We propose to develop the conceptual and technical design for an autonomous vehicle that can seek, detect, localize, and retrieve wounded patients from hostile situations. We plan to concentrate on three core technical areas: 1) coverage planning andautonomous navigation; 2) patient detection and… More

The proposed robotic patient recovery system consists of two vehicles configured for marsupial operation - a Robotic Extraction vehicle (REX) and a Robotic Evacuation vehicle (REV) - coupled with intuitive operator interfaces for both the in the fieldmedic and/or personnel at the remote base… More

The use of small unmanned ground vehicles in both military and civilian operations is rapidly growing. Unfortunately, vendors today only offer their own proprietary Operator Control Units and vehicle payloads that can only be used with their vehicle platform. The objective of this Phase I effort is… More

Current robotic controllers place a great deal of emphasis on graphical control methods. While graphics and visualization are an important and critical method for controlling robotic assets, they are not sufficient in all cases. The ideal robotic controller would enable the soldier to interact with… More

With the anticipated deployment of technologies developed under programs like Future Force Warrior and Future Combat Systems, there is a growing need for a common method for human-robot interaction. This is particularly true for dismounted infantry, since they are often in situations where small,… More

Though ladar and stereo have received far more attention for UGV navigation use, radar offers some unique benefits. Many radar systems have the ability to partially penetrate thin vegetation, fog, smoke, and other obscurants while detecting hidden solid obstacles. Also, some systems provide useful… More