Robotic Lifesaver
From: Design News - 11/06/2006 - page 46
By: Charles J. Murray

Vecna's humanoid robot can walk, run, lift heavy objects, and climb stairs on
its track-powered, jointed legs. 

Daniel Theobald, president of Vecna Technologies Inc., foresaw his new robot
being able to lift hundreds of pounds, thus exceeding the strength of small
mobile robots, which typically cannot lift more than about seven pounds. By
endowing the robot with such strength, Theobald believed it could fill an
important niche - hoisting wounded soldiers, lifting small vehicles, rescuing
civilians during nuclear or biological attacks, and checking for bombs
beneath the carcasses of dead animals. He even foresaw it being used in
hospital settings, where it could move patients in their beds and aid
amputees or the elderly. 

Links:
Video of Vecna's Bear in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-S_nDeK8UY

Battlefield Extraction and Retrieval Robot
http://www.vecna.com/robotics/bear_project/index.shtml