Advances in technology have infiltrated nearly every aspect of our lives. From ATM cards to cell phones to talking cars, technology is working to make our lived easier. Now technology may also be able to make our soldiers lives safer. There is a new robot in production that promises to give our troops another way to fight terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan.

One of the most deadly weapons being used against American troops in Iraq is the Improvised Explosive Device (IED). IEDs are placed by the insurgents along roads, underpasses, along convoy routes and any number of other places where vehicles regularly pass. When our service members drive over the IED the explosion rips through vehicles and often kills those inside. IEDs can also be hidden in trashcans, buildings and cars and rigged to explode when troops perform routine searches. IEDs account for more than 70% of American casualties in Iraq. These terrorist tactics have made the fight in Iraq incredibly difficult. Our troops are not facing an enemy they can out maneuver and disarm, they are fighting bombs hidden in dirt, abandoned cars and trash piles.

The Massachusetts based company I Robot is producing the military’s first order of Fido, a new bomb sniffing robot that can be used to detect IEDs. Robots are already in use in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are being used to investigate caves and buildings for terrorists and to detect mines. Fido is a more sophisticated bomb sniffer that uses a sensor to analyze specific areas of concern for possible IEDs. It is not a perfect solution, but it is a start. Fido mist still be operated and monitored by a service member and it cannot be used to sweep wide expanses because f the risk of a false positive. However, it is a huge improvement over the old method of investigating a possible IED. Before the advent of Fido, service members would have to stand as afar away from the suspicious item as possible and using a rope, drag hooks across the area in an effort to detonate or disarm the suspected bomb. Fido is an important step to protecting the lives of our service members.

When we can invest millions of dollars in developing a robot that can vacuum a house by itself or a luxury car that can park itself we should certainly be able to invest some of that money into finding ways to protect those who protect us.