Friday, June 08, 2007

Bear robot rescues wounded troops

The Battlefield Extraction Assist Robot (BEAR) can scoop up even the heaviest of casualties and transport them over long distances over rough terrain.

New Scientist magazine reports that the "friendly appearance" of the robot is designed to put the wounded at ease.

(Via Beyond the Beyond.)


Let me make sure I understand this. You're a US Marine. A suicide bomber self-detonates and the next thing you know you're lying face-down in a pool of blood somewhere in Iraq. Perhaps your intestines are oozing out. You'd scream, but half your face has been melted by the blast. Suddenly, a chimeric metal beast with the head of a teddy bear emerges from the smoke and billowing sand.

And then you manage a pained smile -- because you know that everything's going to be just fine.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

first thing that springs to mind: Tetsuooooo!

Unknown said...

Why a bearbot? Why not, say, a St. Bernardbot?

Unknown said...

Oh, yeah. Because of the clever acronym.