As a supplement to the UAV plan outlined in the post below, Gizmodo has a post about this wild concept the Army has laid at the feet of select engineering schools, including the University of Michigan. Here’s an excerpt:
The proposal is for the bat to be just six inches in length, weigh only four ounces and use just one watt of power, backed by a lithium-ion battery, which could be charged by not just solar energy, but wind energy and random vibrations as well. The bat’s intended goal would be to run surveillance ops and relay data in realtime, including sights and sounds from minicams and mini-microphones, but also radiation and poison gas readings.
The UMich grant consists of $10 million over five years, creating the U-M Center for Objective Microelectronics and Biomimetic Advanced Technology (dubbed “COM-BAT“pun intended). 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. Not too stealthy.
For energy recovery, UMich will work to develop “quantum dot solar cells,” making current solar cells twice as nice. The bat’s autonomous navi system will be 1,000 times smaller than current systems, and that much more energy efficient too. The comms system will be shrunk to one-tenth the current size, too.
The Army … giving new meaning to shrinkage.
(Gouge: CM)
– Ward
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
oh hit me! hit me! just can’t resist observing that ARMY’s always been batty anyway.
Semper Fi babe!
Batfink? Wings of steel?
UAV Kamikazes would be cool. Thousands of them swarming Iraq, would instill some fear. “The Birds”, but for real.
I was reflecting on this the other week if a robot with the flight style of say a bird would be technologically possible. I don’t understand why the Army didn’t call upon the Airforce to help develop something of this nature besides the need to fund is beyond me. I’m currently enlisted in the Airforce at the moment, it’d be great once I have my training to help develop this kind of technology for our country. Bravo! Hope to see more from these little devils.
Combine hundreds or thousands of BATs with GPS and software technology similar to Microsoft’s SEADRAGON. It would create a mosaic image of any combat area. Let the blue force see what is going on in real time before they arrive at another ambush after a roadside bombing. Imagine being able to deploy the BATs via arty rounds or aircraft dropped bombs. We could have several B52′s on station over a hot spot 24-7 ready to launch a recon bat cloud.
I don’t understand why they are spending $10 million to develop a 12ft plus wing spand system. When $10 million would buy thosands of remote control planes retail. Sure you need to change the radio and add some things but I think that could be developed quickly. Don’t the marines already have some small rubberband launched planes?
@ The Cenobyte:
They’re spending the $10M on shrinking the bat from 12′ to 6 inches:
“The proposal is for the bat to be just six inches in length, weigh only four ounces and use just one watt of power”
The 12′ wingspan comment refers to the size of a ‘recon bat’ if it were produced today. $10M & 5 years will hopefully shrink that 12′ to the target of 6″.
The applications of this tech would be a huge asset on the ground, but i agree with The Cenobyte, we have tech that is the size needed, kid’s toys… a few mods and you have a few hundered dollar spy cam deployable any where… Plus i dont see why we are funding these prodjects… set a challenge, first team to make a spy bat (within required specs) gets the contract… look at the automated vehicle race not to long ago… i realy love the swarm concept, give’em a small weapon to… or mini jammer…