EOD Robots Keep Troops out of "The Hurt Locker"

If you've seen the movie The Hurt Locker, you know the dangers EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) guys routinely face every time they approach an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) or any suspiscious object, for that matter. And if you saw the film, you know what a lifesaver EOD Robots can be in the tense seconds as they approach and defuse these unpredictable explosive traps.

Used more and more by EOD teams, these remotely controlled robot vehicles can do almost everything a trooper can do. About the size of a riding lawn mower, the robots can weigh upwards of 800 pounds, yet they can be as nimble as a surgeon. They typically come with a long, extendable manipulator arm and a versatile gripper hand. And with their articulated track, they can climb 45-degree stairs and crawl over obstacles 24 inches high.

Some EOD robots can lift up to 30 pounds and operate in all types of environments, including rain, sand, snow and mud. Most models are designed to reach under vehicles. And, yes, almost all of these versatile robots come with some sort of camera system. The best robots feature a color surveillance camera with 216:1 zoom lens mounted on a pan-and-tilt mechanism. All these functions can be remotely controlled using a variety of inputs--RF signals, fiber optic cable reel, or portable cable reel.

I personally knew an EOD guy and he told me his job was among the most highly respected in the military. He had some close calls, but last time I talked to him, he had all his fingers and toes.

Check out this dramatic video of an EOD Robot in action.

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