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 | | Monday, 29 April, 2002, 09:58 GMT 10:58 UK Robot 'vandal' tackles ATMs  The machine replicates the force of karate blows A team at a Scottish university has created a robot "vandal" to test the strength of cash machines. Manufacturer NCR asked the University of Abertay in Dundee to come up with a device to gauge the toughness of its automated teller machines (ATMs). The US company, which has a plant in Dundee, makes about 40,000 machines every year for use in 130 countries. It said it had tried various ways to assess the strength of the ATMs but now believed it had the ultimate test.
The scientists based their measurements on human karate blows. In the past decade, attacks on automated telling machines have declined as they have become commonplace. However, manufacturers have continued to explore ways of making their products as robust as possible to protect them from irate customers or vandals. Research centre NCR opened a new �20m research and development centre specialising in cash machine technology in Dundee in March. The company said the Discovery Centre provided purpose-built laboratory space for ongoing engineering development. The plant has been hailed as the company's biggest investment in its 50-year history in Scotland. | | See also:  Internet links: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top Scotland stories now:  Links to more Scotland stories are at the foot of the page. | |||||||||||||||||||
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