Photos: Robot rescuer for wounded soldiers

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Vecna Bear, with soldier

The latest twist on getting robots to do dangerous jobs--like carrying wounded soldiers out of the line of fire--comes from a company called Vecna Technologies: the Bear, short for "battlefield extraction and retrieval robot." Currently just a prototype, the Bear has been able to pick up a fully weighted human dummy and, in an upright position, carry it for more than 50 minutes straight, according to the company.

Published: September 21, 2006 -- 12:00 GMT (05:00 PDT)
Caption by: Andy Smith
Vecna Bear, three-quarter view

The Bear prototype requires wireless operation by a person, but Vecna says it will eventually have more autonomous behaviors. The tracked-machine can balance on its hips, knees or ankles. The project has received funding from the U.S. Army's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center.

Published: September 21, 2006 -- 12:00 GMT (05:00 PDT)
Caption by: Andy Smith
Hospital robot

In the long term, Vecna imagines its robot design working in more domestic environments. A version it's calling the HomeBear might find a place helping people with impaired mobility get around their home. Other versions might find work in hospitals--for instance, helping patients get from bed to bathroom, or repositioning less-mobile patients to prevent bed sores.

Published: September 21, 2006 -- 12:00 GMT (05:00 PDT)
Caption by: Andy Smith

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The Bear, from Vecna Technologies, would put itself in the line of fire instead of human stretcher-bearers.

Vecna Bear, with soldier

The latest twist on getting robots to do dangerous jobs--like carrying wounded soldiers out of the line of fire--comes from a company called Vecna Technologies: the Bear, short for "battlefield extraction and retrieval robot." Currently just a prototype, the Bear has been able to pick up a fully weighted human dummy and, in an upright position, carry it for more than 50 minutes straight, according to the company.

Published: September 21, 2006 -- 12:00 GMT (05:00 PDT)

Caption by: Andy Smith