The “buddy” approach is more attractive to militaries than all robots because it combines the advantages of robotics with something machines still struggle to provide: human judgment.
By Hezy Laing
Most military robotics companies dream of putting bigger, smarter and increasingly autonomous machines onto the battlefield.
But all robot squads are not advanced enough to do the work alone.
General Robotics has taken a different path.
The Israeli company is concentrating on something much closer to the soldier: small, lightweight robots designed to enter dangerous buildings, tunnels and confined spaces alongside human forces—and, when necessary, confront the enemy before a soldier does.
Its philosophy is summed up in a simple slogan: “Risk the robot, not the personnel.”
Founded in 2009 by former Israeli defense official Col. (res.) Ehud Gal, General Robotics emerged from a deeply personal motivation.
After Gal’s son-in-law was wounded while serving in the Special Forces, Gal began developing technology that could send machines into the most dangerous areas before humans.
The company says its systems are now operational with special forces around the world.
That philosophy produced DOGO, perhaps the company’s most unusual creation.
Weighing only 11 kilograms, the tracked robot is small enough for a fully equipped soldier to carry.
Measuring roughly 38 by 49 by 14 centimeters, it can climb stairs, negotiate obstacles and operate indoors.
Eight cameras provide real-time 360-degree situational awareness, while microphones and speakers allow an operator to listen and communicate with people inside a danger zone.
But DOGO differs from conventional reconnaissance robots in one crucial respect: it was designed not merely to see, but also to engage.
The platform can carry a 9mm Glock 26 pistol, with the operator controlling the system remotely through General Robotics’ touchscreen-based “Point & Shoot” interface. Non-lethal configurations are also available.
General Robotics has extended the same concept with CHAMELEON, an ultra-light robot that can be thrown into dangerous areas or climb metal surfaces while transmitting live video.
The company also produces AIBALL, a compact surveillance robot designed to give troops a view inside buildings before entering them, and PITBULL, a remotely controlled weapon station designed for larger platforms.
Together, these systems reflect the company’s emphasis on giving soldiers robotic assistance at the point of greatest danger.
The “buddy” approach is more attractive to militaries than all robots because it combines the advantages of robotics with something machines still struggle to provide: human judgment.
A robot can navigate a building and identify movement, but determining whether someone is a civilian, hostage, wounded person or enemy can require context that machines cannot reliably understand.
Keeping a soldier involved provides crucial judgment when situations become unpredictable.
This is especially important in urban warfare, where robots may encounter civilians, traps, wounded people or unexpected obstacles. A human operator can interpret what the robot sees and immediately change its instructions.
The soldier can send the robot around a corner, into a room or through a dangerous passage and see what the machine sees.
The buddy concept also makes militaries more comfortable with robotics.
There is a major difference between a machine assisting a soldier and one independently deciding when to use lethal force.
Human-machine teaming allows increasingly sophisticated robots to be deployed while keeping people responsible for critical decisions.
That brings the concept directly back to General Robotics and its motto, “Risk the robot, not the soldier.”
Rather than replacing human fighters, its machines are designed to become their bionic buddies—going first into dangerous spaces, seeing what lies ahead and taking the initial risk while the soldier remains in control.
