Slashdot Mirror
Robot Mine Smasher
A reader writes "
Robotsotre had a link to a Japanese story about a new landmine-hunting robot that covers the mine with a protective dome and then smashes it with a high-velocity hydraulic piston. The company's called Cos Co, the robot is 3.5m long, and the cost about $75K (USD).
Robot mine hunter does job quietly
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20020213wo71.htm
Not that I know much about landmines, but does this mean the detonator cap is smashed without detonating? Or separated from the explosives before it can?" As this article also points out, this will help remove mines in Afghanistan, which after 20 years of war has more then a few around.
How sad then, that America has almost single-handedly prevented the banning of anti-personnel land mines, principally because it is afraid of losing its ability to interfere in Korea.
...not laying them in the first place is a lot more cost / effort / human-life efficient than removing mines once you have...