Army invests in IED-detecting robots

BEDFORD, Mass., Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation has contracted iRobot Corp. for the company's robot technologies.

Massachusetts-based iRobot Corp. announced Tuesday it was awarded a $200 million deal to support the Army's Robotic Systems Joint Project Office.

Under the deal iRobot will supply its PackBot and other military robots technologies in the company's government and industrial line along with training, service and support.

iRobot's PackBot and other robotic systems, deployed in combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, are part of an effort to keep soldiers out of harm's way when working to identify improvised explosive devises and other threats.

"The continued investment from the U.S. Army further validates our robots' critical position in theater, allowing troops to complete missions successfully while keeping them at safe distances," Joe Dyer, iRobot Government and Industrial Robots president, said in a statement.

"As the Army continues to utilize ground tactical robots with greater frequency, new applications for these robots are being identified. We are pleased that this contract will allow iRobot to expand our product offering as the Army sees fit."