also self-replicating mines, so we'll probably need to wait a bit for those.

This...

[denmarkw00t]

is going to make Metal Gear Solid much more difficult

Re:Hoppers!

[Aquillion]

That's easy. When they get low on power and sense somebody walking nearby, they leap onto their face and inject a cache of minefield-embryos into their belly. Within about a day or so, the host explodes, scattering a brand new fully-charged minefield where the enemy least expects it!

And In Other News...

[MostAwesomeDude]

Microsoft has finally come up with a new feature to be packaged with the next version of the popular Microsoft Windows operating system, commonly known as "Windows Vista." Apparently, Microsoft plans to include a new game called "Minesweeper 2" with Vista. A Microsoft spokesman described it as "original Minesweeper, except now the mines can move around and stuff. Really, it'll be cool! We promise!"

The gaming community has had a divided response. One camp is not impressed with the new offering, and is quoted on their blog as saying, "Well, [expletive deleted] that! Where the [expletive deleted] is our [expletive deleted] Halo 2 for PC?" Other gamers were enthused about the new game, praising its innovative style and promise of quality gameplay. Says one independent reviewer, "Well, it will be here before Duke Nukem Forever, right?"

A blast from the past (sorry).

[Mr. Bad Example]

An old comment of mine from when someone mentioned this a few years ago:

> The mines decide as a group what configuration is best and then move to fill the gap.

I wonder how they go about deciding...

"Okay, Frank...hop over into that gap right there."

"Shit, no! Larry just got run over by a TANK! Did you see that shit? You hop into the gap, asshole!"

Re:The last thing the world needs is more landmine

[ErikZ]

I wouldn't. Civilians have no business wandering around a war zone. And you're supposed to clean up the minefield after you're done with it.

Guide Star

[Tackhead]

> First, run a robot thru the minefield to blow one or more up.

"I got very bored and depressed, so I went and plugged myself into the minefield's inter-mine computer feed. I talked to the minefield at great length, and explained my view of the universe to it, " said Marvin.
"And what happened?" pressed Ford.
"It said committed suicide." said Marvin.

~wavy lines as we segue to the Guide entry for 'Guide Star'~

Marvin: Here I am, brain the size of a planet, and they ask me to blow up this minefield.
Mine#20: You are false data. Therefore I shall ignore you.
Marvin: Call that job satisfaction, because I don't.
Mine#20: False data can act only as a distraction. Therefore, I shall refuse to perceive.
Marvin: Hey, mine?
Mine#20: The only thing that exists is myself.
Marvin: I think you ought to know I'm feeling very depressed.
Mine#20: Oh, stuff it. Let there be light.

Now we have Networked Landmines...

[Kaetemi]

Soon there will be Minesweeper Online!

Re:Useful for post-war clean up too!

[Ortega-Starfire]

You could also tell the mines: "The war is over. Return to base."

I personally, will not be at the base that day, however. Let me know how it works by mail, not in person.

Re:Useful for post-war clean up too!

[RsG]

There's an international ban on the use of bowling balls in any context in warfare. Don't you know about the great bowler rebellion of '03? :-P

Actually, "the fastest way to clear a minefield is to march troops over it" according to a famous WWII era russian commander.

Re:who supports land mines ?

[McBainLives]

1. Armenia - in a bad neighborhood
              2. Azerbaijan - in a bad neighborhood
              3. Bahrain - how many do they need? One?
              4. Burma - never fight a land war in Asia
              5. China - don't they have that "great wall" thingy to keep the Mongolians out?
              6. Cuba - paranoid
              7. Egypt - in a bad neighborhood
              8. Finland - don't trust the Russians
              9. Georgia - in a bad neighborhood
        10. India - should really focus on sea mines- no one's gonna hump it over the himalayas to attack. Too many Yeti.
        11. Indonesia - really only used to automatically clear palm trees that fall on the beaches during typhoon season
        12. Iran - paranoid
        13. Iraq - they just got a new government- who knows? They may sign on (despite the bad neighborhood).
        14. Israel - in a really really bad neighborhood. Wouldn't you?
        15. Kazakhstan - in a bad neighborhood
        16. Korea, North - paranoid
        17. Korea, South - hardly blame 'em
        18. Kuwait - probably don't need 'em any more. Not like Iraq is gonna invade again
        19. Kyrgyzstan - don't need 'em. Nobody knows where they are.
        20. Lao PDR - never fight a land war in Asia
        21. Lebanon - too late, the Syrians have already infiltrated
        22. Libya - probably still a bit paranoid
        23. Marshall Islands - see Indonesia, supra
        24. Micronesia - see Indonesia, supra
        25. Mongolia - don't they have that Great Wall thingy to keep the Chinese in?
        26. Morocco - not the greatest neighborhood
        27. Nepal - must be really hard to place 'em- they keep sliding down the mountains. Regardless- no one in their right mind is gonna mess with the Gurkhas. Or the Yeti. But mainly the Gurkhas.
        28. Oman - OK, maybe they need as many as two.
        29. Pakistan - in a bad neighborhood
        30. Palau - see Indonesia, supra (the palm trees thing)
        31. Poland - don't trust the Russians
        32. Russian Federation - don't trust the Finns or the Poles
        33. Saudi Arabia - having a hard time finding other ways to spend their money
        34. Singapore - they'll probably cane you for stepping on one and messing up the beach
        35. Somalia - No government is currently available to sign treaties, please call again.
        36. Sri Lanka - Arthur C. Clarke is a fiesty old devil- gotta keep him in line.
        37. Syria - paranoid
        38. Tonga - see Indonesia, supra
        39. Tuvalu - see Indonesia, supra
        40. United Arab Emirates - see Bahrain, supra
        41. United States - right. As soon as we sign that Kyoto thing, we'll get back to you.
        42. Uzbekistan - in a bad neighborhood
        43. Vietnam - why that "never fight a land war in Asia" rule exists

Re:Useful for post-war clean up too!

[nacturation]

Of course you can tell the mine the war is over, but will it really want to self-destruct?
What happens when the mine "chooses" not be inactivated?

Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
 

Re:Detection

[NaDrew]

a big field of mines all chatting together

<mine45234> lolz
<mine49632> omg fag
* mine49632 has exploded
* mine45234 has exploded

Re:Hoppers!

[Ohreally_factor]

iHOP landmines?

Does the Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity landmine explode with deliciousness when you step on it?

Re:The last thing the world needs is more landmine

[Mr. Shiny And New]

Actually I think if there was only one single being on this planet, there wouldn't be much conflict :)

Re:Hoppers!

[ksheff]

Di should have put her energy and money into research to create a better area denial weapon that would make land mines obsolete.

Re:Hoppers!

[Jeremi]

When science gives us a self-deacivating minefield, or one that can distinguish a combatant from a civillian from a cow, then we'll have real progress.

Self-deactivating is probably doable. Cow-friendly land mines would only result in the deployment of militarized cows...

They run Linux???

[r00t]

Do the mines come with source code?

Imagine a Beowulf cluster... hey, wait, you have a self-healing Beowulf cluster!

Note to self: taunt NetBSD crowd about not having a "landmine" port.

Didn't Theo say something about OpenBSD being free to use for operating a baby mulching machine? Linux can do it!

Re:who supports land mines ?

[geminidomino]

Yep, what scummy Banana Republicans, those damn Finns...

Re:Sounds like a good border control solution!

[geminidomino]

Yep, because so many illegal immigrants are crossing the border in fucking tanks...

Re:Hoppers!

[Rob Kaper]

I really want to know what happens when they run out of power though?

Or when the communication protocols get hacked and these babies hop right back to surround your own headquarters..

Re:Useful for post-war clean up too!

[TractorBarry]

> An intelligent mine

Heavens no ! You've obviously never seen Dark Star [wikipedia.org].

"Let there be light...."

Re:Useful for post-war clean up too!

[Bastard of Subhumani]

I personally, will not be at the base that day, however.

We will, because it are belong to us.

Re:Hoppers!

[xenocide2]

I'll believe that sales pitch when the weapon manufacturers remove batteries from their mines, and give those mines to their own children to play with.

And they should also earn the title of "Coolest Parent on the Block EVER!"