Out of the fog comes crawling a four-legged robot – and it has a flamethrower strapped to its back.
This isn't the premise of a dystopian novel, but a new product released this week by Ohio-based company Throwflame.
Termonator, advertised by the company as “the first four-legged flame-throwing robot dog,” explodes on demand at a distance of 30 meters. With WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, the robot can remotely project flames wherever its owner tells it, with the user's smartphone acting as a remote control. It has an hour of battery life.
Use of thermonator lidaror laser pulses, to map its surroundings and navigate around obstacles.
But why would anyone need a flamethrower robot dog? Throwflame says the Thermonator can remove ice and snow, control and prevent wildfires, and aid agricultural management efforts.
While a firefighting robot that helps put out wildfires may seem counterintuitive at first, National Park Service describes a method of fire management called prescribed burns, or smaller fires planned in advance to reduce the impact of larger ones, which Thermonator can help with – in theory. Throwflame has not yet disclosed how this bot has been used, or if it will be used, by public agencies.
Throwflame also listed “fun” as a possible use in the robot's product description.
The upside for buying the robot is financially high, but legally low: The robot costs $9,420, but is legal to own in 48 US states, according to Ars Technica.
Boston Dynamics robot dog Spot, who received one generative AI update in October, but has been in the public eye for nearly a decade, appears to be the precursor to Thermonator in form. But while Spot can chat with people and take them on tours of the office, the Thermonator's purpose seems to be focused on setting fires.
Although flamethrowers are completely banned in only one US state (Maryland) using a flamethrower for fun, or ordering one, can have legal and safety consequences.
Thrown flame advertised for the first time Thermonator last year, but Elon Musk's The Boring Company marketed flamethrowers even earlier, selling 20 thousand flamethrowers in 2018 for $500 each.
Buyers felt the legal heat: More than 1,000 buyers had their devices confiscated and had to pay fineswhile others faced off Heavier legal consequences.
There's no word yet on whether Thermonator buyers will face specific state fines or other legal penalties for using the robot.
There were no security checks to protect bot purchases at the time of writing.