the us army is now going to be using toy robots by remote control to despose of (read: blow up) potentially dangerous mines & bombs! sounds like fun :D

The remote-controlled BomBot, aims to provide U.S. forces with a safer, more cost-effective way to detonate the improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, that increasingly are used by opponents in Iraq and Afghanistan.

http://www.post-gazette.com/images4/20060421VWHC_BombBot_230.jpg
a hell of a lot cheaper than the more sophisticated bomb removal robots that cost upwards of $100000! these ~$5000 robots will save troop's lives & prolly be a lot of fun :P

ha

why does it even need to cost 5 grand

all you need is a kid's remote control car and a grenade

s*** looking toy

who the f*** would want that

at least it has mini baja claws

these look like the old ones ive seen in iraq videos ages ago.. nothing new really apart from price change :/

they buy them for $49.95 from Big W and the rest of the $5000 pays for all their conspirisy shizzal

i know how much fun idle speculation is... but the article actually explains the costs :P i think the military would want something a bit more reliable than just a kid's toy with a grenade on it. ;]

BomBots are not built from scratch but are modifications of commercially available remote-controlled monster trucks that are intended for adults to race and sell for $350 to $500.

Workers in the Fairmont plant first perform computer tests on each vehicle to ensure the gears, engine and batteries work properly.

Workers replace the original wheels with larger, tougher versions and swap out the radio for a tamper- and jam-resistant model that responds only to its operator's hand-held controller. They upgrade the truck's transmission and clutch and modify its springs so that it can reach speeds of up to 35 mph and carry a 10-pound load.

Then they add an antenna, a dump-truck bed, a flashlight-sized camera that provides a 360-degree view and conduct more tests. Military officials visit the plant weekly and conduct their own quality tests as well.

that's a pretty mad setup. I wouldn't mind one of those sets of radio gear. Nothing worse than going to the rc track only to find some little snot-nosed sk with a fistfull of crystals trying to f*** your (and everyone elses) s*** up :@

Workers in the Fairmont plant first perform computer tests on each vehicle to ensure the gears, engine and batteries work properly.

why the f*** do they do this if they just go upgrade it all later on though?

The same commpany who makes the iRobot Roomba (iRobot) - you know, the robotic vacuum cleaner - they also make bomb disposal and operation robots.