Reinventing a Robot: From the Playground to the Battlefield

The Times Online reported today on "throwbots," small all-terrain robots that the U.S. Army could soon use to spy on Al-Qaeda. Originally developed to clear minefields, these rugged machines can literally be thrown into buildings and down caves for reconnaissance purposes before soldiers enter. The mobile robot is called the Dragon Runner and is being produced by a British company. I seem to remember this robot from when I was a kid. Back then, it was called Ricochet, and it was produced by Tyco. I don’t know what the price tag for Dragon Runner will be, but Ricochet cost around $50 at Toys ‘R Us.