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Snakelike Robot To Treat Soldiers During Battle

Posted by kdawson on from the badger-badger dept.

Al writes "Technology Review has an article about a snake-like robotic arm that could soon be used to treat injured soldiers as they lie on the battlefield. Developed by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, the snakebot attaches to a stretcher and is controlled remotely using a joystick, allowing a doctor to assess a soldier's injuries as the bullets fly by. In future, the robotic arm will be fitted with sensors allowing it to measure vital signs and probe for internal bleeding. Here's a brief video of a prototype arm in action. The arm will become part of the US military's high-tech stretcher, called the Life Support for Trauma and Transport system. This is essentially a portable intensive-care unit, with a ventilator, defibrillator, and other physiological monitors, and it's currently being used in areas of Iraq and Afghanistan."

10 of 130 comments (clear)

  1. Press 1 for gunshot, press 2 for IED.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    When I've been shot in a combat zone, the first thing I want to see is a nice, reassuring ROBOT SNAKE to tend my wounds.

    1. Re:Press 1 for gunshot, press 2 for IED.. by Clandestine_Blaze · · Score: 5, Funny

      Don't worry, the enemy will soon deploy ROBOT clones of Samuel L. Jackson to deal with the snake problem... ;)

      --
      Best "String" Ever!
  2. Re:thats nice. by Cowmonaut · · Score: 5, Funny

    High latency is really going to get you killed now...

  3. Snake robot kills soldier! by hoggoth · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you actually WTFV (watch the video) you can see that after giving the soldier a thorough checking over, the snake-bot PLUNGES THROUGH HIS STOMACH AND UP UNDER HIS RIB-CAGE! Is THAT the kind of behavior we want from our snake-bots?!
    Who is running this thing? Skynet?

    --
    - For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat /dev/random (may take some time)
  4. Has to be said... by rwalker429 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Pleassssse ssstate the nature of the medical emergency."

  5. what i want to see is... by FudRucker · · Score: 4, Funny

    a robot snake swallow whole an injured soldier, and poop out the same soldier completely healed :D

    --
    Politics is Treachery, Religion is Brainwashing
  6. You know you're too late when... by LunarEffect · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...there's only a skeleton left lying there.

  7. Why not go on the offensive instead? by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 4, Funny

    Arm that robot snake with a chainsaw and a shotgun, and program him to babble like a neurotic "Evil Dead" Bruce Campbell.

    Let a bunch of them loose on your enemy, and you won't have to worry about any casualties on your side.

    Soldiers are mentally prepared to face other soldiers in combat situations. They are not mentally prepared to face chainsaw and shotgun wielding robot snakes.

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  8. It's all in the software by mangu · · Score: 4, Funny

    This snakelike robot is programmed in Python, of course

    1. Re:It's all in the software by Hurricane78 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I managed to get a hold on the actual source code. Here's a sample:

      Sss (sss, sssSSS, sS, sSS):
          S.SS = s[S].s SSss * sssss / S(SSs) + sSSSs
          SsS (S s s.sss):
              sS(sss, ssS, Ss)
              SSS.SS.S(sSs.SS)
          SS && ssssssssss(SSSS)

      S (sS):
        Sss.SssSSS()
        sSS(SSS)
      s

      Does anyone here speak python?

      --
      Any sufficiently advanced intelligence is indistinguishable from stupidity.