The Army's $10M Spy Bat Still Too Big 199
Lucas123 writes "The University of Michigan's Center for Objective Microelectronics and Biomimetic Advanced Technology (COM-BAT) is working on building a robot bat that would perform long-range reconnaissance for the U.S. Army, but U.Mich is currently struggling with miniaturizing components in order to make the bat small enough to be stealthy. 'The focus is to shrink down many electronics that while currently available would only be good if the US Army wanted, say, a 12-foot spy-bat.' Some components need to be 1,000 times smaller than they currently are. The Army's $10 million grant proposal calls for the bat to be six inches in length, weigh four ounces and use just one watt of power. The bat is supposed to be powered by a lithium-ion battery, charged by solar and wind energy, as well as simple vibrations."
Vampire? (Score:5, Funny)
It could feed on blood...and thus hurt the enemy, and generate power for long missions. It would be cool too, in that it would only come out at night, and could only be killed with a wooden stake.
COM-BAT? (Score:5, Funny)
Solar power? (Score:5, Funny)
Six inch bat? (Score:3, Funny)
Giant bat? (Score:5, Funny)
It's a 12 foot robot bat, man! That'd scare the hell out of me if it came for me in the dark.
Re:Cue The Peacnik Hippie Crowd. (Score:1, Funny)
Now where's my "Rage Against the Machine" t-shirt? I have a sorority mixer to get to.
Comment removed (Score:3, Funny)
Comment removed (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Vampire? (Score:4, Funny)
What this project needs RIGHT NOW (Score:5, Funny)
First, a whizkid plucked out from high school, who will be separated from his mommy for the first time ever.
Second, a crazy roommate who doesn't care about authority figures
Third, a mysterious man who lives in their closet
Fourth, an annoying dude who tries to suck up to his professor
Fifth, a charming young lady, interested in the whizkid, who just happens to be hyperactive
Sixth, an ambitious and immoral professor who's tricking the innocent to UNKNOWINGLY CONTRIBUTE to a MILITARY PROJECT
Seventh, said professor's inordinate hatred for popcorn -- oh wait...
In other news- (Score:4, Funny)
Giant bat countermeasures (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Vampire? (Score:5, Funny)
Then it was quiet again. My attorney had taken his shirt off and was pouring beer on his chest, to facilitate the tanning process. "What the hell are you yelling about," he muttered, staring up at the sun with his eyes closed and covered with wraparound Spanish sunglasses. "Never mind," I said. "It's your turn to drive." I hit the brakes and aimed the Great Red Shark toward the shoulder of the highway. No point mentioning those bats, I thought. The poor bastard will see them soon enough.
---Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
In other news (Score:4, Funny)
The state department is said to be considering adding various other carnivorous birds to the list as well.
Re:Vampire? (Score:3, Funny)
-Hunter S. Thompson
Hmm...perhaps this belonged on the article about Addiction to video games.....
Re:Powered by vibrations on a flying object? (Score:2, Funny)
It's big Enough (Score:2, Funny)
"Speak softly, and carry a large bat"
Or something to that effect...
Bat Mitzvah (Score:3, Funny)
-b