Robot Water Cannons Take On Pirates
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Thursday, 11 of February , 2010 at 3:21 am
Last time we heard about robots versus pirates, it involved the US military and MQ-9 Reaper drones and was not a movie. It’s still not a movie, but a Russian company has developed a system of ship mounted robots designed to both fight fires and blow pirates out of the water. With, uh, water. The robotic water cannons (six on each side of the ship) are controlled by a central computer, using TV cameras to target pirates approaching the ship. The robots shoot streams of water at 40 liters per second out to a range of 70 meters, and can wash away potential boarders and even sink small boats. This is a defensive technique that is already used against pirates, but having robots do the shooting helps keep the people who would otherwise be wielding the fire hoses safe.
And c’mon, it’s robots versus pirates. Robots versus pirates!
[ Firebots ] VIA [ Robotland ]
Comments (4)
Category: Security
- Add this post to
- Del.icio.us -
- Digg
Comment by XV-745
Made Thursday, 11 of February , 2010 at 6:25 am
I love this idea. It keeps the ship’s crew safer and the robots are probably better at aiming water cannons than a human would be anyway. I know which side of the great Robot-Pirate War I’m lining up on. Go robots!
Comment by Barrett Ames
Made Thursday, 11 of February , 2010 at 7:05 am
legit. totally legit.
Comment by Sci
Made Thursday, 11 of February , 2010 at 11:07 am
Presuming the diagrams are accurate, canon all run off a single pressurised water line. All the pirates would need to do it hit one canon with an RPG and the entire system would loose pressure.
Comment by Joey1058
Made Friday, 12 of February , 2010 at 10:45 pm
The cannons have seperate valves. One gets taken out, and it’s valve closes it off from the system. You need a crapload of small boats with accurate marksmen to take them all out. By that time, air support hopefully will have arrived.
Arr! Beware the Cyborg! Sorry, had to say it. I feel better now.
