Crave: The gadget blog- Category: Military tech

Divining rod reborn as explosive-detection device

Darius Chang — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:00 PST

The Iraqi government has purchased more than 1,500 units of the ADE 651, a bomb detector that makes very questionable claims.

Monocopter design takes cues from maple seeds

Matt Hickey — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:38:00 PDT

What some helicopters do with two or more blades this one does with just one--and it's inspired by nature's spiraling maple seed.

Robomule Rex follows soldiers, voice commands

Mark Rutherford — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:34:00 PDT

Will orders for Israel Aerospace Industries' six-wheel robotic "beast of burden," designed to carry 440 pounds of foot soldiers' stuff for 72 hours sans refueling, roll in?

Originally posted at Military Tech

Ninety-foot drop can't stop robot cockroach

Tim Hornyak — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:58:00 PDT

Researchers at UC Berkeley are developing a robot cockroach that can be assembled in about an hour, move quickly, and survive 92-foot falls.

iRobot's oozy ChemBot amazes and terrifies

Leslie Katz — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:08:00 PDT

We're getting a first glimpse of that shape-shifting ChemBot we first told you about last year, and all we can say is, please keep it away from us.

Urban Hopper robot can leap over 25-foot walls

Tim Hornyak — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:14:00 PDT

DARPA shows off the Precision Urban Hopper, a small wheeled robot that can leap over tall obstacles. It's designed for urban surveillance operations.

Hydraulic hand promises Hulk handshakes

Tim Hornyak — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:18:00 PDT

Oak Ridge labs is developing a "mesofluidic" hydraulic hand that can double the pinch strength of your fingers. Applications include remote disarming of explosives.

Robo-copter can navigate inside your home

Tim Hornyak — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:20:00 PDT

Small flying robot called the Pelican can navigate the interiors of buildings autonomously, proving it can outperform military technology.

Grazing robot would run on biomass

Mark Rutherford — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:15:00 PDT

The biologically inspired Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot concept conjures up an animal-like ability to find and extract energy as it goes.

Originally posted at Military Tech

Student project: Bolt-action coil gun

Matt Hickey — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:36:00 PDT

As a side project, one kid built a six-round, bolt-action, high-powered coil gun. I'm afraid.