Robot 'Huggy Bear' Goes To War June 08, 2007

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The latest weapon on the war on terror is the Bear, or Battlefield Extraction Assist Robot (BEAR), designed to carry downed soldiers to safety.

It even has a smile – although someone forgot to stick it on the one in this photo. You might wonder why it smiles but that’s because a smiling giant robot is far less scary to the wounded it’s approaching than a scowling giant robot.

This 6ft bot is highly maneuverable with tracked legs for walking and the ability to shift into a wheeled mode [see above] for faster transport on smooth surfaces. It can also carry up 500lbs without collapsing and can even manage stairs while carrying a dummy.

This baby will not be deployed though for up to five years, as they work out some kinks. Our commiserations go out to all those allies the Yanks keep shooting by mistake.-Martin Lynch

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