Behold the Bomb-Bot: Boom!

Bomb disposal robots are nothing new, but the latest designed for U.S. armed forces will be smaller, smarter, and ready for action in harsher battlefields.

Afghanistan is one destination for the Advanced Explosive Ordnance Disposal Robot System's (AEODRS) planned new machines. One will even have a human-like hand to deal with the fiddly stuff, but the real developments are in sensors and environmental awareness. Here's Wired's Noah Shachtman:

That would free up military robot-handlers, who today have to guide the machine's every move - and make decisions based on the bot's often-fuzzy video feeds.

The AEODRS program is also designed to give the maintenance guys a break.

Military Gears Up for Bomb-Bot 2.0 [Wired: Danger Room]

[#1 posted by technogeek , February 25, 2009 3:06 PM]

I presume the inventors actually pronounce AEODRS as "Yodas"...

"The bomb we are finding, yes..."

[#2 posted by pseudonym , February 26, 2009 10:39 AM]

The hunter-killer bots from Terminator are getting closer.

[#3 posted by dculberson , February 26, 2009 11:36 AM]

Doombas!

[#4 posted by Halloween Jack , February 26, 2009 1:19 PM]

I'm sorry, but that lil' feller is too, too woobie to send out for UXBs.

[#5 posted by dainel , February 27, 2009 1:13 AM]

Five finger robot hand with force feedback glove to control it remotely. Then, when the bomb explodes, it takes your fingers off. Remotely.