One Way to Find bin Laden

If you're like me, at this time of year, your thoughts turn to people you've lost touch with and would like to see. Perhaps there's someone who, last you heard, was hiding in a subterranean network of caves in eastern Afghanistan. You'd go there and search for him, but you'd likely be shot by guards or turned to mist by a booby trap.

One solution might be sending in the six-inch-long robotic micro-aerial vehicle known as the Com-Bat. In concept the Com-Bat is similar to the radio-controlled toys on children's wish lists this holiday season. A significant difference is it can fly autonomously, powered by its own self-recharging lithium battery. Also, with a lifelike outer layer of bat fur and features, and the realistic manner in which it flaps its wings, lands and perches, it would probably fool real bats, let alone men. In addition, it's able to transmit what it sees and hears to you in real-time, from miles away.

The Com-Bat can even smell, effectively. Dr. Kamil Sarabandi, the electrical engineering and computer science professor who is directing its development, told me, "It can detect chemical warfare agents and nuclear radiation."

In March, the Army gave Sarabandi and his University of Michigan team a five-year, $10 million grant to turn the concept into battle-ready reality.

Sarabandi's greatest challenge has been the drastic miniaturization of almost every component. The radar unit, for instance, will have to weigh less than twenty-five grams (the approximate weight of a standard AA battery), which Sarabandi readily acknowledges, "is science fiction." Now. The Michigan engineers are learning from nature, however. "We have been copying what bats are doing in terms of echolocation for navigation in the dark and collision avoidance."

Another hurdle is extending the Com-Bat's range. Present technology allows flights of twenty minutes to one hour, during which time the device covers a maximum of ten miles. The Army's goal is 100 miles.

Nevertheless, Sarabandi says, "I hope to have a working prototype in five years."

One criticism of the Com-Bat is, ironically, its resemblance to a bat--bats aren't exactly inconspicuous. Sarabandi shrugs this off, saying, "We can make it look like a bird too."

Another concern is cost. Scientists at the University of California at Berkeley, the University of New Mexico and the Army Research Laboratory are also involved in the project. Given certain scenarios, the price of a Com-Bat prototype could reach $22.5 million. Sarabandi makes a compelling argument that that would still be a bargain: At that juncture, "Com-Bats could be produced inexpensively, just a few hundred dollars apiece." Or less than a typical soldier's sidearm.

Com-Bats may well wind up on holiday wish lists a few years from now.

Here's hoping Osama bin Laden gets one sooner.

Comments

[ForRichardorPoorer]

Put a $1 billion dollar bounty "dead or alive" for Osama. At that price even his most loyal followers or "pals" would turn him over. And at that price,we would still save a bundle of money. This is what they (the US) should have done in the first place. Instead, by the time this is all over, we will spend upwards of $3 trillion......invaded two countries, killed or injured hundreds of thousands of people, and it goes on and on and on.

Don't ya just luv all these college educated multi-degree,rich, white collar individuals running this country, wall street, intel agencies. etc...etc. etc.....

[white mende man]

John McCain knows how to get Bin Laden, he said so during his run for the presidency, shouldn't someone ask him how he was going to do it?

[research]

Another potential loss of privacy.

[MarsAmbassador]

Anybody else reminded of the Crystal Bats from 'The Dark Crystal'? lol

[Tunghoy]

Holy Flying Silicon, Batman! That Bin Laden is no Joker -- it would take a Riddler to figure out which cave he's hiding in. We'd better get out the Com-Bat before it's too late and he suspects what we're up to.

Meanwhile, back in Gotham City -- er, make that Washington.............

[grn1]

Don't expect much from our universities in the coming years. All that technology doesn't make for cakewalks. I remember Rumsfeld nearly drooling as he described our arsenal of technology.Fearfully batty.

[Nanotyrnns]

Nice CG image with decent HDRI lighting. Other than that, complete and total batcrap. For the bargain price of $22 million, someone is going to make a device that looks like a bat, flies like a bat, fools other bats into having bat-sex with it, has radar, a transmitter powerful enough to radio it's bat-sex porn back to HQ, self recharging batteries, and somehow come in under $22 million and not be the size of a C-130? Fantasy. Pure fantasy.

By the way, have you seen a bat fly? I wouldn't want to be the guy looking through that camera. That's guaranteed to make someone vomit.

[Durango]

Anyone read the book about the BATBOMB?

Americas other most secret weapons program of World War II.

[research]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_bomb

[Jennysaypa]

There are different critters like the com-bat around:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/10/08/ST2007100801459.html

Of course the answer to the com-bat and the insect spies is the ole' trusty double-barrel, so we can see if it's com-bust-ible.

[longtimewatcher]

Does no one else look at this thing and think of its previous incarnations in science fiction? Gives me the willies.

[dora rice]

Don't be ridiculous. Bin Laden is dead. Given the Kidney problems he had......given the age, given the life style he had to leave and couldn' t trust no one, he is dead....or at least incapable of leaving his penthouse in Kuala Lumpur, the united States..is keeping his myth alive for their own political reasons........

[realwoman]

Very interesting Mr. Thomson. From your mouth to God's ears. Unfortunately, you've chosen to post this article on the Huffingtonpost, the home of America's true enemies, the anti-American Americans, where any good news about America is bad news to them. Everything is a conspiracy. Someone will usually through in AIPAC for good measure, and of course NO response comes without a "it's all being financed by the oil companies, CIA, blah blah blah. You got the drill.

[boophus]

Ah true American ugliness raises its stupid head. WE should all go to the web sites where Republicans post. You know the ones where they scream and post the nastiest and most intolerant crap. The sites where all the people who want to destroy the constitution and lock up anyone who doesn't agree with them reside. The site where they want to turn us all into serfs for the rich and the church... like the dark ages (similar to thier aspirations for a propagandized religious school system). The wonderful web sites that I don't visit because they make me feel sick to my stomach with thier ugliness. Apparently many of the trolls come here because they are drowned out on those web sites by even uglier voices. Or perhaps they come here because they really think we haven't heard all this ridiculous Rush (& Hannity & Billo &...) regurgitation before. Oh well another name on the 'ignore this fool' list

[ChuckWhite]

BREAKING NEWS - 52.7% of American Voters are Anti-American versus 45.7% Pro-American, per Republican party!

It must really stink to be so brainwashed that you believe this stuff. I've been in a number of "discussions" with hard-core neo-cons and they always pull the same stunt. When asked for fact, they resort to broad generalities (talking points, not facts) or "facts" that are simple restatements of campaign mis-statements that have already been thoroughly debunked.

You want the Republican party to EVER win again? Have your kids learn that a reasoned argument depends on logic and facts. Until you get over the belief that repeating unfounded talking points will win hearts and minds, you'll NEVER win again. The internet disproves your distortions as fast as you can think them up.

I look forward to a reality-based second party ... can you make it sometime in my lifetime?

[zaz33]

I agree dora_rice - Been a long time since we heard from him. Why can't he speak for himself ?

The Bin Laden myth justifies billions of dollars for special interests.

Finding Bin Laden is a job for Ghost Busters.

[billydog]

I say, exploding toilet paper is the best answer to our military problems. When they show the prototype to the Pentagon brass imagine the new America we would get.

[kapo]

The Flying Bat could take the toilet paper to Bin Laden's latrine. Now that looks like a plan. Do you think he uses Charmin?

[Glacial]

Since I suspect Osama's been dead since December 2001, as reported in the Arab press at the time, and suggested by everyone from Hamid Karzai to Israeli intelligence, I'm not that enthusiastic about this idea's chances.

http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/osama_dead.html

[AkiraBergman]

A promotion of hard headed tactics that will serve the war industry. USA's real enemies are inside not outside. What does your cunning intelligence say about what to do with the thieves of the Wall Street? Grow up USA.

[research]

of course Osama might be long dead too. Didn't they kill that woman from Pakistan who said that on TV?