Robots are trained to carry out dangerous military operations from clearing roadside bombs to entering buildings before troops.
The total of number of trained robots that have been deployed in Afghanistan is 2,000. The number of robots assisting the U.S. military troops is on the rise. According to Robert Moses, head of government and industrial robots division of iRobot, one robot will be set into operation for every 30 troops in combat.
iRobot manufactures a range of military robots, also called as PackBots, which are designed with rakes, wire cutters, spades, and cameras. PackBots are capable of identifying and assessing unexploded ordinance and inspecting vehicles. In 2010, the Army bought 350 Packbots for carrying out its mission.
Equipped with various cameras, chemical and biological weapon sensors, PackBots weigh about 60 pounds and serve like miniature tanks. iRobot is currently working on a compact robot that weighs around 30-pounds and also a 5-pounder for use with infantry troops.
According to ABI Research, a New York-based market research firm, the market for military robots is predicted to grow from $5.8 billion in 2010 to $8 billion in 2016.
Source: http://www.irobot.com/