Landmine robots
How do these machines navigate terrain riddled with explosives?
What makes landmines so difficult to detect is that they were designed not to be. Built as a hidden military weapon and used to defend land and target opponents as they step or drive onto the earth above, the destruction and danger was all part of the plan. To prevent death and injury in current or past war zones, these underground explosives need to be safely detected. How can a soldier progress with confidence when every step is a gamble? The most common technique for demining is manual, involving people putting their lives at risk as they slowly parade the landscape, eyes to the floor. Those who take on this role are risking their own lives with every step. Around the world, groups are looking for faster and safer ways to make the land beneath them safe again. This is where robots are given a job. Engineered specifically for the task, hardy machines can be controlled from a distance to search the ground below. From the tiny wheelers to the large beasts scanning masses of land, these helpers have multiple tricks under their armour. From metal detectors to soil-analysing waves, there are many approaches that robots can take to save lives from landmines. Not only can these mechanical militants find these concealed weapons, once detected, some can even remove them from the ground and control their detonation.