The current design seems to be (from the videos) for negotiating terrain, like the military would be using it for. Were it a more solid platform that didn't require as much balancing, I don't think it would be able to get around terrain, at least not without getting much bulkier.

If you put a stick on the front, wouldn't it be just one more thing to break (picture a soldier going down the street, a rifle fires from a window, he dives, the board flips)?

Btw, wasn't the laser project essentially scrapped with the new budget (the 747 mounted laser I mean, I don't know which one you were talking about)?