Robots Get Their Own Surge

The military wants more robots, and it wants them fast. The Pentagon is looking to enlist more small, maneuverable 'bots that can look out for insurgents and bombs—1,000 by the end of this year and 2,000 more over the next five years, Wired reports. The military is kicking off a competition for the 'bot-building contract, which will be awarded in September.

Specs for the 'bots say they heed to be able to "look into the window of a vehicle" and peek "under a vehicle undercarriage." There are already several different kinds of military 'bots in service that could fit the bill; a favorite to win are the packbots made by the iRobot company. Just weeks ago the military let on that it has also deployed armed robots in Iraq. (More robots stories.)