Army Robots Carry Their WeightArmy Robots Carry Their Weight

Rob Spiegel

July 10, 2013

3 Min Read
Army Robots Carry Their Weight

Military technology is exploding with new devices for the soldier in the field. In addition to a helmet, weapon, and an assault pack, new devices are added continually.

Medical professionals advise that individuals carry no more than 10 percent to 15 percent of their body weight. Yet soldiers sometimes carry as much as 90 lb of equipment. That's fine if you weigh 800 lb. For everyone else, it's too much.

Three companies are now collaborating to shift the soldier's weight to smart robots. 5D Robotics is contributing its Behavior Engine software to a robotic platform built by Segway and DRS Technologies to create a smart robot -- the 440x -- that can carry a soldier's equipment out in the field.

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The goal of the collaboration is to lower the human workload, reduce training time, and make it easier for humans to interact with robots in a variety of environments. "The Behavior Engine interacts with the solder," Regan Rowe, director of business development at 5D Robotics, told Design News. "The robot can notice if there is an obstruction and move around on its own." She said the intuitive aspects of the robot puts less work on the soldier. "The Behavior Engine allows the solder to do less to make the robot move through a path," Rowe told us. "The robot becomes a team member. It carries gear and checks hazards."

The project is part of the US Army's effort to remain at the forefront of technological advancement to protect soldiers and prevent injuries. The Army is focused on the heavy weight of the soldier packs and looking for a way to lighten workloads. "Segway provides the robot platform, and DRS provides the system engineering," said Rowe. 5D's Behavior Engine provides safety behaviors such as obstacle avoidance that is customized to the field environment.

Rather than using GPS, 5D has turned to tags to allow the robot to move more accurately through its terrain. "Historically, robots have used GPS. But GPS has limitations in measurement," said Rowe. "The tags provide specific positions. Both the robot and the soldiers have tags. The robot works in contact to the squad."

Rowe said the 440x will be out in the field with soldiers very soon. "This is part of a program design for rapid deployment," said Rowe. "In six to eight months, six of these units are going to Afghanistan. Then there will be a progression of additional purchases at a greater volume."

While 5D is working first with the military on human/robot interactions, the company also expects to deploy its technology for non-military uses. "We're moving into warehouse distribution and hospitality," Rowe told us. In warehouses, the robots will move materials. In hospitality, the robots will carry luggage. "The robot's follow-me capability will combine with autonomy," she said.

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About the Author

Rob Spiegel

Rob Spiegel serves as a senior editor for Design News. He started with Design News in 2002 as a freelancer covering sustainability issues, including the transistion in electronic components to RoHS compliance. Rob was hired by Design News as senior editor in 2011 to cover automation, manufacturing, 3D printing, robotics, AI, and more.

Prior to his work with Design News, Rob worked as a senior editor for Electronic News and Ecommerce Business. He served as contributing editolr to Automation World for eight years, and he has contributed to Supply Chain Management Review, Logistics Management, Ecommerce Times, and many other trade publications. He is the author of six books on small business and internet commerce, inclluding Net Strategy: Charting the Digital Course for Your Company's Growth.

He has been published in magazines that range from Rolling Stone to True Confessions.

Rob has won a number of awards for his technolloghy coverage, including a Maggy Award for a Design News article on the Jeep Cherokee hacking, and a Launch Team award for Ecommerce Business. Rob has also won awards for his leadership postions in the American Marketing Association and SouthWest Writers.

Before covering technology, Rob spent 10 years as publisher and owner of Chile Pepper Magazine, a national consumer food publication. He has published hundreds of poems and scores of short stories in national publications.

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