Who is Sankaet Pathak, Indian-American making humanoid robots for war? Russia-Ukraine frontlines already have them
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Indian-American Sankaet Pathak's company Foundation is in talks with national security government bodies. Photograph: (LinkedIn)
America is reportedly thinking about using humanoid robots to man the Mexican border. A company founded by Indian-American Sankaet Pathak and backed by Donald Trump's son, Eric Trump, has pitched to get the deal.
An Indian-American is pitching humanoid robots to protect US borders, saying that his goal is to build these machines explicitly for war. The federal government, it seems, is also entertaining the idea. Sankaet Pathak, founder of the humanoid robotics company Foundation, has reportedly met with Department of Homeland Security officials about securing the US-Mexico border using these advanced machines. Pathak has clearly stated that his company's goal is not utility robots, but those that can be used for war.
Reports from earlier this year suggest that Foundation put two of its Phantom Mk-I humanoid robots on the front lines during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. This was the first instance of any humanoid robot to be deployed to an active combat zone. They have apparently been carrying out reconnaissance functions here, although it might not be without human intervention, considering how new the idea is.
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What could humanoid robots do on the border
In the case of America's southern border, Foundation thinks its robots can reduce the need for human personnel on the wall. The humanoids will cover bases that drones and watchtowers miss, Pathak said on Fox News. "If drones and watchtowers were able to solve for everything, why do we still have humans at the border?" he said. Pathak also confirmed that he is talking to "almost all national security government bodies, so Air Force, Navy, Army, DHS" about the humanoids. Reportedly, his company Foundation could soon bag the deal.
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"We continue to have dialogues. We’re starting to negotiate contracts and some applications for them," he added. Meanwhile, a DHS spokesperson told Fox that the agency currently has no "non-contractual agreements, pilots, or active prime contracts with Foundation." Notably, Foundation is backed by Donald Trump's son Eric Trump, and is apparently seeking a $3 billion valuation.
Problems with humanoid robots
Using humanoid robots on the border might still be too early for the technology. They suffer from several shortcomings, one of which is the short battery life that might be hard to recharge on the border. Humanoids also move in a certain way, posing dexterity and mobility challenges. For now, it remains a distant vision unless Trump decides to push ahead with it.
