Anusha
03-31-2007, 07:04 AM
Network connection drops and these little guys pick it right back up again
Cisco dicussed their plans to design a set of small smart bots during the Military Technology (http://mtc07.events.pennnet.com/fl/index.cfm?http://www.dailytech.com) Conference in Boston this week. The bots can act as wireless communication relays that can sense when a user's service drops.
The robots are said to be able to follow the user around vitually anywhere. The cube-shaped prototype creates a "daisy chain" to help keep up network connectivity, said Dave Buster, product marketing manager for Cisco Global Government Solutions Group in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
According to Military and Aerospace Electronics, (http://mae.pennnet.com/display_article/288269/32/NEWS/none/none/Cisco-develops-smart-robot-nodes-to-maintain-network-connectivity-while-on-the-move/?http://www.dailytech.com) Buster admitted at the conference that the target for this project is for military programs like the Army's Future Combat Systems.
"Cisco will probably never market that software, but we might make it available to partners who might want to put it on a UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle]," Buster told the MTC. "That UAV would circle a point to give optimum network coverage to the people below. As they move, that UAV would move to maintain coverage for them."
This sort of technology gives soldiers a helping hand in their communications technologies, allowing for a flow of communication in dead zones in the battle field. This sort of mobile networking will increase the chances of success for raids and carpet bombing, by making sure communications will not fail in these situations.
Source: DailyTech
Cisco dicussed their plans to design a set of small smart bots during the Military Technology (http://mtc07.events.pennnet.com/fl/index.cfm?http://www.dailytech.com) Conference in Boston this week. The bots can act as wireless communication relays that can sense when a user's service drops.
The robots are said to be able to follow the user around vitually anywhere. The cube-shaped prototype creates a "daisy chain" to help keep up network connectivity, said Dave Buster, product marketing manager for Cisco Global Government Solutions Group in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
According to Military and Aerospace Electronics, (http://mae.pennnet.com/display_article/288269/32/NEWS/none/none/Cisco-develops-smart-robot-nodes-to-maintain-network-connectivity-while-on-the-move/?http://www.dailytech.com) Buster admitted at the conference that the target for this project is for military programs like the Army's Future Combat Systems.
"Cisco will probably never market that software, but we might make it available to partners who might want to put it on a UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle]," Buster told the MTC. "That UAV would circle a point to give optimum network coverage to the people below. As they move, that UAV would move to maintain coverage for them."
This sort of technology gives soldiers a helping hand in their communications technologies, allowing for a flow of communication in dead zones in the battle field. This sort of mobile networking will increase the chances of success for raids and carpet bombing, by making sure communications will not fail in these situations.
Source: DailyTech