VOA科学技术2024--Ukrainian Companies Develop Robotic Vehicles to Fight Russia

Many new Ukrainian businesses are reportedly developing unmanned military vehicles for the country's war against Russia.

The operations often happen in empty warehouses² or secret, underground factories, the Associated Press (AP) reports.

The weaponized vehicles reportedly aim to ease shortages of soldiers and equipment.

Workers at laboratories in hundreds of workshops are using technology tools to build robot fighters to battle Russian forces, the AP said.

The AP reported that an estimated 250 new defense³ companies are currently involved in the production of war vehicles across Ukraine. The news agency noted⁴ that such operations can look similar to rural car repair shops.

Andrii Denysenko heads one of the new companies, or startups. He told the AP his employees can put together an unmanned ground vehicle, called the Odyssey⁵, in just four days. The vehicle has a selling price of $35,000, which is about 10 percent less than an imported model.

Denysenko asked the AP not to publish details about his business to protect the operation and the people working there.

The work area is divided into small rooms for welding and body work. Workers produce the main structure, paint the vehicles green and then fit them with basic electronics, power systems and cameras and sensors⁶.

Ukraine's military is considering several different models of new unmanned air, ground and sea vehicles produced by the startups. A fourth branch of Ukraine's military - the Unmanned Systems Forces - joined the army, navy and air force in May.

Engineers get production ideas from stories in defense magazines or online videos to produce less costly⁷ models. Weapons or smart elements can be added later.

"We are fighting a huge country, and they don't have any resource limits," said Denysenko. "We understand that we cannot spend a lot of human lives. War is mathematics."

Reporters from the AP watched the car-sized Odyssey vehicle spin and kick up dust as it rolled through a field of corn during a demonstration⁸ in the north of the country last month.

The 800-kilogram test model, or prototype, looks like a small tank. Developers of the vehicle say it can travel up to 30 kilometers on one battery charge. The prototype acts as a rescue-and-supply vehicle but could be changed to carry a remotely operated heavy machine gun or to clear landmines⁹.

A Ukrainian government fundraising website for the Unmanned Systems Forces states that teams of robots "will become logistics devices, tow trucks, minelayers and deminers, as well as self-destructive robots." "The first robots are already proving their effectiveness on the battlefield," the statement adds.

Mykhailo Fedorov is Ukraine's deputy prime minister for digital transformation¹⁰. He is urging citizens to take free online courses and build military drones at home. Fedorov has called on Ukrainians to make a million drone flying machines per year.

"There will be more of them soon," the Unmanned Systems Forces website said. "Many more."

Denysenko's company is working on other projects as well. One is a motorized exoskeleton designed to increase a soldier's strength. Another carrier vehicle would be able to transport a soldier's equipment and even help him move uphill. "We will do everything to make unmanned technologies develop even faster. (Russia's) murderers use their soldiers as cannon¹¹ fodder¹², while we lose our best people," Fedorov wrote in a message published online.

Human Rights Watch and other international rights groups are calling for a ban on weapons that do not involve human decision making. This concern has been shared by others, including the U.N. General Assembly, American businessman Elon Musk¹³ and the founders¹⁴ of the Google-owned, London-based startup DeepMind.

Words in This Story

warehouse¹ -n. a large building that provides centralized storage for a lot of goods and products that are then shipped to customers

weld v. to join pieces of metal together by heating them until they almost melt and then pressing them together

remote - adj. happening from far away

logistics - n. the practical arrangements for something

transformation - n. to completely change from one system to another, usually in an effort to improve it

drone - n. an unmanned, flying vehicle

exoskeleton - n. an artificial external supporting structure

fodder - n. people or things that are useful for the stated purpose

1 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

2 warehouses   

仓库，货栈( warehouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The whisky was taken to bonded warehouses at Port Dundee. 威士忌酒已送到邓迪港的保稅仓库。
• Row upon row of newly built warehouses line the waterfront. 江岸新建的仓库鳞次栉比。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 odyssey   

n.长途冒险旅行；一连串的冒险

参考例句：

• The march to Travnik was the final stretch of a 16-hour odyssey.去特拉夫尼克的这段路是长达16小时艰险旅行的最后一程。
• His odyssey of passion, friendship,love,and revenge was now finished.他的热情、友谊、爱情和复仇的漫长历程，到此结束了。

6 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

7 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

8 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

9 landmines   

潜在的冲突； 地雷，投伞水雷( landmine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The treaty bans the use production and trade of landmines. 该条约规定，禁止使用地雷相关产品及贸易。
• One of the weapon's of special concern was landmines. 在引起人们特别关注的武器中就有地雷。

10 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

11 cannon   

n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮

参考例句：

• The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
• The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

12 fodder   

n.草料；炮灰

参考例句：

• Grass mowed and cured for use as fodder.割下来晒干用作饲料的草。
• Guaranteed salt intake, no matter which normal fodder.不管是那一种正常的草料，保证盐的摄取。

13 musk   

n.麝香, 能发出麝香的各种各样的植物，香猫

参考例句：

• Musk is used for perfume and stimulant.麝香可以用作香料和兴奋剂。
• She scented her clothes with musk.她用麝香使衣服充满了香味。

14 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句