"A BEAR on the Battlefield"

[geminisama]

A BEAR on the Battlefield

New Scientist Tech reports that the U.S. Army has contracted Vecna Technologies of College Park, Maryland to develop a robot specifically designed to extract wounded troops.

"The Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot (BEAR) will be able to travel over bumpy terrain and squeeze through doorways while carrying an injured soldier in its arms," the article states.

"The robot's hydraulic arms are designed to pick up loads in a single smooth movement, to avoid causing pain to wounded soldiers. While the existing prototype slides its arms under its burden like a forklift, future versions will be fitted with maneuverable hands to gently scoop up casualties.

"The robot's humanoid body and teddy bear-style head give it a friendly appearance. 'A really important thing when you're dealing with casualties is trying to maintain that human touch,' says Gary Gilbert of the U.S. Army's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center in Frederick, Maryland, which provided the initial funding for BEAR's development. Congress has since added $1.1 million."

BEAR is expected to be ready for field testing in about five years.

(Gouge: CM)

-- Ward

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003546.html

I found this interesting. Do you guys think they would actually make alot of these, or do you think it will be just another dumped project?

 

[The Yankee]

Sounds like an interesting concept, but of course, we'd have to see how useful they are in a chaotic situation, such as operating while under fire after its unit was ambushed along some highway.

But it could be a real step in the right direction as far as getting to the wounded.

 

[Kennigit]

Sounds like someone might have seen the Colbert Report recently.

I think its kinda silly, but if injured soldiers think it might help bring comfort or a certain human touch, then fine.

edit- Aye, beaten by The Yankee, but Steven Colbert recently had this in his threat down.

 

[The Yankee]

I think its kinda silly, but if injured soldiers think it might help bring comfort or a certain human touch, then fine.

Seems I missed that part. I don't know if it actually would give them any kind of comfort, but all the better if it does.

 

[Masquerouge]

I think there was a thread about this recently...

I think that robot would make a very good target practice, but that's just me.

 

[Kozmos]

Old news man.

 

[geminisama]

Old news man.

Sorry..I didnt see any about this, so I thought Id post it.

 

[The Yankee]

I think there was a thread about this recently...

I think that robot would make a very good target practice, but that's just me.

Only if it were less agile than a soldier or two trying to get a guy evac'd out of there. One plus is that it isn't all that tall, it seems, so it might be easier to cover it.

 

[Kennigit]

"The Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot (BEAR) will be able to travel over bumpy terrain and squeeze through doorways while carrying an injured soldier in its arms," the article states.

Thats more important obviously, but I'm just saying there is no reason to make it look like a bear unless the injured soldiers being carried find that comforting somehow.....

Article doesn't say that, but I took it as an assumption

 

[Naval Power]

I'm going to have to go with Colbert on this one, what happens when those wounded soldiers retire and go camping. If they get injured they are going to be calling out for that bear only to have a 1,000 pound grizzly eat their faces off.

 

[Phlegmak]

This pose by Colbert is remarkably similar to the famous pose by Lynndie England. I wonder if he did it on purpose.

 

[TheDervish]

"The robot's humanoid body and teddy bear-style head give it a friendly appearance.

I want the Japanese to design this one.