Transcript slides - USC Upstate: Faculty

Unmanned Ground Vehicles
By: Cory Christophillis
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 An unmanned ground vehicle is a military robot used
to augment the soldiers capability. This type of robot
is generally capable of operating outdoors and over a
wide variety of terrain, functioning in place of
humans.
Source: globalsecurity.org
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 Everyone knows that being a solider is a dangerous job
and these men and women are asked to walk through
minefields, deactivate explosives, clear out a hostile
building etc…
 What if we could send a robot to preform these tasks
in the line of duty instead of risking the lives of
soldiers?
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 The U.S. military has been developing robotic systems for all
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sorts of jobs for years now.
Today’s military robots generally do not have very
sophisticated artificial intelligence. Instead of independent
AI , most military robots are remote-controlled by human
operators.
However there are several autonomous and semi-autonmous
UGV’s in use today.
The military does not use humanoid assault robots seen in
Hollywood films.
They must use more practical robots of a variety of sizes.
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 The military does not usually use the term “robot” they
simply call them either unmanned ground vehicles (UGV’s)
or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s).
 One more important thing to remember is that these military
UGV’s are designed to help soldiers in the battlefield. For
that reason, robot builders and designers try to develop
“man-portable” designs.
 A “man-portable” robot can be carried by a single solider,
usually in a special backpack.
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 The first UGV’s in combat can be traced back to the early
parts of World War II. The Russian Teletanks are credited to
be the first unmanned ground vehicles used for military use.
 Teletanks were controlled by radio from a control tank at a
distance of 500–1,500 meters. These tanks were equipped
with machine guns, flame throws, smoke canisters etc…
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Light 31-400 lbs
Medium 401-2,500 lbs
Large 2,501 lbs and up
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 The most common UGV’s are small, flat robots mounted on
miniature tank treads.
 These UGV’s are tough, able to tackle most terrain and usually
have a variety of sensors built in, including audio and video
surveillance and chemical detectors.
 These robots are versatile, with different sensor or weapon
packages available that mount to the main chassis.
 Most small bots and man-portable.
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• TALON is a man-portable
robot that weighs less than 100
lbs. It is operated with a
joystick that has 7 speed
settings and can use its treads
to climb stairs, maneuver
through rubble and even snow.
All TALON’s are equipped
with chemical, gas,
temperature and radiation
sensors. Also configured to
operate with M240 or M249
machine guns or Barrett 50cliber rifles.
source: Foster-Miller
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 The Packbot is another small robot that operates on
treads, which is even lighter than the TALON,
weighing in at 40 lbs.
 Controlled by a Pentium processor, the Packbot’s
chassis has a GPS system, an electronic compass and
temperature sensors built in.
 According to the manufacture iRobot the Packbot can
move more than 8 mph, can be deployed in minutes
and can withstand a 6-foot drop onto concrete – the
equivalent of 400 g’s of force.
source: iRobot
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source: iRobot
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 MATILDA (Mesa Associates' Tactical Integrated Light-
Force Deployment Assembly), made by Mesa Robotics
 Is another example of a lightweight robot that weighs 61
lbs
source: Mesa Robotics
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 MATILDA has numerous possible configurations can be
equipped with a mechanical arm or a variety of cameras
and sensors, and it can even tow a small trailer.
• MATILDA has a top speed of
3 feet (1 meter) per second
and a single-charge run time
of four to six hours. In the
event of tread damage, the
quick-change tracks can be
swapped in about five
minutes.
source: Mesa Robotics
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 Mesa Robotics is also developing the lightweight
MAUD robot and the low-cost MARV, a treaded robot
designed to be expendable.
MARV
MAUD
source: Mesa Robotics
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 Larger military robots are basically trucks or tanks with
computers in them, operated by remote control.
 Produced by Mesa Robotics and is about the size of a
small bulldozer.
 Main uses include: clearing out explosives with a
mechanical arm, clearing and cutting obstacles down
with a plow blade or a giant cutter, pulling disabled
vehicles, hauling cargo and serving as a weapons
platform.
 This robot can also roll along with a mine-sweeper
attached to the front, clearing a field of anti-personnel
mines before any humans have to walk there.
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Source: Mesa Robotics
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 Armed Robotic Vehicle (ARV)
 Robotic Armored Assault System (RAAS)
 Both development by the U.S. military and are large-
scale robots
 ARV will weigh 5 to 6 tons capable of carrying up to 1 ton
of payload.
 RAAS may carry three weapon systems, including crewserved weapons, mortars and anti-armor munitions.
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 TALON video from Science Channel
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 What are the advantages with military UGV’s?
 What are the disadvantages with military UGV’s?
 What is a teleoperated UGV?
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 Major Kenneth Rose of the US Army's Training and
Doctrine Command outlined some of the advantages
of robotic technology in warfare: "Machines don't get
tired. They don't close their eyes. They don't hide
under trees when it rains and they don't talk to their
buddies ... A human's attention to detail on guard duty
drops dramatically in the first 30 minutes ... Machines
know no fear.“
 The obvious is that they can do the dangerous, boring,
and impossible jobs that a soldier can not accomplish
or is deemed too risky.
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 Hypothetical possibility that robots and computers
could become self-sufficient and able to make their
own decisions
 Some robots have acquired various forms of semiautonomy, including being able to find power sources
on their own and being able to independently choose
targets to attack with weapons.
 They also noted that some computer viruses can evade
elimination and have achieved "cockroach
intelligence”.
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 A teleoperated UGV is a vehicle that is controlled by a
human operator at a remote location via a
communications link.
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 www.globalsecurity.org
 www.irobot.com
 www.mesa-robotics.com
 www.foster-miller.com
 www.wikipedia/org/wiki/Unmanned_ground_vehicle
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