Since the start of the war in Iraq, robots have been employed for various tasks such as mine detection, bomb disposal, and scouting. However, t is only recently that the US army has deployed the world's first armed robots called "special weapons observation remote reconnaissance direct action system" or SWORDS for short.

These robots are bomb disposal units outfitted with M249 machine guns. The amazing thing about these weapons is the fact that it can be given a variety of payloads including M40 grenades and even rockets.

The SWORDS program manager Michael Zecca has given word that none of the robots have yet fired any ordinance in actual combat, but that they will probably be doing so soon.

These robots were declared battle ready as far back as 2004, however, safety concerns have prevented it from being used until now. The two major problems included lag as well as the robots penchant for spinning out of control. Both problem could potentially lead to friendly fire losses due.

The units were sent back for further modifications such as a safety mechanism or "kill switch" that can be activated in case the robots start acting weird. The lag problem which led to reaction delays of up to eight seconds was solved by making the SWORDS react only to specified and timed commands. In addition to this, the engineers have implemented a three step process that each robot has to go through to arm its weapon.

This technology will undoubtedly save countless American lives in the battlefields of Iraq. Hopefully, it can even be further refined for a variety of other tasks such as medical evacuations and supply delivery.

Researchers have recently developed a bionic foot complete with an ankle, something previous generations of prosthetics lacked. Bionic limbs have long since been in research but efforts have mainly been focused on the upper limbs, which is what makes this new kind of prosthetic an important achievement.

Garth Stewart, who lost part of a leg in an explosion in Iraq, is the recipient of this new technology. He demonstrated the new ankle in Providence, in the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The leg prosthetic was aimed to act like a biological one, built to provide the user with improved balance and the push forward that a real ankle gives. It reduces fatigue and "provides amputees with a truly humanlike gait."

Leg prosthetics have previously only been built with springs, while this new bionic one is powered by a motor, putting less strain on the user. The downward motion of the user as he walks expends energy which is stored and is released with the help of the motor upon the upward motion, allowing them to walk more naturally than just being pushed forward by springs. The device was built by Professor Hugh Herr, head of the biomechatronics research group at the MIT Media Lab.

Next, Herr hopes to invent wireless implants that can send signals from the amputee's muscles directly into the device to provide more control. What would have happened if Luke and Anakin lost their feet instead? The bionic leg is hoped to be released by summer next year.

About 4% to 6% of British soldiers come back from Iraq suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but a whopping 20% of US soldiers suffer from PTSD when they get home. While it can be attributed to the fact that more US soldiers are in the thick of things, it doesn't change the fact that 20% is still high.

PTSD. PTSD is no joke. The most common symptoms of this condition include reliving traumatic events through dreams and flashbacks. This makes the sufferer to either become paranoid or to "tune out" and become emotionally numb.

Treatment for PTSD. The accepted method of treatment in scientific journals is the gradual exposure of the subject to the stimuli or triggers that cause anxiety. This, of course should be done in a supportive and controlled environment.

Virtual Iraq. Virtual Iraq has shown some promise in lowering the effects of PTSD in the people it has been tested on. Virtual Iraq uses virtual reality to slowly subject the patient to the cause of his or her anxiety: Iraq.

The system setup is simple. Basically the patient is asked to wear a headset which will be showing scenes in Iraq. This includes city streets, desert roads, small villages, building interiors, convoys, and checkpoints. The graphics are similar to those found in Full Spectrum Warrior for the Xbox.

Sounds, vibrations and odors can be induced by the doctor administrating the treatment. Among the smells that can be released are gunpowder, cordite, diesel, burning rubber, body odour, spices, and even cooked lamb. During this session, the patient's heart rate and skin conductivity are kept track of; these offer a good measure of the patient's stress level. Each treatment lasts for an hour with the patient urged to speak about his experiences.

While there haven't been enough patients to conclusively prove that Virtual Iraq is a definite cure, the results have been very good. A patient continues to show improvement even three months after the end of the treatment.

Also, the equipment can be afforded by many clinics: it will cost about £ 5,000 (about US $ 9,800).

We hope that this therapy will be a success so we have additional ways to help our fighting men and women when they get back.

Here's something you don't see every day (like most things on QJ Gadgets) - a wristwatch that does much more than just tell the time. Instead, this $500 watch from Finnish company Suunto is actually a Global Positioning System reciever; or GPS device to you an' me. It works much like the Sat Nav you can get in cars, pinpointing your position using satellites in orbit of the earth making it much more accurate than a map. Of course, navigators have been using GPS receivers for years, but none quite as small and functional as this.

Sunnto's GPS watch clings to your wrist, and so is virtually impossible to loose, as well as being great for the battleground. First Lt. Nick E. Thomas of the Wisconsin Army National Guard, who is on active duty in Iraq, uses the watch, called an X9i, on missions and daily operations. The watch allows him to get a GPS fix on his position in less than 30 seconds, and shows him how to get back to base without hindering his movement, making it ideal for battle situations.

Not only does the X9i have a GPS receiver, but it also features a thermometer and barometer to help anticipate changes in the weather and an alarm. As for the watch features it can also tell you the time until sunrise and sunset, again, great for leisure and great for battle conditions that Nick Thomas may run into whilst serving in Iraq.

Here's the full list of features:

• Altimeter: altitude, vertical speed, altitude alarm, thermometer
• Barometer: Sea level pressure, absolute pressure, weather trend graph, temperature, weather alarm
• Compass: Bearing, graphic compass rose, bearing tracking
• GPS: Resolution 1m / 3 ft, 12 channels
• Watch: Calendar, 3 alarms with date option, dual time, stopwatch
• Menu-based user interface familiar from mobile phones
• Water resistant to 10 bar
• Power supply: USB cable and a universal power supply
• PC interface software + USB cable

We found the Suunto X9i for $499 from Backcountry.com with free shipping. This would be great if we were serving in Iraq, but since we aren't, it's just a little too expensive for our leisurely tastes. But then again, that's just us; if you're among the Paris Hiltons and Olsens of the world, go ahead and burn some cash.