iRobot released today new video of its Warrior robot, a beefed up version of the more well-known PackBot, demonstrating use of the APOBS, or Anti-Personnel Obstacle Breaching System, an explosive line charge towed by a rocket, with a small parachute holding back the end of the line. The APOBS, iRobot says, is designed for “deliberate breaching of anti-personnel minefields and multi-strand wire obstacles.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3jab7rnIL0[/youtube]
More Info available – HERE
Pretty neat idea. The 0.6 meter (2 feet) path it creates seems awfully narrow though, especially if you are using it to clear a path in a mine field. Definitely not wide enough for a vehicle to go through.
Let me know when the more affordable Roomba gets equipped with weaponry, then i’ll buy one. :P
iRobot Warrior website – HERE
Comments
4 responses to “iRobot Demonstrates New Weaponized Robot – Roomba Is So Lame”
That completely ROCKS!
I probably won’t admire it so much after the robot slaves rise up against their human overlords, though. People worry about the Zombie Apocalypse? Feh… The real threat is from Skynet :)
If you have two of those robots, two 2 foot wide paths is enough for most military vehicles to drive over.
That crossed my mind, but If there was any wind, I think laying two of those charges down side by side would be next to impossible though.
If you’re worried about clearing enough space for vehicles, you wouldn’t be using a little man-portable robot either. That’s what full sized MCLCs and mine plows and the like are for.
But a small foot patrol needing to clear a path to assault a Taliban position in mine-infested Afghanistan up in the mountains where vehicles can’t go would love this.