NAVEOD

Customer: NAVEODTECHDIV (via NCDR)
Role: Contractor to NCDR, worked with NSWC-Crane
Duration: 7/24/06 to 5/17/07
Technologies: TeleOperation, JAUS payload development, Cargo carrying

Existing small UGVs (Talon, Packbot, RONS, etc.) have been used very successfully for accomplishing EOD missions. However, each platform has certain drawbacks that prevent it from being used with certain EOD tools, or from using one or more EOD tools effectively. To address these issues, we investigated the use of a novel JAUS-compliant UGV based on the Segway RMP-400 platform called ARES. ARES was originally developed by Applied Perception and Segway to showcase Applied Perception’s JAUS technologies on the RMP-400 platform for military customers.

ARES is the combination of Segway’s RMP-400 drive-by-wire platform, computer, communications, and power hardware, and Applied Perception’s JAUS-complaint operator control and navigation software. The ARES vehicle system has several key capabilities that set it apart from existing platforms of the same class.

Basic statistics include:

• 275 lbs
• 200 lbs payload capacity
• Two ~18"x15" removable 1/2" thick aluminum payload mounting plates on which to mount payload equipment
• +12 volts and +72 volts and data and video available to connect to payload equipment
• 15 mph top speed
• ~5 miles range per battery charge depending on terrain
• 8 hours to fully recharge batteries (optionally spares can be charged off the bot and swapped out to get more run time)
• Ruggedized Laptop running Operator Control Unit via wireless network
• PS/2 style Joystick control with multiple presets optimized for high speed or high accuracy control

NAVEODTECHDIV's testing resulted in characterizing a number of capabilities including:

• Can traverse 10” curb with <= 100 lbs payload
• Can traverse 4” curb with <=200 lbs payload
• Can traverse inclines of 30°, 25°, 20° with 0, 100, and 200 lbs payload, respectively.