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52 Insight | UGVs include e-commerce giant Amazon, ride- sharing companies DiDi and Uber as well as Pizza Hut. It is based around Toyota’s proprietary Mobility Services Platform software and a flexible, purpose-built vehicle that varies from 4 to 7 m in length. The open vehicle control interface and a set of software tools will support third-party automated driving system and vehicle management technologies, with Toyota’s Guardian technology acting as a safety net to ensure safe operation by connecting back to a data centre. Scientific The Husky UGV platform developed by Clearpath Robotics has been used to simulate a mission to Mars. Graz University, working with the Austrian Space Forum and the Oman Astronomical Society, conducted a four- week Mars simulation mission in the Arabian desert in Oman. Tasks performed in the study included 3D mapping, mineralogy, evaluation of biological habitats and preparation of food. The Husky was used for 3D mapping of the Omani terrain and transportation. Once the environments were mapped, it was able to identify potential hazards, move around and collect data for the ‘astronauts’. The Husky was specifically chosen as the team could use tyres as well as tracks to test its performance. It had an integrated IMU, 2D laser scanner, computer and GPS. For terrain mapping, it used a 2D 260 º Sick laser scanner, while for 3D mapping the team developed its own software to function with the ROS. Another platform developed by Clearpath is being used for the Torone project for monitoring radiation in hazardous environments. Post-doctoral research assistant Andrew West from the Robotics Group at the University of Manchester has used the Jackal UGV to carry a radiation monitor into nuclear storage bunkers. The project is supported by the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory, and combines different elements of autonomous technology to allow highly radioactive environments to be decontaminated and decommissioned efficiently, as well as helping with the design of new nuclear fission reactors. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy uses a high-intensity laser pulse to create a plasma on the surface of a material. The colour of the plasma depends on the elements of the target material, and using a spectrometer it is possible to identify each element uniquely. This can be combined with less powerful Raman spectroscopy to determine the exact composition of the material. For both instruments West used off- the-shelf research-grade lasers that were modified to make them as small and as light as possible, then he fitted them onto the Jackal, which measures 50 cm 3 , to navigate through the bunker. When the Jackal is first sent into the bunker or other extreme environment, it is controlled remotely, but once an operator is happy that they have seen all they need to, it can autonomously fill in any missing parts of the map. With a complete map, the Jackal can be made to take samples of materials using its onboard instruments, usually in places where a human can’t tell what something is made of. The results are stored in a database for further analysis, and the maps and data generated can be used to plan future missions. The range of unmanned ground systems continues to grow, and they are helping to reduce the cost of maintenance and operation, as well as coping with more challenging environments. Meanwhile, on our roads these systems look set to become familiar sights, with entirely new approaches for ride-sharing, personal use and mobile commerce. April/May 2018 | Unmanned Systems Technology Toyota’s e-Palette will offer users a wide range of applications (Courtesy of Toyota) The Husky has been used in Oman to simulate a mission to Mars (Courtesy of OeWF Florian Voggeneder)