drivemecrazy

A soldier that kills mercilessly and a soldier that follows every rule. Both are the characteristics of one mighty soldier—the Guardium. Well, with these features of Guardium, you may conclude that it is not human. Inhuman, it is. You’re right.

Guardium is a robotic soldier, more similar in appearance to a vehicle than a human soldier.  It is a remote-controlled vehicle that is commissioned by the Israeli military to replace human soldiers in deadly missions and battlefields so as to decrease the number of casualties during wars and other unexpected attacks of the enemies. It is operated from a command room, which is far from the battlefield, by a soldier. This operator has to work with two large video screens, joystick, steering wheel, gas, and brake pedals. You would think that it is a lot similar to a video arcade game. Yes, you’re right again. Thus, it is said that even a kid who is familiar with a play station and other similar game devices could easily learn to operate Guardium. (Note that they even said that it would not last an hour to learn the tricks!)

The Guardium carries cameras, night vision equipment and sensors, and weapons like machine guns.  Its cameras scan 360 degrees at all times; therefore, it has the capacity to see almost everything within its area of visibility. When its sensors detect a suspicious thing, alerts are sent to the remote operator. The remote operator then commands the Guardium on what to do. Whatever the command will be, the Guardium will unquestionably do it without any complain at the best of its capabilities.

Furthermore, the Guardium has a limited capacity to operate on its own because it can follow a pre-programmed route. It can find its way into a patrol along a barrier fence or through a city. It amazingly has the capability to deal with traffic, intersections, and road signs. It also has the capacity to carry loads of up to 660 pounds.

Another thing that makes this robotic soldier far better than human soldiers is that it never falls asleep or mentally wanders during long and boring missions in dangerous war zones. However, this soldier costs 600,000 dollars. But the price doesn’t end there. If more advanced equipments and control system is installed in it, its price could go up to several millions of dollars. It is more expensive but it is better than putting the life of many human soldiers at risk during battles. Therefore, the Guardium is said to be the future of ground warfare.

I was again a traveler! I recalled, during my sole visit to the Philippines (located in Southeast Asia), something that caught my attention. With respect to their sumptuous foods, scenic landscapes, and hospitable people, what intrigued me most was their mode of public transportation—they call it the “jeepney.” And it continuously intrigues me until now. That led me to researching about those street icons from that country.

When you see one, you’ll be amazed of the Filipinos’ sense of artistry. They crafted this once military vehicle into an awesome piece of art! Now it’s dominating their roads. In fact, this is tagged as their “king of the road.” Hey, take a look at this:

Imagine how many people are riding on that jeepney. This vehicle can really serve so many people. Its interior is designed with two long seats, more like a bench. Therefore, more people could occupy its inside. Aside from that, two other passengers could seat beside the driver. Just like the front seats of sedans and other vehicles. But wait! It’s not over yet. In rural areas in the Philippines where only few jeepneys are on the road each day, the situation is similar to what you see is in the picture. Passengers could occupy even the roof of the vehicle for fear that they can no longer reach their destinations. However, this is really dangerous especially when driving through rough roads. Here’s another one!

Here’s how sophisticated jeepneys could be! This is a common sight in the Philippines’ capital—Manila. Though most jeepneys vary in style depending on their owners, they all have a common denominator. Fares are incredibly low here compared to riding taxis, buses, and railroad transits. Another thing is that you never have to worry about the ventilation here! You don’t need an air conditioning unit because its windows are definitely wide open to allow passengers to experience fresh air, as they call it. Moreover, this is also equipped with a window cover, commonly made of plastic, to shield the passengers from getting wet during rainy days. Amazing isn’t it? However, this is still a vehicle that contributes to the worsening air pollution in the area. But they are finding a way! I want to end this post with the image of their environmentally friendly electronic jeepney. Jeepneys of this kind are popularly running in the streets of a city near Manila.