5D Robotics Inc., yesterday said it is collaborating with Finmeccanica’s DRS technologies, Segway Inc, and the Army to develop robots to lighten the soldier’s workload and save lies.
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The company, a robotics software company that integrates human behaviors with leading robotics hardware, said its proprietary Behavior Engine (BE™) software will be integrated into robot platforms created by Segway and DRS.
BE has been shown to lower human workload, reduce training time and make it easier for humans to interact with robots in a variety of environments.
The $2.2 million project is part of the U.S. Army’s effort to remain at the forefront of technological advancement to protect soldiers and prevent injuries, while reducing expenditures.
The Army is focused on the heavy weight of soldier packs and looking for ways to lighten war fighters’ workload. Medical professionals advise that individuals carry no more than 10-15 percent of their body weight on their backs; however, soldiers carry approximately 91-101.5 pounds according to research done by SFC Robert Ehrlich.
The research analyzed 13 rotations and concluded that soldiers carry too much weight. Typically, each soldier wears or carries at minimum load-bearing equipment (LBE), Kevlar helmet, weapon, and rucksack or assault pack. That weight slows movement down and fatigues the soldier faster than if the platoon went into combat with a lighter load, according to the report.
The government and military officials are researching ways to lighten the gear loads of soldiers and have more tasks completed by robots in the field.
“We are committed to finding ways to help reduce fatigue and increase the safety of solders in the field,” 5D vice president David Bruemmer said. “Our 5D BE software enables robots to carry hundreds of pounds of gear, yet still remain agile in the complex terrain that soldiers often find themselves in. And our software relies on UWB tags which are faster, smoother and more reliable than relying on GPS to navigate in uncontrolled environments.”
5D BE software includes safety behaviors such as obstacle avoidance and follow-me capabilities and its behaviors can be easily customized to new environments since it relies on tags instead of GPS for navigation. 5D BE software uses a novel UWB tracking system that allows the robot to follow a human or another tagged vehicle while avoiding collisions with other objects.