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.

Comments

offtopic

[mirko]

USAF mine afghanistan with mines that look like food boxes, thus mutilating children...
and when will the USA definitily stop using mines ?

Re:How does it move?

[Anonymous Coward]

This sure beats the way they defuse mines in Somalia. There they send small negro children running to play across the fields every day until all the mines are exploded. This robot sounds like it's a lot more efficient, although sacrificing negros may still be cheaper to justify in Africa.