February 18, 2012:
Checking underneath vehicles for bombs has long been a tedious and haphazard chore, usually accomplished by someone holding a mirror on a long handle. Someone eventually noted that robotic floor sweepers like Roomba, equipped with lights, a high-rez camera, and equipped for remote control operation, would do the job much more effectively and quickly. One such device has now appeared. The Ferret has a controller range of 300 meters (making it possible to examine suspect vehicles at a safe distance) and costs about $10,000. The Ferret is rugged, as in an adult male can stand on it without destroying it.