Discussion on:

SRI's latest bot disposes of bombs

This concept would work very well in situations where direct observation and dismantling is a must for example a hostage situation. Life saving, in fact.

However where people have already been evacuated to safety, I could design a tank like unit at a fraction of the cost of this. A tank type unit could avoid the time used dismantling, and destroy a suspicious package or blast a roadside IED on site. It could also withstand the blast without taking out time for dismantling/deactivating a package which may not work and destroy an expensive delicate robot.

The DaVinci system is an excellent surgical tool. I foresee it having a large number of non surgical applications. Mining, construction, welding, space, and underseas applications would obviate placing people in harm's way.

Nice article.

For fighting domestic terrorism, one objective is to retain forensic evidence that is lost or compromised when a suspicious package is destroyed using a counter-charge. This preservation of evidence is one of the primary motivations in development of the Taurus. Furthermore, there may be future threats we will face where the collateral damage resulting from accidental detonation triggered by a counter-charge is unacceptable.

Thanks for your thoughtful comment, I agree that SmartPlanet did an outstanding job on presenting the story.

I suppose it will work in the dark/cold /rain/mud against movement sensitive booby trapped devices where the weight of robot approaching would set off. This will save the lives of many EOD experts and make a small fortune for the company in replacement units. any terrorist/freedom fighter group worth their salt would keep the factory in china busy full time. this is ok for one offs in a city but in the field useless. low tech disruptor still the best option, for simple devices, these can also be defeated I am told by a top bomb disposal expert quite simply in the bombs design, to explode when disruptor is triggered. Even to suggest how it works would be more than criminal to say here and could cost many lives.