Control Engineering

Paul Grayson

Robots Earn Their Stripes
June 18, 2008

Photo: Unmanned Ground Systems Summit Aug 18-20, 2008, contact Alex Jones alex.jones@idga.org for details of this upcoming robotic event.

THE LIFE THEY SAVE MAY BE YOUR OWN
Robots have achieved a high level of proficiency and have proven their worth to the combat teams they are assigned to. The performance of robots in Afghanistan and Iraq has won the respect of not easily impressed US combat troops. In other words, the robots have earned their stripes. Military robots have proven themselves by saving the lives of soldiers on their combat teams and while robots don't get medals or combat ribbons for what they do for the troops, they have earned the respect of the troops by taking the point on many dangerous missions. Many robots are damaged or destroyed doing this, machines are easily repaired or replaced - people are not, better a robot than a person. Robots are taking over dangerous tasks (such as neutralizing roadside bombs) or doing ordinary tasks in dangerous areas (looking for people hiding in a cave or driving urgently needed supplies through hot zones). The number of robots working with the troops in the field is expected to double in the next year. There is a push on now to increase battery life so that they can spend more time on task and less time charging. Alternative power sources are being considered to give robots run times that more closely match the people they work beside.

WHY AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
In the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001, Public Law 106-398, Congress mandated in Section 220 that “It shall be a goal of the Armed Forces to achieve the fielding of unmanned, remotely controlled technology such that… by 2015, one-third of the operational ground combat vehicles are unmanned.” The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ( DARPA) conducts the Urban Challenge program in support of this Congressional mandate. Every “dull, dirty, or dangerous” task that can be carried out using a machine instead of a human protects our warfighters and allows valuable human resources to be used more effectively.
-- DARPA




THE JOB ROBOTS SAVE MAY BE YOUR OWN
The Defense Department is the single largest customer of robotic systems and that is expected to expand to about $1.7 billion dollars per year. The Ames Sword Company of Ohio has been making swords in the USA since 1791 and is still in the business. Swords, plant location and owners have changed a few times since the company first started. If you find an antique Navy cutlass around somewhere the chances good that it was made by hand by an earlier generation of Ames workers. Like swords, robots have become part of the armed forces kit and will remain part of the armed forces from now on - forever. The role of robots in warfare is sure to expand well beyond what it is now, before it peaks, if ever it does. Which of the robot companies around today do you think have the staying power to be building military robots for the US armed forces 217 years from now? What do you think a military robot will be like after 217 years of field changes and adaptations to changing battle conditions and changing technology? I wonder.

AGV WENDY DARLING UPDATE
Work continues on outfitting the retired US Army M-215 truck for driverless operation at the fastest speed that donations of Money, Manpower, and Materials allow.  We are also getting the truck ready to lead the veterans groups that will be marching in the Cherry Festival Parade here in Travese City, MI on July 12, 2008.  Over  500,000 people are expected to see the truck at this event. Today I bought another gallon of Untamed Desert flat finish oil based paint to continue the touching up the paint job as we do work on the truck.  The fourth Preco Amber Flasher was found and installed on the rear of the turck.  The spare tire rims got their first coat of Untamed Desert.  The first of several Preco Electonics weatherproof automotive cameras was reinstalled on the truck with its adjustable sun shade bracket.  These are color cameras.  A shop visit for 5 volunteer applicants is scheduled for Friday 6-27-2008 at 6:30 pm.   The people are the United Way volunteer coordinator herself and four of her friends ages 15 to 22.  AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL MAGIC is part of the United Way volunteer program.  They want to meet as many of the team members as possible. 

GO ROBOTS !

Paul F. Grayson - Chief Engineer
AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL MAGIC, LLC
Racing to build technology that saves lives.
390 4-Mile Rd. S.
Traverse City, MI 49686-8411
(231) 946-0187, (231) 883-4463 Cell
pgrayson@aimagic.org  
AIM: http://aimagic.org  
Robot Club: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/robotcluboftraversecitymi/  
CE Magazine: http://www.controleng.com/blog/1180000318

Posted by Paul Grayson on June 18, 2008 | Comments (0)