Israel unveils portable hunter-killer robot

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyid=2007-03-08T103103Z_01_L08481636_RTRUKOC_0_US-ISRAEL-ROBOT.xml&src=rss&rpc=22 ^ | Thu Mar 8, 2007 5:31am ET

[BenLurkin]

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - An Israeli defense firm on Thursday unveiled a portable robot billed as being capable of entering most combat zones alone and engaging enemies with an onboard armory that includes a machine-pistol and grenades.

The VIPeR, roughly the size of a small television, was invented as part of Israel's efforts to develop weaponry that could reduce the risks to its forces from hand-to-hand fighting against Palestinian or Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas.

The manufacturer, Elbit Systems Ltd., said that the VIPeR's small size and dual treads enable it to move "undeterred by stairs, rubble, dark alleys, caves or narrow tunnels".

As well as bomb-sniffing and bomb disposal equipment, the VIPeR can carry an Uzi machine-pistol or plant a grenade. The weapons would be aimed using an onboard video camera.

According to Elbit, which has close links with the Defense Ministry, Israel plans to deploy the VIPeR among its infantry units after field tests. The robot could also be of interest to foreign police units or U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[Calpernia]

I want one!

[mainepatsfan]

I'm still waiting for one of these.

[NRA1995]

[Obie Wan]

OK now aim the thing in the direction of mooooooooslim countries and let it go !!!

[Calpernia]

California's not.

[Peanut Gallery]

ping

[KarlInOhio]

So how big is it? That picture give no sense of scale. Is it a cute little 4 inch long robot or is a few feet long and a few hundred pounds?

[theFIRMbss]

>I want one!

So, now we can sit
and watch Smallville and hunt deer
both at the same time!

[theFIRMbss]

>enemies with an onboard armory that includes a machine-pistol and grenades

So Nowak's thinking, "Damn it! I could have stayed home and sent out this thing!"

[Calpernia]

Even better. You don't have to leave the couch for a beer.

[MeanWestTexan]

Size of a 19" TV.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

said that the VIPeR's small size

From the little antennas on the back of the thing, I would say it's quite small.

If I'm not mistaken, those look like the flexible "rubber duck" antennas that can be found on many wireless routers.

You can extrapolate relative size form thats.

[TexasRepublic]

I think I saw one on the shelf at Toys-R-Us. Batteries not included.

[TheKidster]

I have an idea. They should set up an interface via the internet so that people could pay money and take control of one of these to go into palestine or Sadr City or the Afgan/pakistan border along with troops during missions. Kind of like an on line game where we get to kill islamofascists from the comfort of our homes. The money could then be used to support military families or some such worthy charity NOT run by the UN.

[prophetic]

This is a very nice machine but in view of the massive amount of terrorist vermins to be killed I'd think MOABS or Nukes would do a much better job.

[Sender]

Yes, finally we can hunt deer without having to climb a tree in the cold dark night. We'll just send out the HuntBot and tell it not to return empty.

[theDentist]

[SJSAMPLE]

"So what if it worked??!!! We could have had a multi-year contract of spare parts and maintenance!!!"

[theDentist]

(Both looking at body with 37 bullet holes)
CEO: "Dick, I'm very disappointed."
Dick: "I'm sure it's just a glitch."