Boffins invent landmine-proof robo-shoe

vnunet ^ | 4/28/06 | Simon Burns

[LibWhacker]

This thing would also be of great help in cities where people walking their dogs aren't required to use pooper scoopers.

[Spktyr]

Actually, minefields appear to still be lethal almost a century after they were laid.

WW1 mines are *still* killing people in Europe.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

You volunteering to try these things out?

[Thud]

ping

[ZOOKER]

How many of the mines currently in the ground are non-metallic, and invisible to these six-legged wonders?

[308MBR]

The obvious flaw in the slaw is that this was developed by SCIENTISTS who have no training in the application of technology. To have a chance at applying technology in a (hopefully) practical manner, it requires an engineer. This is NOT any sort of practical application of any sort of method that could remotely be called technology by anyone living in the 21st century.

How about a tightly focused repeating EMP discharge that would smoke ALL electrical circuits wired smaller than ten gauge for a two hundred yard radius around a company of soldiers? Have we called up so many 50 year olds from the NG with pacemakers for combat duty that this is not feasible, or is it that important to maintain the RFID chips in body armor so the DoD can send bills to the familites of dead/wounded soldiers?

Before people call for a ZOT, I want it made clear that I feel there has been ten times too much "hearts and minds" BS in Iraq versus one tenth as much "let God sort 'em out" as should have been used.

[martin_fierro]

My HOSTS file is blocking your image source, so I'm guessing:

[thomaswest]

How about a tightly focused repeating EMP discharge that would smoke ALL electrical circuits wired smaller than ten gauge for a two hundred yard radius around a company of soldiers?

How about it? Donno about scientists, but I think most engineers agree to one over r-squared. 1/r^2. It's pretty clear. You have a way to beat physics?

And just how do you plan to generate an EMP? Implode a superconducting magnetic dipole? Just curious.

[marktwain]

Not to mention that many mines are simple mechanical devices without electrical circuits.

[R. Scott]

How about a tightly focused repeating EMP discharge that would smoke ALL electrical circuits wired smaller than ten gauge for a two hundred yard radius around a company of soldiers?

How would that be effective for land mines?

[Hardastarboard]

a superconducting magnetic dipole?

I've got one of those, but I don't talk about it in public.

[308MBR]

Well, here is one way to do it.

http://www.amazing1.com/emp.htm

[308MBR]

Many mines are purely mechanical, but I was thinking more about the remote detonated types and IEDs.

The best thing for the purely mechanical types is still the flail being pushed by a tank.

[marktwain]

I believe that I can tell you that electronic countermeasures for mines and IEDs have been actively pursued for at least 20 years. I think there have been some successes, but it has become the usual Darwinian arms race situation.

[308MBR]

Were you expecting anything different?

[Dog Gone]

Can I order them at Sharper Image?

[Bogey78O]

Why not get a homeboy with his suped up Hyundai to roll down the street with the bass turned up. If he can make the street shake he should make the mines shake till they pop.

[marktwain]

308MBR "How about a tightly focused repeating EMP discharge that would smoke ALL electrical circuits wired smaller than ten gauge for a two hundred yard radius around a company of soldiers? Have we called up so many 50 year olds from the NG with pacemakers for combat duty that this is not feasible, or is it that important to maintain the RFID chips in body armor so the DoD can send bills to the familites of dead/wounded soldiers?"

Marktwain "I believe that I can tell you that electronic countermeasures for mines and IEDs have been actively pursued for at least 20 years. I think there have been some successes, but it has become the usual Darwinian arms race situation."

308MBR "Were you expecting anything different?"

Your post quoted above seemed to indicate that you thought differently.

[Thud]

Dark Wing has some hiking boots with huge springs in the heels.