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48 Insight | UGVs This data will be used to create 3D images, generate terrain data and visualise site conditions. Software from Optim, another Komatsu partner, will correlate the terrain data to provide a picture of the whole construction site. The Jetson board will also be used with the stereo cameras installed in the cabs of construction equipment to recognise continuously changing conditions on a real-time basis to better provide accurate instructions to machine operators. This will allow automatic control of the equipment. Firefighting Milrem Robotics is entering the commercial market with a firefighting and search-and- rescue UGV it is developing with rescue services. The Multiscope Rescue can be equipped with firefighting equipment such as a water tank and a remotely controlled water cannon, to reach areas that are too dangerous for human firefighters. The search-and-rescue unit can be equipped with thermal cameras and powerful lights to find missing people in hazardous environments or remote forested areas. The company has been working with the Estonian Rescue Board on the design of the system, which is based on the Themis military platform. This carries a payload of 750 kg, has a diesel- electric drive and the ability to cross difficult terrains. Milrem is now looking at agricultural and mining applications for the technology. Security and surveillance A different approach to an unmanned surveillance system is the Guardbot. This was initially conceived for a planetary mission on Mars, and can operate in many environments, from paved road, offroad, sand, snow and sloped surfaces as well as shallow water. The Guardbot moves using a battery- powered pendulum that propels the unit by changing its centre of gravity. The design allows it to easily provide forward and backward motion as well as make 360 º turns. The drive system can operate continuously for up to 25 hours on one charge, and reach speeds of up to 9 mph on land and 3 mph in water. The custom battery lasts up to 45 hours. The vehicle system can integrate radio links for command and control, feeding back data from sensors including cameras, GPS and audio. Different cameras, for example HD and infrared, can be mounted on the sides for monitoring. The design can be scaled from 5 in (14 cm) in diameter up to 7 ft (2.5 m). Meanwhile, Endeavor Robotics has developed a new version of its PackBot system ahead of a major roll-out of robot systems for bomb disposal and surveillance. The Centaur is a mid-sized, tracked platform that weighs 74 kg, and has a newly developed chassis to support a high level of mobility. It can be deployed in less than 5 minutes with a payload of 68 kg and has an operating time of 8 hours with standard military batteries. A key element of the Centaur’s design is that it can be deployed autonomously from a vehicle-mounted unit that fits onto the outside of vehicles and that can also recover the UGV. It is a US Army- developed system that allows an operator to remain in the vehicle during a mission. The Centaur’s software was developed using an open architecture framework based around the US Army’s Interoperability Profile and robot operating system (ROS) middleware. The controller’s software was developed by the US Army and integrated with the system by Endeavor Robotics. Transport Many car makers are working out how to design vehicles without pedals or steering wheels, and that also promise longer range. Volkswagen for example sees the design of the passenger cabin of its April/May 2018 | Unmanned Systems Technology Firefighting version of the Multiscope Rescue (Courtesy of Milrem Robotics)