Killer bot brings down the hurt on ticks

So it might not be quite the kind of aggressive behavior we were expecting from our future robotic overlords, but the Autonomous Tick-Collecting Robot seems like a step in the right direction. The bot can follow the path of a tube that releases carbon dioxide to attract the ticks, which are then killed by the denim skirt that Tick Rover drags behind, which is soaked in an insecticide. In tests the bot managed to nab 72 out of 75 ticks placed in a field, making it an effective control on ticks while causing minimal environmental damage or inconvenience to users.

[Via Hack-A-Day]

[Phong @ Feb 28th 2006 6:43PM]

Slick emaxx

[Nick @ Feb 28th 2006 6:44PM]

The tick antennae are a nice touch.

[Mandarin @ Feb 28th 2006 7:01PM]

Kill all humans!

[Jonathan @ Feb 28th 2006 7:02PM]

That "robot" is an RC car dragging a Raid soaked rag. This isn't quite up to Roomba standards.

[Rombus @ Feb 28th 2006 7:31PM]

#4:
Actually its an RC Card that�s rigged up to be autonomous, So it is a robot.

[Chris @ Feb 28th 2006 7:39PM]

"Dennis picked up one on his sock"
bwahahahhaa

so, 'bots that follow wires is nothing new, what's the trouble...

[Rusty Shackleford @ Feb 28th 2006 7:48PM]

Far simpler, easier, and cheaper to just call in the Orkin man to spray the yard with pyrethrins. $45 later and you're tick-free. 100% killed, no stragglers.

[Jonathan @ Feb 28th 2006 8:17PM]

It follows a line on the ground. That does not make it autonomous. That's like calling an elevator autonomous because it goes up and down a shaft. Hmmm.

[Rombus @ Feb 28th 2006 8:27PM]

#8
Its not the fact its following a line on the ground that makes it autonomous, the fact its doing it without user input that makes it autonomous. An elevator requires user input to work.
Stop being stupid, people! This it�s just a project, not a final product, or even possibly a good marketable project.

Takes a lot to impress you people doesn�t it?

[TR @ Feb 28th 2006 8:49PM]

Meanwhile, I'd be worried about those 3 either very smart or very pissed off ticks.

... or both ...

[Deviant @ Feb 28th 2006 9:18PM]

Very cool idea!

Aside from the fun of making a machine follow a line, it would be much simpler and more practical to have the hose pump out carbon dioxide, and after some period of delay time, the hose can then pump out the insecticide. Done.

[fs454 @ Feb 28th 2006 10:54PM]

E-MAXX!

[PodMonkeys @ Mar 1st 2006 7:22AM]

Neat! Be careful when it starts putting out bait for humans... :P

[Health Dept Employee @ Mar 1st 2006 11:39AM]

I think a number of posters missed the point here. The greatest feature of this rover is that it doesn't leave any chemical residue behind. When permethrin (the safer of tick insecticides) is sprayed, children and dogs usually have to wait a period of up to 3 days before venturing into the yard because the spray is much more concentrated than typical repellants. The rover brings the ticks to the permethrin, instead of bringing the permethrin to the ticks (and your lawn, ground water, children, and pets). A similar approach is used with the Maxforce Tick Management System (google it) but uses mice to pick up the ticks.

[AH @ Mar 1st 2006 12:32PM]

They missed three ticks... that means that three bugs had an opportunity to reproduce in the wild... Since such creatures tend to have high reproductive rates, isn't missing even three a problem?

[evan @ Mar 1st 2006 5:03PM]

I have a T-maxx, so it is gas and would not need the raid soaked rag, the exhaust would just choke the crap out of the ticks. yumm, the smell of burnt nitromethane and alcohol.

[Steve S. @ Mar 2nd 2006 8:46AM]

Amazing. Parts of New England with heavy deer tick populations (and Lyme Disease) are waiting for something like this. While it may not be the ultimate solution it would help a lot.