Best Inventions of 2004
From strapless swim goggles to text messaging chandeliers, TIME takes a look at the year's hottest inventions
Sword Unmanned Vehicle
Inventor: U.S. Army's Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center and Massachusetts defense firm Foster-Miller
Availability: 2005, $230,000 (military only)
To Learn More: pica.army.mil, foster-miller.com
Insurgents, be afraid. An armed, unmanned ground vehicle that never gets tired, hungry or scared is headed your way. The Sword has night and thermal vision, four cameras and a 7.62-mm machine gun. It can climb stairs and is utterly silent—until it opens fire. A live video feed enables its "driver" to operate the vehicle from up to 1 mile away. The U.S. Army has ordered 18 to deploy in Iraq.
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