Canada buys bomb detecting robots.

• Author: Tadjdeh, Yasmin

* iRobot's PackBot unmanned ground vehicle gained notoriety during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for helping detonate deadly improvised explosive devices that littered roadways. Now, by using new sensors, the system can detect chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive material.

In April, the company delivered 20 iRobot 510 PackBot CBRNe systems to the Canadian Department of National Defence, said Tom Frost, senior vice president and general manager of the company's defense and security division.

"Our team is up there with the customer and we're training them on the system and developing the techniques and tactics around how to use it," he said.

The new variant is based on the classic PackBot design that includes treaded wheels, cameras and a long arm with a gripper. However, it is outfitted with five sensors that can sniff out toxic gases, nerve agents, explosives, radiation and more.

The $9.6 million contract--which includes the ground vehicles, training and future product lifecycle support--marks the first customer for the CBRNE-variant of the robot. The company hopes to sell it to other countries for military and domestic purposes, such as law enforcement, Frost said.

"We're seeing a lot of need for this type of configuration," he said. "There's a big push...