Army places iRobot order by _cowboy_ 2011/04/22 09:54
Bedford's iRobot Corp. said it hasreceived a *7.6 million order from the US Army for 50 of its tactical mobile robots and spare parts.
Specifically, the Army's Contracting Command component issued a new indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract that allows for an initial delivery of 50 of the company's 310 SUGV (small unmanned ground vehicle) robots, iRobot said in a press release.
In war zones, bomb disposal teams use these robots to detectexplosives while keeping humans out of harm's way.
Earlier this month, iRobot was awarded a four-year Navy contract worth up to *230 million to build small robotic vehicles to dispose of explosive devices.
Meanwhile, in Japan, robots made by iRobot have been used to explore buildings inside a nuclear reactor damaged by the recent earthquake and tsunami.
Besides robots for military uses, iRobot makes a consumer line ofrobots, such as the Roomba robot vacuum cleaner.