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Since long, we have been hearing and catching the glimpses of iRobot’s 710 Warrior ground robot. This is a different type of robot which is more powerful to tow a car. It looks like a tank shape and specially designed to be a Generalist. The robot can ride on caterpillar tracks, climb stairs, cover rough terrain and perform tasks with its two-meter-long mechanical arm. Two special prototype was deployed to Fukushima prefecture to assist with the radiation cleanup after the earthquake in Japan in last year.

Warrior is the latest invention from iRobot. Most of the Massachusetts-based iRobots are being used in different purposes. Such as Roomba vacuum robot, SUGV robots and PackBots remote-controlled robots are being used by U.S. combat forces for different purposes. Roomba and Packbots are used to disable improvised explosive devices and perform other dangerous tasks. But Warrior is different from all of these.

About Warrior :

Warrior is just over 450 pounds. It has 6.5-foot sporting mechanical arms which is more than five times heavier than PackBot (Packbot is designed to be carried like a backpack). In fact, its arms are 5 times larger and stronger than a PackBot. These arm can lift more than 150 pounds (68 kilograms). Warrior can stretch its arms up to 11.5 feet (3.5 meter) high from the ground. The robot’s ‘flippers’ allow it to climb over obstacles up to more than 1.5 feet (0.5 meter) in height. It can be weaponized, or fitted with a variety of task-specific tools. It can delicately open a car door or smash its way through the windows. The robot’s electric motor gives it a top speed of 8mph (12.9 kmph) and enough power to pull a large car. Warrior is controlled by using iRobot’s Aware 2 software. The controller can monitor from up to six cameras on the robot’s chassis, arm, and gripper. Warrior can be used for everything from search and rescue. Check out the video.

iRobot’s vice president of operations for government and industrial robots Tim Trainer, said, ‘With the small robots, you really have to optimize them for specific missions. With Warrior, you can provide more flexibility.’ To be noted that, two prototypes of the robots, without fully polished hardware and software, had been sent to explore damaged buildings at the site of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan after the nuclear accident that happened last year. And now, Warriors are fully prepared to enter manufacturing. Though its price has not been flashed yet but still it can be be ordered from now.

Source : PopSci, Technology Review

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