I share you opinion that "making it look like Portal" does not add very much to what's already existing...

Even in real life this kind of turret is not new : http://www.gizmag.com/korea-dodamm-super-aegis-autonomos-robot-gun-turret/17198/

The only thing that make TFA interesting is that it was made "for cheap" using simple components and software. Not OSS though, wonder what OpenCV would do on this kind of project.

This sure is a nice catchy headline.
Loading this very page caused a 503 Guru meditaion for me....
If slashdot cannot handle the load of this topic, I don't even THINK of clicking TFA...

Mandatory XKCD http://xkcd.com/552/

Another hugely expensive technology to not look into the real problem of firearms ubiquity in US ?

Anybody thinking about limiting the availability of firearms rather than attempting to pinpoint shooters ?

Appart from that I can't start to imagine how such a prop could ever cost 250K per square mile. I'm pretty sure 2/3 microphones per block + a cleverly hacked strongarm could achieve the same goal.

I didn't see any price tag in the article. Everything depends now on that I guess. If it comes cheap then horray, to infinity and beyond we go !