‘Blade of water’ to destroy improvised explosive devices
September 15th, 2010 - 1:04 pm ICT by IANSLondon, Sep 15 (IANS) A device that shoots a blade of water capable of cutting through steel will help soldiers disable improvised explosive device or IEDs.
Sandia National Labs developed the Stingray, 3,000 of which are being shipped to Afghanistan to the US soldiers.
Stingrays are filled with water and an explosive material that on detonation creates a shockwave that rips through water - creating a thin powerful blade of water capable of penetrating steel, reports the Daily Mail.
“The fluid blade disablement tool will be extremely useful to defeat IEDs because it penetrates them extremely effectively. It’s like having a much stronger and much sharper knife,” said Greg Scharrer, manager of the Energetic Systems Research Department at Sandia.
The Stingray can be either placed right next to the IED or at some distance away.
It uses minimal explosive material, its plastic legs can be attached in various configurations so that it can be placed in different positions to disable bombs and it’s built so that robots can easily place it near a target.
Unlike traditional explosives, which release energy equally in all directions when they go off, researchers use shaped-charge technology to deliberately manipulate the explosives.
This means that they can create a certain shape when they explode, allowing the operator to focus the energy precisely where it is needed to create the ‘blade’ of water.
- Now, colour-changing patch that detects exposure to explosive shock - Nov 30, 2010
- Boffins use super-high pressures to develop super battery - Jul 06, 2010
- GPS - a new tool to detect clandestine N-tests - Jun 08, 2011
- Harnessing electromagnetic waves for medical scanning - Jan 22, 2012
- Perfect insulator could eliminate heating bills - Feb 28, 2010
- 'Holy Grail' of science, world's first practical 'artificial leaf' unveiled - Mar 28, 2011
- US scientists find flaws in full-body airport scanners - Dec 14, 2010
- New novel metals - stronger than steel, as mouldable as plastic - Mar 02, 2011
- Now, snake 'robots' that may help detect and disable explosives - Jul 30, 2010
- Graphite-water combo recharges batteries in seconds - Jul 18, 2011
- New wireless device transmits power through armoured doors - Jul 22, 2010
- Scientists create jewel-toned organic phosphorescent crystals - Feb 15, 2011
- Waste water can generate electricity - Mar 04, 2012
- New method tracks radiation levels faster - Nov 09, 2011
- World's smallest atomic clock on sale for $1,500 - May 04, 2011
Tags: afghanistan, blade, bombs, daily mail, detonation, energetic systems, explosive device, explosive devices, explosive material, explosives, ied, legs, rips through, robots, sandia national labs, scharrer, shape, shockwave, stingrays, target