A Robotic Guard Dog

Robo-Dog

In a telling story of the effects of digitization, even scarecrows are now losing their jobs to robots.

Japanese manufacturers have developed a menacing robotic “wolf” to protect their crops from other wild animals, Newsweek reported.

The aptly named “Super Monster Wolf” stands about 20 inches tall and comes equipped with red LED eyes, fake fur, a nightmarish rubber mask and a spine-chilling howl.

The robot is solar powered and capable of patrolling more than a half mile of farmland. It uses motion sensors to detect animal movement and can emit 18 different sounds, such as gunshots and human voices.

After a trial run in the rice and chestnut fields of Japan’s Chiba prefecture, the robot proved to be effective in deterring wild boars and deer. It’s expected to hit the market in late September – with a price tag of about $4,850 at recent exchange rates.

Some speculate that grazing beasts might eventually become accustomed to the robotic menace, but manufacturers say there’s little chance of that happening.

Click here to see the terror of the farmlands.

CLARIFICATION: In Friday’s NEED TO KNOW section, we failed to mention in our “Bombs on the Beach” item that Mexican authorities had ruled out terrorists and criminal gangs as suspects in last month’s ferry blast in Playa del Carmen. We apologize for the oversight.