Battlefield robots prove value in military exercises

Intelligence and Terrorism News

Dec 12, 2005, 1:16 GMT

Singapore - Battlefield robots developed in Singapore proved to be formidable tools during their first tests during an exercise in Australia, engineers said Monday. Video images beamed by the robots to the armed forces helped commanders locate and destroy 'enemy forces' in the form of plywood targets or oil drums, said the engineers from the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA). Each Packbot robot is no bigger than the famous R2-D2 droid from the 'Star Wars' movies. An evaluation of the robots' performance during Exercise Wallaby, held at the Shoalwater Bay training area, was published in The Straits Times. The lightweight 30 kilogram Packbot moves silently at a brisk walking pace and can negotiate slopes. Its eyes are a camera that can enlarge images by 30 times. A night vision device can be controlled by an operator up to 600 metres away. 'We managed to test the Packbot in a real operational environment,' DSTA project manager Cheng Wee Kiang was quoted as saying. 'The soldiers were able to give us feedback and suggestions for improvements.' Some 1,500 troops and more than 400 tanks, warplanes and helicopters took part in the recent war games. The robot 'provides a smaller body to enter dangerous areas and survey them for us while we remain in a safe and comfortable position', said Sergeant Seow Hong Da. © dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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SOMEONE ON MARS!!!Dec 12th, 2005 - 16:54:16

Robots are the coolest thing sense nintendo. I want a robot for my self... that way i know i can always have a mechanical friend by my side!!! ROBOTS RULE. YO YO YO YO YO

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he he heDec 12th, 2005 - 17:00:06

robots are so cooooooooooooooooooooool they help me get my learing done quick so i lov thems so much

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NO NAMEDec 12th, 2005 - 17:02:08

I DONT KNOW MUCH ABOUT ROBOTS BUT I HEAR THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE A HUGE SUCCES IN THE FUTURE. I HOPE THAT THEY DONT HURT PEOPLE. I AM A VERY CARING PERSON.

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he he heDec 12th, 2005 - 17:03:26

i have a teddy bear that fights my robot robot win

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he he heDec 12th, 2005 - 17:04:24

this site is gay

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cocopuffsDec 12th, 2005 - 17:05:48

i am your friend i want you to now that i am going to rule the world the only thig i want to say is that my fighter are gayand like to kiss me and i like to do it with you sxdfcgsneweuwvcrwbfejuyvbfduikvajgbhkfgvbcvoir;hugreogbvigfrhbhfarbwrrjgbrhgiolruwlbfdhgwgyihrbyugawifrygwhybgrguyghytlgtgt

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he he heDec 13th, 2005 - 17:00:26

i know a guy who wants a robot boyfriend. Man thats gross. You guys know what i mean.

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