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EOD bomb robots, DARPA ventilators, and a pair of KUKAs

July 03, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

KUKA KRC2sr
Berryville, VA

more bots from Berryville. govdeals listing shows two full systems (manipulators, krc2 sr controllers, kcp teach pendants, cables) with a current ask of $4k and the clock running out tonight. the lot description confirms both cabinets are stainless krc2 sr units and notes “removed from service, no further testing.” krc2sr is the compact, small-robot variant of kuka’s krc2 line: 19-inch rack footprint, ethernet + devicenet built-in, pci riser for extra fieldbus cards, and it runs off standard 208-240 vac three-phase.

mitsubishi rv-12sdc-sul315
decherd, tn 

26 lb payload, 936 mm reach, 0.05 mm repeatability. basically a mid-sized palletizer. currently only $150 on govdeals. it was “removed from a working facility,” so it should fire up if you whisper sweet 24 vdc into the cr2d-701 controller’s ear. they say the whole thing weighs ~205 lb, which looks flat out wrong with the size of its base. should be able to disassemble it though for loading and transport, and that base means you don’t need 6 inches of concrete to secure it in your warehouse (I’ve been there).

denso scara hs-45352 (medical spec)
gilroy, ca

medical-grade cleanroom scara rated 5 kg payload, ~450 mm radius, comes with rc8 controller. asking $2k on govdeals, which is not bad considering sccrobotics lists a tested set at $7.9k and ebay wants $1.5-2k just for the arm. if you need blister-pack pick-and-place speed (0.3-0.4 s cycle), grab this. scara arms are fun and terrifying.

robotex avatar iii eod bot
pensacola, fl

tactical roomba but with a reach arm and treads, ptz cam, and antennas. govdeals listing is sitting at $900, msrp for the base tactical package was ~$25k back in the day. avatar iii runs wifi or mesh, can carry disruptors (though you don’t get one here), and the 2015 manual shows hot-swappable payload bays. the listing states that it keeps falling over? maybe a skill issue, likely fixable.

yo!

up to this point, I have been sharing items that I have no financial interest in. I don’t get a dime from GovDeals or any of the other auction sites, even if you’ve bought robots using the my links. below I share the background of some DARPA-developed life saving equipment that I have acquired and am selling to fund the renovation an old warehouse for the next phase of this newsletter.

thanks for reading.

- mac

DARPA and Ventilators

in 1958, after sputnik spooked washington, eisenhower birthed the advanced research projects agency (later darpa) to keep the US permanently on the forefront of defense research. this is an organization that’s since spawned arpanet, gps, self driving cars, and other moonshot tech.

fast-forward a few decades: combat medics needed a hands-free way to breathe for casualties while still shooting back, so darpa seed money helped spin up automedx, a maryland outfit focused on idiot-proof, backpack-sized ventilators. their flagship device, the save ii+, crams a full pressure-limited, volume-targeted blower into a 3-lb polycarbonate brick that survives drops, sand, and nine-hour battery shifts, and it works off one knob — set patient height, press go. this was a huge breakthrough, making it perfect for field hospitals, disaster surge pods, or any place without piped oxygen.

I purchased these late last year from the US military stockpile and initially planned on sending them overseas, but the legal compliance for that is something that I just really don’t have time for. instead, I’m opting to make them available to you via ebay

can you safely use this without training? nope, not unless you’re an EMT or other medical professional. can you learn how to use it in the event of an emergency to keep someone alive with the proper training? yep! can you buy this just for the awesome Nanuk 915 carry case which costs $100 on its own? of course.

about the case

the nanuk 915 is a pelican-killer with a canadian passport. the shell is molded from nk-7 resin, the inside space lands at 13.8 × 9.3 × 6.2 in, and the whole thing weighs 4.4 lbs empty. the patented powerclaw latches use a triple-action cam to stay shut, and they open with one thumb — no knuckle-crushing pelican latches. stainless padlock eyelets are metal-sleeved, and the lid-stay keeps it from smashing your fingers when open. most importantly, they come with the usual nanuk lifetime warranty. it was built to save lives in the harshest conditions — it’ll handle your gear with ease.