RODEO: Roll-Over Detection for Equipment-transporter Operation

To gain tactical advantages over adversaries in dismounted operations, infantrymen are often required to carry heavy loads on themselves. However, enduring a long distance walk while carrying a heavy march load is notorious for quickly exhausting the Solider, which consequently impedes the OPTEMPO of the troop. Addressing this problem, the Army is seeking a robust unmanned ground vehicle that can transport 1,000 pounds of the Soldier loads on rough terrains under the SMET program. Our proposed system called RODEO is a modular add-on feature for a SMET vehicle that can predict its future over-turn when it is tele-operated, and forewarn the operator, so that a preventive action can be taken in time. RODEO accomplishes the forewarning of a vehicle over-turn through a probabilistic method, and provides the operator with the situational awareness of the vehicular state through the OCU. The advantages of RODEO are its intuitiveness, interoperability, and inexpensiveness. In Phase I, a feasibility analysis through proof-of-concept testing/demonstration will be performed.