Technology

‘Tali-Bots’ on Segways Simulate Realistic Targets for Marine Training

While these dummies on Segways may not look very intimidating, the U.S. Marine Corps is hoping they will provide more realistic training to soldiers as the first “smart targets” to be used by the U.S. military.

Smart Targets simulate more realistic training for Marines

(Photo: Marathon Targets)

According to Gizmodo, these smart targets are “autonomous, programmable and responsive” and the Marine Corps base in Quanitco, Virginia, just received eight sets for $1.9 million, but several hundred robots could be delivered under the $50 million contract.

The 5′11” smart target dummies ride along following a “pre-orchestrated or auto-generated scenario”, meaning a commander doesn’t need to control them with a joystick, according to their manufacturer Marathon Targets, which is based in Australia with an office in Huntsville, Ala. In addition to using Segways, other technology allows for a more realistic training experience. According to the website, the target is able to sense when it is shot, sending a message to other targets to run for cover and target’s human-like nature allows “soldiers to train the way they fight.”

Check out the robots in motion:

The dummies come in either a two-wheeled T20 or the four-wheeled T40, the latter of which Gizmodo reports is for off-road training. According to The Register, the U.S. Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program approved the targets for military use and we could soon be seeing it used in more than just Marine training:

“As a result of the FCT endorsement, Marathon Targets not only has a green light to sell its robots to the US Marine Corps but can also sell to other U.S. agencies with an interest in marksmanship training, including the military, special forces and law enforcement groups,” Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Stoner said.

Earlier this year, the target dummies were tested on the Marine Corps Base Quantico in a live fire training, clad in middle eastern clothing and dubbed Tali-bots in the press release.

Smart Targets simulate more realistic training for Marines

(Photo: Marathon Targets)

Last year, the robot technology won an innovation award from Tech23. Watch the CEO of Marathon Targets explain more about the robots and their use:

Check out more videos of the targets here.

Update: This story has been updated since its original posting. The Blaze reported initially that the robot targets cost $57 million, when in fact this first delivery only cost $1.9 million. According to Marathon Targets, several hundred robots could be delivered in the coming years under the $50 million contract. 

Comments (44)

  • sgtstubbs
    Posted on December 8, 2011 at 8:00pm

    Santa said I was a “bad boy” this year and I should go and pound sand.

    Report Post » sgtstubbs  
  • iac
    Posted on December 5, 2011 at 9:21am

    I would LOVE to try this!

    Report Post »  
  • Cool Customer
    Posted on December 2, 2011 at 12:34am

    This is awesome stuff! I’ve been training soldiers for a while and this would help improve their skills greatly..Hell even mine!!

    Report Post » Cool Customer  
  • thegodfather
    Posted on December 1, 2011 at 6:32pm

    I’m definitely seeing a theme park based on this.

    Report Post » thegodfather  
  • oldschoolgreen
    Posted on December 1, 2011 at 2:42pm

    Isn’t this how terminators got started? Course they could train twice as many troops at a fraction of the cost just using simunitions, but that would be unamerican. As this tech develops imagine the possibilities outside of the training enviroment. Could be used in place of infantry men, cops, maybe firefighters. Rise of the drones. End of valor and heroism.

    Report Post »  
  • Tyler520
    Posted on December 1, 2011 at 1:53pm

    I’m a proponent of using Tali-tubbies: http://www.funnyjunk.com/funny_pictures/358238/Talitubbie/

    Report Post »  
  • freestaterev
    Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:16pm

    That is an incredible setup- what a great training tool. Looks like fun too! I want one! ;-)

    Report Post » freestaterev  
    • KenInIL
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:56pm

      Do you think the Segways were donated? Must be look at the money they spent on the rest of the installation.

      I think this represents the innovative ways the DOD uses spend to completely spend its budget each year so there are no cutbacks.

      Report Post »  
  • Freedomtothink
    Posted on December 1, 2011 at 11:50am

    Apparently our government and our generals think we’re going to have a need to kill a lot of moving targets in urban environments. This isn’t warfare this is sniping targets. With all of the modern weapons, tactical gear and CQC training available do we really need to further perfect the art of killing even more people?

    Report Post »  
    • bboatmanable
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 4:36pm

      Actually, we do. The concept of “war” is not “good sportsmanship”. The idea behind war is to win as quickly and efficiently as possible IN ORDER to prevent greater hardship and suffering for all involved, on both sides. So, basically…..we kick their butt so quickly and easily that they don’t have time to kill us, AND they give up before we have to kill any body else. All while accomplishing what is deemed vital to OUR national security.

      Report Post » bboatmanable  
  • ugottabekidding
    Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:13am

    This whole concept astonishes me. We focus on the batttle field in Afganastan, Iraq, etc., when the larger and very real threat is the infiltration of our government.

    Report Post » ugottabekidding  
  • prkw
    Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:48am

    $57,000,000 for eight sets? Sounds a little over priced. One doesn’t have to get expensive Segways. Elektor magazine offers a kit for less than $1500 each.
    https://www.elektor.com/projects/elektor-ospv1.1810780.lynkx
    With modifications one could do the same. The majority of the $57mil expense must be in software controls.

    Report Post » prkw  
  • bhohater
    Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:20am

    Semper Fi Marines, get some.. God has his job, the Marines have theirs, which is keeping him supplied with fresh souls.

    Report Post » bhohater  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 7:51am

      How much Fuc*ing money was wasted to put targets on segways this is why the government needs to have it’s checkbook yoked.

      Report Post »  
    • SgtB
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:34am

      While I despise excessive gov’t spending, I’ve had the good fortune of being a Marine and a marksmanship instructor who used to run the largest rifle range in the Marine Corps on a daily basis. If we really want a strong national defense we need to do better for our service members than the annual rifle qual that they get now. This type of mout training would go along way towards ensuring that our fighting men and women are confident handling their weapons and with the segways costing only a couple grand a piece and being armored so they are completely reusable I only see this as a GOOD thing. You wouldn‘t believe how many Marines barely pass qualification because they simply don’t get enough gun time and aren‘t comfortable with the weapon because they aren’t allowed to keep a firearm in their base housing and only are only issued a weapon for 10 days a year and 5 of that is “snap in” where they only pretend to shoot their weapons at barrels.

      And if you think that a couple grand for reusable targets is stupid then you obviously haven’t priced out all the materials for the targets we use on a regular basis. Chloropast, staples, glue by the bucket, and paper target faces that get replaced daily, all that adds up to alot of money. These targets would probably cost less per hit assuming that they are durable and properly armored and range personnel keep idiots from aiming at the wheels.

      Also, we could cut more from overseas operations and logistical theft than th

      Report Post » SgtB  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:09am

      SGTB,
      Our military should be required to spend atleast an hour every week at the range for basic target training.

      Report Post »  
    • Dismayed Veteran
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:29am

      To SGTB

      I wish the US Army used USMC philosophy of every Marine is a rifleman regardless of their MOS. It amazes me that the USMC would spend this kind of money when their weapons training is so strong. I understand that CQC is a skill that requires practice. I guess if it saves 1 Marine’s life it is worth it.

      Report Post » Dismayed Veteran  
    • objectivetruth
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:47am

      I’d like to see real live talibots for practice.
      to sgtb
      Irony,the marines in ww2 almost always aced the field training easily and quickly to I might add.The difference between then and now?More had real life experience with weapons and shooting before they joined than they probaly do now.They also had to bayonett train.Do they still do that?I know they are trained for hand to hand I just am curious to know if the bayonett still qualifieis for hand to hand.

      Report Post »  
    • SgtB
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 3:26pm

      The extent of bayonet training is a couple of drills in MCT in which you use a heavy rubber filled and inert rifle with a non-sharpened bayonet on a large foam rubber dummy. And unless you are a grunt you aren’t issued a bayonet or Ka-Bar and even then I’m not sure it is always an issued item.

      Report Post » SgtB  
  • Trucker1313
    Posted on December 1, 2011 at 4:07am

    I like it a lot,happy hunting armed forces

    Report Post »  
  • southernORcobra
    Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:43am

    well at least some one found a use for those crappy things

    Report Post »  
    • MinorityRightsAdvocate
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:57am

      Good one! I recall all the hype before the announcement of the segway, what a joke. They wanted to make us think these things would change the world, certainly a let down, but perhaps they have other uses…

      Report Post » MinorityRightsAdvocate  
    • Cosmos102
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 1:24am

      …Also see that the bad guys are wearing hoodies. Similar to the OWS protesters.

      Report Post » Cosmos102  
  • The_Almighty_Creestof
    Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:08am

    What a freakng waste of money (ours). How about pitting the best against the best in shirts/skins paintball…or the high tech lazer pinging vests/gun attachments.

    Robots don’t have quirks, hunches, smoke breaks out of the wind/heat/rain, human instincts.

    Like those demos supposedly proving those who have CCW’s are useless because they shoot innocent bystanders, hesitate to draw/shoot, miss their target and so on…yet the instructor who breaks into the class and begins shooting at the class…just stands there and fires & does not duck and cover as the student returns fire…because he knows it is not live fire.

    This akin to you going out and spending $1,000.00 on a toy that runs around your yard yelling “here boy” because you’re too lazy to throw your own dog a ball.

    Tell them “Thanks…but no thanks” …we’d rather buy more armor for our humvees, body armor and so on with our limited funds.

    Report Post »  
    • MinorityRightsAdvocate
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:55am

      You may well be correct.

      These seem to fall upon a single shot, that is not realistic. It often takes many hits to stop a hostile, by making the target drop on a single hit, we may well have negative training here.

      You are correct simunitions or paint ball with real human combat seems to remain more valuable. I’m not seeing the cost worth the supposed benefit here either.

      Report Post » MinorityRightsAdvocate  
    • Carter John
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:13am

      Our armed forces actual do the laser training you suggest. They are able to coordinate between tanks, strikers, Humvees, and the solders. This way they can have massive training operations, these lasers also fire blanks to resemble live fire. I agree that this is a waste of money, using what VR tech we already have we can use VR targets that act like humans while using a training town. By a VR visor the solders will be able to see the targets with out them being there. While a giant hollow ball with VR goggles allows you to move in the VR combine with outside sensors tied to the VR and a special rifle. You could shoot targets, and I remind you this is tech we already have.

      Report Post » Carter John  
    • mullet
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:23am

      Obviously multiple training methods must be used to simulate different aspects of battle. There is no way to completely prepare for a real battlefield and all training is attempting to recreate that environment in a safe way (without actually killing anyone). Paintball and lasers may be part of that, but for practicing real marksmanship one must use live fire. Shooting at stationary targets is well and good, but I see real upsides to having realistically moving targets. Having hunted many times, I know firsthand a moving target is exponentially more difficult to hit. I’m all for getting better training, though not at any cost.

      Report Post » mullet  
    • SgtB
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 3:38pm

      I agree that paintball and lasertag are great ways to train, but they are not the same as shooting a real rifle. If we just trained with paintballs we’d have idiots aiming up 45 degrees to try to make a shot 200 yards away. Paintball would be great for room clearing drills where you could load up a whole ton of people practicing in a small space without having to worry about overpenetration and ricochets. BUT, and this is a big but, once you go beyond that extremely limited range of a paintball gun the training becomes entirely worthless.

      These machines would fill a giant gap in Marine marksmanship training. Currently the only time a Marine HAS to shoot at a moving target to qual is at the 100 yard line from a kneeling only position and the targets move at a constant walking speed unless you have a jerk for a target buddy. These robotic targets would allow Marines to train to shoot moving targets on the move and from a range of distances with a realism that cannot be matched by any paintball, laser, or virtual reality simulation that exists. As for the complaint that these target knock over after one hit…

      Think of this, that target is basically a big lever and it has to have a certain force applied to it in order to make it fall over. This means that with the pivot at about the waist, a shot to the head is more likely to knock the target over than a shot in the stomach area. Force *distance= torque. So it’s about as realistic as you can get for the price and effort

      Report Post » SgtB  
  • MAFDSF39
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:46pm

    These are great. Too bad Mr. ‘O’ does not believe in defending our country. But I think the Marines can put them to good use

    Report Post » MAFDSF39  
    • Trucker1313
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 4:05am

      I you will see that this was started under Mr Bush,so blame Him.You know He will not get any credit for any thing

      Report Post »  
  • B-Neil
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:45pm

    No! No! not the Tali bots. wow is me. CARRY ON McDUFF

    Report Post »  
  • fatjack
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:18pm

    They act and look like Paul bots.

    Report Post » fatjack  
    • SgtB
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 3:40pm

      Go eat yourself jackhole.

      I bet you enjoy having a big sister because your mom and dad didn‘t give you one so when the gov’t acts like one you just eat it up.

      Report Post » SgtB  
  • caveman74
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 11:13pm

    tali bots. bwah hah hahhhh I love it

    Report Post »  
  • spfoam1
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:58pm

    I like it! These will save some lives by providing more realistic training. I like the way it drops when it gets hit. They could put a dye bomb on fast ones to rush the shooter at simulated check points. Eventually, you could put a real bomb on it, and a burka……surprise!

    Report Post »  
  • scrapadapolis
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:30pm

    Do they come as Mexicans too??O’wait do they come with adaptable floaties??

    Report Post » scrapadapolis  
    • Trucker1313
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 4:06am

      then they would have to make them shorter,say five foot five

      Report Post »  
  • Rob in Katy
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 9:53pm

    Why not just use real ones (Taliban)? probably cheaper to replace if you hit it in the brains?

    Report Post »  
    • Miyegombo Bayartsogt
      Posted on December 1, 2011 at 6:17am

      Send the snipers to Gitmo for realistic training while at the same time cleaning out that nest of filth.

      Report Post »  
  • last frontier
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 9:40pm

    Be cheaper if they would just send the special forces to Gitmo for training.

    Report Post » last frontier  
  • RealUSConservative
    Posted on November 30, 2011 at 9:26pm

    Wish i had that in Marine Corp training

    Report Post » RealUSConservative  
    • db321
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 9:34pm

      I want to shoot at them!

      Report Post » db321  
    • GumRock
      Posted on November 30, 2011 at 10:17pm

      This is a Great Idea !
      What better way to train for shooting at moving targets.
      in battle send in a few of those Boys to draw fire…
      the Possibilities are Phenomenal.

      Report Post » GumRock  

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