Japanese rescue robot saves people by eating them [Video]

The push to send remote-control robots into dangerous environments in order to carry out search and rescue probably isn't going to be helped by people titling demo videos as "Human body shredding machine in Japan".  Then again, we'd be lying if we said we didn't feel a slight shiver of trepidation at the thought of disappearing into that conveyor-fed maw.

Video after the cut

Still, rather than being the latest energy source for the busy robot, in actual fact these are remotely-controlled rescue 'bots that can explore disaster sites, pick up unconscious people and ferry them to safety.  A similar robot has already been demonstrated, the TFD Robo-Q.

[via Pink Tentacle]