The STARRAY ferrets out IEDs

It's really not so hot to look at, but HiEnergy Technologies, Inc.'s new STARRAY IED (improvised explosive device, i.e. bomb) detection system could hit the mark for the military and bomb-squads the nation over. The STARRAY, which apparently underwent extensive military testing with live ordnance late last year, is capable of detecting explosives between 40 seconds and 5 minutes (depending on quantity and distance) all the while handling harsh terrain, crossing ditches, or climbing stairs. We don't think the STARRAY is autonomous (though we wish it were) since they mention it being a system mounted on a Northrop Grumman Andros Mark V rover. So how much does the bot with HiEnergy Atometer cost? $450,000, that's how much. If only they had one in Ravenna, Ohio.

[Via Robot Gossip]

[Chris @ Apr 8th 2006 11:56PM]

450 Grand Eh? I'da pay that to keep my cousin alive.. those IED's are crazy..

[Thomas Averin @ Apr 9th 2006 1:12AM]

meh. that sexy robot was cooler.

[Max Cage @ Apr 9th 2006 1:58AM]

Bots like there are a real need in places like Afghanistan, where the percentage of people losing their lower limb due to landmine explotion is quite high. Most of them belonging to the early 20s, disabled for the rest of their life. Someday, hope Afghanis are well-off to afford expensive quipment like this and get rid off the abyss sleeping dormant and gets ignited once you step on it, which is wide spread over the landscapes. Really sad!

[Justin @ Apr 9th 2006 2:06AM]

Along the lines of exploding doo-dads, what's going on lately with mine detection?

Because I think it would be awesome if... say you ran into a suspected mine field. You COULD go through it carefully, using handheld instruments to detect them and such... OR, you could put this metal cylinder on the ground, hit a button, and out pour hundreds of little robots that move in a pre-set width while zig-zagging forward, setting off any mines around while you safely watch from a distance.

Bam (literally)! No more mines!

[Jo @ Apr 9th 2006 2:31AM]

If only removing landmines was that easy.

Right now, about 200 people a month are killed in Afghanistan as the result of the plastic landmines that Russians littered that country with in the 80's. Elsewhere, landmines don't always go off when deliberate pressure is put on them, sometimes rain will soften the ground just enough to set them off.

[eyeb1 @ Apr 9th 2006 3:57AM]

here .. here .. Max Cage ..

it is not just afganistan that is affected .. it would be nice to see these being distributied by the US in ..

Loas ..

Cluster munitions were used intensively in Lao PDR during the Vietnam War. The U.S. Airforce and CIA dropped more than 80 million submunitions or approximately 25 �bombies� for each of the country�s 3 million inhabitants at the time.

Cambodia ..

Cluster munitions were used in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. The U.S. Airforce dropped approximately 540,000 tons of cluster munitions and high explosive bombs on the Ho Chi Minh Trail from 1965-1975. One survey puts the number of U.S. cluster munition strikes in Cambodia at 17,235.

Vietnam ..

Cluster munitions were used in Vietnam during the �American War�. The U.S. Airforce dropped at least 82.6 million cluster submunitions on both the northern and southern parts of the country from 1961-1973. Cluster munitions were used on a number of cities, including Hanoi, Vinh and Viet Tri. The damage, which ranged over several square kilometres, killed civilians as well as military personnel.

U.S. has used cluster munitions in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iraq, Kuwait, Laos, Saudi Arabia and Yugoslavia (including Bosnia and Kosovo).

Trade: U.S. has transferred cluster munitions to Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sweden, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom

[Karl Viklund @ Apr 9th 2006 4:04AM]

What did ya say? Only $450,000? That's nothing. Will buy 10 of 'em right away!

[Stephanie @ Apr 9th 2006 6:00AM]

By the time that thing gets there, one to replace it will be ready to go and it will cost millions more to send that one to. Dont you think it is about time we started spending millions on our people instead of a look somewhere no of else people are ever going to go !

[Henry @ Apr 9th 2006 8:11AM]

What's underneath the photo edit in the bottom right hand corner? Is it there to cover up something 'sensitive'?

[Nate @ Apr 9th 2006 11:24AM]

From #5, "...OR, you could put this metal cylinder on the ground, hit a button, and out pour hundreds of little robots that move in a pre-set width while zig-zagging forward, setting off any mines around while you safely watch from a distance."

I personally like the idea of loosing an entire carton of battery-operated bunnies to clear a minefield. But, maybe that's just me.

[Leo @ Apr 9th 2006 11:39AM]

Ordnance...an ordinance is a law.

[Dennis @ Apr 9th 2006 12:06PM]

Can't they make a giant Roomba that would clean the streets at the same time?

[Mr Norris @ Apr 9th 2006 1:08PM]

Thomas Averin said -- "meh. that sexy robot was cooler."

Wow... do you not get what this robot's designed for? And all you can say is some other bot was "cooler." Go to Iraq, jackass... see how sexy this robot is then.

In the meanwhile, troops are over there right now detecting IEDs and "blowing in place."

ps -- this awesome bot is for IEDs specifically... not landmines. Not nitpicking, just thought it pertinent to mention... big difference.

[Justin @ Apr 9th 2006 1:53PM]

"Elsewhere, landmines don't always go off when deliberate pressure is put on them, sometimes rain will soften the ground just enough to set them off."

That is _scary_, I didn't know that. Talk about a sobering thought...

[Thomas Averin @ Apr 9th 2006 5:14PM]

#11

Im sorry. you have no sense of humor. I'll avoid jokes around you, I promise.

[Blackflip @ Apr 9th 2006 5:38PM]

Yeah i was just about to write about that badly covered up right bottom of that pic.

[Blackflip @ Apr 9th 2006 5:40PM]

If you want a real tool for demining, use this: http://www.digger.ch
This is the real thing. Costs a little more, but is so much faster and effective. And its SWISSMADE

[FlipFlop @ Apr 10th 2006 2:50AM]

@Mr Norris
What's the problem with IED's ? If they hit civilians thats really bad, however against occupation forces it is more than legitim to use them. If I break into your house without a reason you also have a reason to shoot me, no ? ;-)