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Sunday, September 22, 2013

Space Tank, Part 2

I don't know just what this is. Somebody's Terminator-esque fantasy? Preview for a new video game? A real Soviet battle plan for taking over American cities (the street signs are all in English)? Near as I can tell the video was made by a media company with no connection to any military or defense contractors. There is a written explanation (in Russian) of sorts on the YouTube page. I took the Google translation and "fixed it up".

Presenting the Scorpion - an armored, unmanned mobile robot. It is designed for combat operations in urban areas. It can also assist in rescue operations.
    The Scorpion is driven by six independent electric motors. Rare earth magnets used in the motors can achieve high power and torque at low energy consumption. The wheels and motors are protected with armored caps. Tires are foam rubber that is resistant to damage.
    Due to the electric motors Scorpio moves almost silently. It can reach speeds of up to 35 MPH and go up to 80 miles without recharging. The combination of independent steering and drive on each wheel allows the robot to move in any direction, to perform difficult maneuvers in tight spaces, turn on a dime, and successfully overcome difficult obstacles in its path.
    Robot is controlled remotely via a secure radio link. If enemy forces jam the signal, the Scorpion can independently activate a program to find and destroy the source of interference.
    To control the robot requires two operators. One controls the movement of the machine, the second - is responsible for maintaining the fire. The image on the operator's console comes from HD video cameras placed around the perimeter of the body and the turret. Each camera is protected by a several sheets of armored glass. Should the outermost glass become damaged, it can be automatically ejected.
    Along the perimeter of the turret is a audio homing system, which is composed of a ring with three rows of directional microphones. This system continuously analyzes the sound environment and isolates the source of loud sounds such as an explosion or gunshot.

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