a285  1834  29 Mar 78
AM-Bionic Bug,280
    COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio State University's ''bionic bug'' is Sen.
William Proxmire's latest target.
    The Wisconsin Democrat, who often criticizes what he says are
frivolous federal grants, questioned the usefulness of spending
$405,000 in federal funds to help Ohio State scientists develop a
''200-pound, six-legged, slow-walking robot.''
    Proxmire said Wednesday the National Science Foundation claimed the
machine would be useful in ''hazardous and fragile environments such
as forests and frozen tundra.''
    ''I think it would be more useful in the Ohio State backfield,''
Proxmire said in a news release issued at his Washington office.
    Ohio State professor Robert B. McGhee, who is responsible for
developing the robot, said research into developing the machine
already has produced at least one by-product.
    ''Testing begins next month at the Veterans' Administration
Prosthetic Center in New York (City) of a new artificial knee joint
that was designed using our findings,'' McGhee said.
    ''An NSF grant is designed to further basic research. It's for
producing knowledge, not new products,'' he added.
    Proxmire said the foundation contends that ''further research with
the bug could result in machines useful in such applications as
underwater explorations, firefighting, mine rescue operations and even
in hostile environments of a distant planet.''
    ''But the principal investigator, who should know best, said in a
telephone interview with a member of my staff last year that he was
less optimistic about the bug's applicability,'' the senator said.
''What this project tells me is that the National Science Foundation's
engineering budget is too fat.''
    
ap-ny-03-29 2134EST
***************