Scientists – presumably inbetween ten-pin bowling on Wii Sports – have created the Packbot, a machine-gun-toting robot which uses Wii technology to clear mines and bombs.

Nintendo launched the Wii in 2006. Its controllers detect the motion of players' hands and beam their actions to the console. These are then converted – via a personalised digital character called a Mii – to gameplay.

Wiimote controls can be used to simulate movement in sports such as tennis and golf, as well as in shoot-em-ups and fighting games.

But this is the first time they have been adapted for war, where standard remote controls are widely used.

Wiimotes are more instinctive, allowing users to focus on data processing, US Department of Energy scientists told New Scientist.

But Packbot is not the first weapon to use gaming technology. America's seven-tonne attack robot 'Crusher' is operated by a Xbox 360 controller.

For the full story, click here!

Posted at 10:56AM Mar 30, 2008 by Kevin P McAuliffe in Astound  |  Comments[0]