Pavlo Rudakevych

ThrowBot: design considerations for a man-portable throwable robot

The pocket-sized ThrowBot is a sub-kilogram-class robot that provides short-range remote eyes and ears for urban combat. This paper provides an overview of lessons learned from experience, testing, and evaluation of the iRobot ThrowBot developed under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Tactical Mobile Robots (TMR) program. Emphasis has been placed on investigating requirements for the next generation of ThrowBots to be developed by iRobot Corporation and SPAWAR Systems Center, San Diego (SSC San Diego) Unmanned Systems Branch. Details on recent evaluation activities performed at the Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) test site at Fort Benning, GA, are included, along with insights obtained throughout the development of the ThrowBot since its inception in 1999 as part of the TMR program.

Griffon: a man‐portable hybrid UGV/UAV

To demonstrate proof‐of‐concept of the Griffon man‐portable hybrid unmanned ground vehicle/unmanned aerial vehicle (UGV/UAV) based on the iRobot PackBot we developed the Griffon air mobility system consisting of a gasoline‐powered propeller engine, a steerable parafoil, and a radio‐controlled servo system. We integrated the AMS with a PackBot prototype, and we conducted ground and flight tests to validate this concept. The Griffon prototype was capable of remote‐controlled flight, take‐off, and landing. The Griffon achieved speeds of over 20 mph and altitudes of up to 200 feet. We demonstrated the feasibility of developing a man‐portable hybrid UGV/UAV. Future work may explore the possibilities for teleoperated, semi‐autonomous, and fully autonomous control using the Griffon concept. The parafoil wing limits the usability of this vehicle in windy conditions, but this could be addressed using a lightweight fixed wing instead. Man‐portable hybrid UGV/UAVs may be used by the military to perform reconnaissanc...

Integration of the Fido explosives detector onto the PackBot EOD UGV

The digital, modular architecture of the iRobot PackBot EOD has been exploited to integrate an explosives vapor detector. This expands the usefulness of the UGV from its core EOD role to checkpoint vehicle inspections and facility clearing. From initial tests to deployment and training in Iraq and subsequent user feedback, we present the trials and tribulations of this effort from the perspective of the engineers that traveled to Baghdad.

PackBot EOD firing system

The PackBot EOD firing system was developed to allow the safe initiation of disruptors used to disable improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Safety is assured despite the use of communication links shared by possibly insecure computers on UGVs and control stations. This specific firing system was developed to enforce a particular EOD operational protocol where a single operator is responsible for the loading and use of the weapon. A unique combination of hardware and software design allows for unprecedented safety.

A man portable hybrid UAV/UGV system

We developed and demonstrated a UAV package that works in conjunction with the PackBot UGV to allow medium range missions. Both the UAV and UGV are man portable, and the combined system can be used from unimproved airfields such as soccer pitches. The UAV is capable of up to 75lbs of payload, while weighing less than 30lbs. This document describes the initial proof of concept prototype, the associated ground and flight tests, and areas for further development.