| Mission Statement: |
In response to the landmine problem, Stephen Salter, Professor of Engineering Design at the University of Edinburgh, has designed a device for clearing primed anti-personnel land mines.
It is called the Dervish.
The Dervish is a remote-controlled vehicle designed to detonate anti-personnel mines with charge weights up to 250 gms, equivalent to the largest size of A.P. mine.
The Dervish detects and detonates A.P. mines by mimicking the ground loading of a human foot. It sweeps a path 5 metres wide, covering ground at intervals of only 3cm. The machine is designed for the clearance of agricultural land. It can operate on open, uneven, or moderately sloping ground. Mines are blown up by the machine, with minimal or no damage to itself. |
