Robot can pinpoint hiding enemies.

• Author: Beidel, Eric
• Position: Defense Technology Newswire

Instead of risking their lives, troops could turn to a mini-robot to investigate a building in hostile territory.

California-based TiaLinx Inc. has built the Cougar20-H, a robot that can detect motion and breathing inside a structure and be controlled remotely from long distances. The machine uses a tractable arm outfitted with a sensor array to provide standoff surveillance. Multiple cameras allow it to see both day and night.

"Furthermore, it can be used by forces to identify caches of weapons behind a premise or in a compound in remote areas while keeping the operators out of harm's way," said Fred Mohamadi, founder and CEO of TiaLinx.

During tests the robot detected slight movements behind an 8-foot thick concrete wall from 40 feet away, he said. It...