Nigeria AirForce creates a Bomb-Detector Robot

The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) has developed a prototype robot capable of remotely defusing high caliber bombs and disposing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

Commandant of AFIT, Air Vice Marshall John Oshoniyi, made the disclosure yesterday at a press conference to kick start activities lined up for the institute's 42nd graduation ceremony in Kaduna.

He noted that the institute last year commenced research into the development of a robot capable of remotely defusing bombs and disposing IEDs after a police man was killed along Ali Akilu road while attempting to certify the contents of a polythene bag.

"The robot is a prototype for now, we are going to test it and if possible make modifications with the limited resources available in the institute to make the robot operational. But I can assure you that by next year, the robot will be fully operational," he said.

He said the institute had developed and successfully test-flown two versions of unmanned aerial vehicles codenamed AMEBO 1 and 11,adding that AMEBO 111 which is an improved version of the latter has been designed and produced but has not been test-flown because NAF does not have a trained unmanned air vehicle pilot.

"AMEBO 111 has not been test-flown because we decided that one of our own in the NAF will test-fly it. The past two AMEBO's were test-flown by pilots we brought into the country from the United Kingdom. But this time, the Chief of Air Staff decided that a Nigerian will test-fly it, so right now the pilots have commenced training of NAF UAV in AFIT", he said. - http://allafrica.com/stories/201307231128.html