Wednesday, October 05, 2005

iRobot helping Packbot enforce Rule #1.

The makers of Roomba, iRobot, are also the manufacturers of a line of infantry assisting robot drones called packbots. The packbot is a basic remote-controlled platform with multiple optional modules such as scouting, exploration and explosive ordnance disposal.

As shown here, the entire platform can be carried by a single soldier, apparently as part of a rig similar to the ALICE pack system. The reason that Packbot (which is a developing platform that has been around for several years) is that iRobot has teamed up with Boston University and recently announced an anti-sniper package for Packbot.

The additional antisniper module, which weighs just over 2 kilograms, can successfully detect the location of a sniper with 94% accuracy, and has a response before the smoke from the first shot has cleared.

In an industry with an increasingly powerful war-based component, it is encouraging to see a company build a guardian like this. This is an intelligent automated component whose primary purpose on the battlefield is to ensure that humans do not come to harm by providing them with more information to help protect them.

Robotic-vacuum maker, BU team up on antisniper device [boston.com]

iRobot and Boston Univ. Photonics Center Unveil Advanced Sniper Detection System
[businesswire.com]

Robots for the real world: Gorvernment and Industrial [Packbot Product pages at iRobot]

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