World's First Linux Powered Rifle Announced 272
stevew writes "Following up our earlier discussion about whether guns should be self-aware comes the announcement of the world's first Linux-powered rifle. A startup attending CES was showing how their 'Precision Guided Firearms' would use customized, computerized scopes to assist with aiming. 'The Linux-powered scope produces a display that looks something like the heads-up display you'd see sitting in the cockpit of a fighter jet, showing the weapon's compass orientation, cant, and incline. To shoot at something, you first "mark" it using a button near the trigger. Marking a target illuminates it with the tracking scope's built-in laser, and the target gains a pip in the scope's display. When a target is marked, the tracking scope takes into account the range of the target, the ambient temperature and humidity, the age of the barrel, and a whole boatload of other parameters. It quickly reorients the display so the crosshairs in the center accurately show where the round will go.'"
Re:Do Not Want! (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Do Not Want! (Score:4, Interesting)
It's target market is the military. The aim, to turn a whole lot of second rate shots into first rate snipers and to generate huge profits for the company. You can also expect police forces to purchase the aiming system in order to enhance accuracy. The operating system is largely arbitrary, although it would be interesting to see how compact an install they achieved and driver and kernel set up as quality of 'appliance' style installs are interesting.
Re:Do Not Want! (Score:2, Interesting)
Still for that much, may as well put it on a solenoid operated hardmount system that will keep the aim steadier than any human can. Once you get that far, may as well operate the trigger by solenoid too. With that modification, it wouldn't hurt to change the optical scope to a video feed so the gun could be remotely operated while the user stays under safe cover. And once you use a video feed, why not put the targeting on a laptop with a trackball for aiming or a tablet with a touchscreen? Once automated to that degree, recognition and tracking software could be used to keep aimpoints locked on multiple targets as they move about within view of the sight. Then it's pretty much a matter of pushing the fire button to sequentially and accurately hit all the selected targets as fast as that automated gun can range, calculate, and shoot.
Bonus points if it can hit 10 selected targets within 30 degrees separation in under 5 seconds. That would be win.
Then if it works reliably enough, you pretty much have the real life eqivalent of a noob-proof aimbot hax. Easy killz with a multi-kill bonus. "Army of One" could be considered less of a old and cheesy marketing gimmick with such a system deployed. That would be worth $17,000.
Also nobody said it would be pleasant, but it's fairly easy to see where the use of technology could escalate in this particular application. And it's not that far-fetched given what exists currently to make it a reality.
Re:Do Not Want! (Score:5, Interesting)
Fair enough. I've never shot competitive so I can't comment on how the weight can impact you.
Basically the logic is this - if at this instant pulling the trigger would cause a miss it is REALLY hard to pull it. If at this instant pulling the trigger would cause a hit then it is REALLY easy to pull it. So, you basically pull with medium force on the trigger the whole time and when you happen to have the gun lined up perfectly your finger will suddenly give way and fire the shot.
A bit analog vs just having the trigger be an authorization to fire and letting the gun take the shot, but it works out about the same in the end. The gun basically fires for you, with your force against the trigger being just another spring in the mechanism.