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The Army's $10M Spy Bat Still Too Big

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the who-hasn't-had-that-problem dept.

Lucas123 writes "The University of Michigan's Center for Objective Microelectronics and Biomimetic Advanced Technology (COM-BAT) is working on building a robot bat that would perform long-range reconnaissance for the U.S. Army, but U.Mich is currently struggling with miniaturizing components in order to make the bat small enough to be stealthy. 'The focus is to shrink down many electronics that while currently available would only be good if the US Army wanted, say, a 12-foot spy-bat.' Some components need to be 1,000 times smaller than they currently are. The Army's $10 million grant proposal calls for the bat to be six inches in length, weigh four ounces and use just one watt of power. The bat is supposed to be powered by a lithium-ion battery, charged by solar and wind energy, as well as simple vibrations."

7 of 199 comments (clear)

  1. Vampire? by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Funny
    Why not make a requirment to be a vampire bat?

    It could feed on blood...and thus hurt the enemy, and generate power for long missions. It would be cool too, in that it would only come out at night, and could only be killed with a wooden stake.

    :-)

    --
    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    1. Re:Vampire? by flyingsquid · · Score: 4, Funny
      We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold. I remember saying something like, "I feel a bit lightheaded; maybe you should drive . . ." And suddenly there was a terrible roar all around us and the sky was full of what looked like huge bats, all swooping and screeching and diving around the car, which was going about 100 miles an hour with the top down to Las Vegas. And a voice was screaming: "Holy Jesus! What are these goddamn animals?"

      Then it was quiet again. My attorney had taken his shirt off and was pouring beer on his chest, to facilitate the tanning process. "What the hell are you yelling about," he muttered, staring up at the sun with his eyes closed and covered with wraparound Spanish sunglasses. "Never mind," I said. "It's your turn to drive." I hit the brakes and aimed the Great Red Shark toward the shoulder of the highway. No point mentioning those bats, I thought. The poor bastard will see them soon enough.

      ---Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

  2. COM-BAT? by Ryukotsusei · · Score: 5, Funny

    Okay, this is taking military acronyms way too far..

  3. Solar power? by druuna · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've always thought that bats are nocturnal.......

  4. Giant bat? by Mongoose+Disciple · · Score: 4, Funny

    You know, a 12 foot robot bat might be a bit big for spy missions, but maybe it could be repurposed to scaring the hell out of and possibly murdering people.

    It's a 12 foot robot bat, man! That'd scare the hell out of me if it came for me in the dark.

  5. What this project needs RIGHT NOW by kjoonlee · · Score: 4, Funny

    There are several things that this project needs RIGHT NOW in order to be successful.

    First, a whizkid plucked out from high school, who will be separated from his mommy for the first time ever.
    Second, a crazy roommate who doesn't care about authority figures
    Third, a mysterious man who lives in their closet
    Fourth, an annoying dude who tries to suck up to his professor
    Fifth, a charming young lady, interested in the whizkid, who just happens to be hyperactive
    Sixth, an ambitious and immoral professor who's tricking the innocent to UNKNOWINGLY CONTRIBUTE to a MILITARY PROJECT
    Seventh, said professor's inordinate hatred for popcorn -- oh wait...

  6. Giant bat countermeasures by SleptThroughClass · · Score: 4, Funny

    So you're saying it would be assassins, ninjas, and pirates vs Giant Robot Bat?