A mock up of the distraction device in action Liberty Dynamic

Police robots, thrown through a broken window, could be used to distract suspects before police enter a room.

The idea is to add a distracting device that produces a loud bang and a brilliant flash to small robots already used by many US police departments.

Weighing about half a kilo, Throwbots can be tossed through windows or over walls and driven around to explore building interiors with video, audio and infra-red sensors. The robots are made by Minnesota-based Recon Robotics and unlike large bomb-disposal robots, they can be …