The Robot Spies Of The Future Battlefield

We have been writing about the battlefield of the future (see articles below) for a while now. So, it was of  great interest to read about the development of a snake spy in a recent article in the Jerusalem post.

Israeli researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, have invented a robotic surveillance camera disguised as a snake.

The snake spy can be controlled remotely by soldiers in an attempt to seek out enemy insurgents hiding in tight spaces, where airborne drones aren't as useful. The Israel Defence Forces plan to equip combat units with the models, which could also be used to find survivors trapped in collapsed buildings.

In addition to surveillance activity, the robot snake can plant bombs and stand up vertically to peer over obstacles. Researchers studied the movements of snakes to ensure that the robotic equivalent mimics them correctly. A soldier controls the snake from a remote laptop and can follow what it sees via video cameras.

The machine gains its movement from a series of interconnected joints that help pull it along the ground, in a method similar to that of the way a snake moves. Rough surfaces that would normally be too difficult for robots on wheels are perfect for this all-terrain cyborg snake.

In addition, a robot dog that walks just like man's best friend (named BigDog for its bulky size), has been used by the military research group DARPA . The latest version of the robot can now carry 340 pounds, which is almost triple the previous weight. Seeing it climb through rubble, snow, and jumping over obstacles gives it the feel of a real dog.  

The artices below are about other autonomous insect robots and initiatives that are being developed to gain a military advantage in the battlefield of the future.

Fighting The Next War With Insects And Sharks

Internet’s Inventor Tries To Discover The Perfect Soldier

http://www.eworldvu.com