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Military Developing Leaping Robots for Urban Exploration

by Warren Riddle on September 15, 2009 at 12:25 PM


The two developers of the most frightening and impressive robots in the United States are joining forces to create an incredible new high-flying bot, reports the BBC. The Department of Defense's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (creator of the terrifying EATR-bot that can sustain itself on human flesh) first developed the awesome Precision Urban Hopper. Boston Dynamics (the firm that developed the intimidating, clawed, climbing RiSE V3 robot), has been enlisted to perfect it.

Loaded with a piston-operated "leg," the small, four-wheeled Hopper can hurl itself over structures as tall as 25 feet. The military believes the GPS-guided, semi-autonomous bot could greatly aid troops in urban conflicts, as the little leaper could explore buildings for hidden bombs, combatants, and snipers. The Hopper won't be ready for action until 2010 at the earliest, but, for now, the Department of Defense could at least use it to dominate the RoboGames. If the bot doesn't succeed, the department could always just use the EATR to devour the judges. [From: The BBC]

Tags: department of defense, DepartmentOfDefense, military, military tech, MilitaryTech, precision urban hopper, PrecisionUrbanHopper, robot, top

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