Robots Go Spelunking

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Posted by michael on Wednesday July 31, 2002 @11:03PM from the i,-robot dept.

anakog writes "Yahoo! News runs a story about robots being used by the military in Afghanistan to search caves. The article features a few slides with pictures and comments. This seems to be the first time robots are used as tools for combat, although the article does not say if they have encountered any resistance yet. There is no mention of the manufacturer of the robots, however, I am fairly certain that they are the PackBots manufactured by IRobot. I happened to visit Real World Interface (which later merged with IRobot) a couple of years ago and saw the PackBots' predecessors, which were called Urban Robots. The company had a contract with the Department of Defence. As the name implies, the military were envisioning to use the robots to scan buildings in urban areas back then."

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POUET-POUET by Anonymous Coward · 2002-07-31 23:04 · Score: -1, Offtopic

F1rst ?
Robots are useless by Kj0n · 2002-07-31 23:07 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Everyone knows that nothing can beat a Jedi Knight in combat.
Re:Israeli sapper robot by Anonymous Coward · 2002-08-01 00:16 · Score: -1, Offtopic

What the BBC article misses, is, that the bomber was alive and that the robot was apparently used to kill him - not only turn him over.

Gruesome pictures and a short desription here:
http://www.ogrish.com/comment.php?id=182
Re:Real Battlebots! - On TV!!! by Wudbaer · 2002-08-01 00:16 · Score: 0, Offtopic

... just think of the ratings when one of em blows someone away!! And we would get to see it!!
Kewwll!!

Yeah. Unbelievably cool. Want to volunteer ?
Just keep it away from Ally Sheedy by Anonymous Coward · 2002-08-01 00:20 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Johnny 5 *is* alive!
Re:Real Battlebots! - On TV!!! by iamwhatiseem · 2002-08-01 00:25 · Score: 0, Offtopic

Uhhh.... Helloo??... Dude, I was being sarcastic.. you know - kidding, joking around, as in funny haha
NOT NEWS! by Anonymous Coward · 2002-08-01 00:26 · Score: -1, Offtopic

This shit is OLD and therefore not news. Bots have been used for demolition duties for YEARS! You shits need the lameness filter turned all the way up! It should be a Brainless filter! Blow me now!
Re:Other features by leuk_he · 2002-08-01 00:56 · Score: 0, Offtopic

But did they find bin-laden??
Re:Other features by Anonymous Coward · 2002-08-01 01:15 · Score: -1, Offtopic

I'm sure they found "ich bin laden" :-)
Re:what?? by Anonymous Coward · 2002-08-01 01:37 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Try browsing at -1 for goatse-related info. It's truly amazing what crap live down there
Home of the brave????????? by pompomtom · 2002-08-01 02:22 · Score: -1, Offtopic

Yanks crack me up!

--

Buckets,

pompomtom

"There's an exception to every rule. Except for some rules"
Can't legislate Linux away... by NeoNormal · 2002-08-01 03:14 · Score: 0, Offtopic

'cause it's helpin' Dubya fight "terroism".

PS: I know how to spell it... I spelled it the way I hear TOO many people pronounce it... they make it rhyme with heroism.

PPS: On topic since these bots run Linux.