US Army Testing Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot [Video]
Robots in the military are becoming pretty common. As the Commanding Officers try to think of new, and futuristic ways to make sure that their soldiers aren't put into harm's way, new robotic devices are being tested and implemented into dangerous situations. One of the United States Army's newest devices, the Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot, or BEAR, is meant to be able to use all of its skills and abilities to go into live-fire zones, and pull wounded military personnel out of the conflict.
The BEAR is a robot that can do quite a few things. For example, it has the ability to stand up, and balance itself while moving. It also has arms and hands, which it can use the fingers at the end of the appendages to pick up items. BEAR is capable of lifting 500 pounds at any given moment.
BEAR is controlled remotely, thanks to an "iGlove," or from a modified rifle grip, thanks to the multitude of sensors that are placed on BEAR. As with any other piece of future tech being tested by the military, the ultimate goal is to get it into the hands of soldiers on the field, so that they have an aide when it comes to highly dangerous situations, like rescuing downed allies in a battlefield. Check out the video below to see BEAR in action.
[via TG Daily]