Robotic tentacles to neutralize bombs and landmines

As soldiers deployed in war zones know too well, danger may be waiting around the corner, behind a closed door or in the form of a homemade bomb (the so called IEDs, or Improvised Explosive Devices) which may explode at any time. Neutralizing these bombs is one of the hardest jobs for the troops, and one with the highest risk and casualty rate.

To improve soldiers’ safety in these situations, the US Army Research Laboratory, in cooperation wit Carnegie Mellon University, is developing the Robotic Tentacle Manipulator, an anti bomb robot made up of three coordinated robotic tentacles, mounted on a cylindrical bottom.

The system features a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) functionality, as well as 3D imaging software, which allow it to scan a suspicious object, and an advanced manipulation system which allows it to open doors or inspect a bomb without setting it off.

Its tentacles can also be used to move the robot, allowing it to negotiate even the narrowest spaces, to walk on rough terrain or even to swim to reach its target.

The anti bomb robot is controlled remotely, thanks to a laptop to which it is connected by Bluetooth or WiFi. Each one of its tentacles is basically an individual robot, and a central control system would communicate with the individual motors placed on each tentacle.

The motors are used to provide movements on each tentacle, while the operator that controls the whole system from his laptop would control the whole movement. According to Army researchers, in the future it will be possible to create such robots in different sizes and with different features according to the job they will need to take care of.