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iRobot's 'throwable' 110 FirstLook bot gets drafted into the military (video)
There's something pretty damn appealing about a controllable robot that can be hurled through a window and live to tell the tale. It looks like the military brass agree; The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) has ordered over 100 of iRobot's 110 FirstLook scouting units. Unsurprisingly, these robots are tougher than your garden variety RC vehicle. Aside from managing our desperate throws, these can survive 15-foot drops, self-right, relay radio communication over a digital mesh network and feed back video from its four built-in cameras. After a year of internal testing, the bots will get their first on-the-job trial in an "operational assessment" later this spring. Check out the (military) man-toy in action right after the break.
iRobot debuts 'throwable' 110 FirstLook robot
Sure, just about any iRobot bot is technically "throwable," but the company's new iRobot 110 FirstLook robot is guaranteed to survive that throw and keep rolling, and even stand up to 15-foot drops onto concrete. As you may be able to tell from appearances, this one's also primarily a military bot, and iRobot says it's ideal for "hasty situational awareness," as well as for investigating tunnels and other confined spaces (it measures just nine inches by twelve inches and weighs only five pounds). What's more, it also promises to continue operating for more than six hours at a time, and it can be controlled using a nifty wrist-mounted touchscreen controller. Head on past the break for a video.
