High-tech scouts: next generation robots: bigger and better?

The exploits of bomb-sniffing robots in Iraq and Afghanistan have solidified their role as useful combat tools, but the technology needs to be pushed much further, say robot designers and engineers.

The military services currently operate nearly 4,000 battlefield robots--mostly to help detect concealed explosives, search buildings and clear caves.

The next generation of robots, however, could do much more, says John Bares, director of the Carnegie Mellon National Robotics Engineering Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The center recently unveiled a sophisticated robotic truck that would be way too big for explosive detection or cave work, but could take over reconnaissance duties in dangerous areas where commanders may not want to expose human scouts.

The 6.5-ton vehicle, called Crusher, has been in development for five years, under a $35 million project funded by the Army and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Two prototypes have been built, and will be used in tests to determine their potential military and civilian applications, Bares says. Industries such as agriculture, construction and coal mining are interested in employing this technology, he adds.

Whether the military will welcome these larger robots remains to be seen, at least until they can prove their utility. Cost may be a problem. While the small explosive-ordnance disposal robots have a price tag in the neighborhood of $100,000, vehicles such as the Crusher could be far more expensive. The cost for the Crusher has not yet been estimated, says Bares.

But regardless of whether the military ends up buying the vehicle, the advanced technology in the Crusher could be adapted for other tasks. Most notable are the sophisticated sensors that allow it to operate autonomously, and its suspension, which permits the vehicle to overcome obstacles such as large ditches, man-made barriers or piles of boulders while carrying more than 8,000 pounds of cargo.

Electric motors embedded in each of the vehicle's six wheels are powered by a hybrid system that uses a turbo-diesel generator to recharge its batteries. Its top speed is 26 miles per hour.

Bares sees the Crusher as a viable candidate for the Army's future combat systems program. Under FCS, the Army intends to modernize its entire force, and expects to spend up to $300 million to develop three kinds of robots: a man-portable, a large "mule" to carry cargo, and a much bigger armed reconnaissance vehicle. Crusher would fit in the last category. It would operate as the "eyes and ears" of the commander, he says. The hybrid engine allows it to operate quietly, on just battery power, so it's not easily detected by the enemy.

Another benefit of employing robots as scouts is having the option to forgo armor in the vehicle, which would almost be unthinkable if the vehicle had humans in it. Even without armor, Bares says, a vehicle like Crusher could take a hit and still continue moving. Because each of the six wheels is independently driven, the truck keeps going even if one or several of them are damaged.

Bares also oversees another military robot, the Gladiator, that is being designed for the Marine Corps. At 2,000 pounds, it's far smaller than Crusher. The Marines plan to use Gladiator as a tactical reconnaissance vehicle.

Large robots also are in the long-term strategy of companies seeking to expand their military business. Among them is iRobot of Burlington, Mass. The company makes the PackBot, a 53-pound robot used by military bomb squads in Iraq and by units hunting alQaeda hideaways in Afghanistan. About 300 PackBots have been sold to the military, says Helen Greiner, co-founder and chairman of iRobot.

The company will continue to produce the PackBot for the foreseeable future, and is introducing new features such as an acoustic sniper detector. Meanwhile, it already has designed a prototype of PackBot's big brother, called NEO Mover--a 200-pound robot that can carry cargo and move like a soldier.

"We are looking to get it out there soon," Greiner says. NEO is an explosive ordnance robot that was developed with government funds from the technical support working group, or TSWG.

"I think the time has come for larger unmanned vehicles," Greiner says. In addition to the NEO, the company is marketing a robotic version of the John Deere Gator utility truck.

Larger robots have been in the research labs for way too long, she says. That is why military users have not had an opportunity to evaluate the vehicles' capabilities. "We haven't really shown them" what they can do with these robots, she notes. Missions such as perimeter patrol, border patrol and logistics convoys are among the obvious ones. Bigger vehicles also could be outfitted with machine guns and other weapons.

"We need to get them deployed," Greiner says. "Larger vehicles are a key market."