Spybots to ride border rails?
The Israeli and German scientists have been working on a railway system that allows a mounted robot to view, listen, and broadcast information it sees along its route. The robots come with a thermal and standard camera. Although that doesn't seem like much, you are allowed to add laser pointer and laser rangefinder are which aren't required. Opall-Rome explains,
Video, voice and other data are broadcast through embedded cable on the rail, which also provides the electricity powering the rider’s engine and onboard subsystems.
The U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security has tried everything to help secure the US border, but alas, nothing has prevailed. They have tried cameras on blimps, cameras on towers, cameras on robots, and nothing has truly worked the way they wanted it to.
This device, even though it seems logical, may not seem likely for anything but border patrol. The device that rides the rail is a better alternative to cameras and mounted items that are stationary obviously, because these move. I see if this was deployed along the US-Mexican border we would see a significant decrease in illegal immigration and more arrests made.
Although, building a fence seems more practical, the cost doesn't. The cost to maintain and guild the fence could be in the billions of dollars. Could the 'Rail-Riding Spybot' be an alternative?
Via: Wired
