Marines field autonomous support vehicles based on winning robot design (video)

Since their third-place finish in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge, TORC Technology's had quite a climb -- the company founded by Virginia Tech graduates has since provided IED-scouting Humvee kits to the US Military, and a vehicle for the blind uses the drive-by-wire platform that they designed. Now, the Marines are testing a TORC kit called the Ground Unmanned Support Surrogate (GUSS), which autonomously navigate off-road terrain. Designed to accompany ground troops, the four prototypes only move at 5 MPH, but carry up to 1800 pounds, and can automatically follow troops (or other GUSS) at a distance while shouldering their loads. A one pound transmitter -- the WaySight -- can show the GUSS where to go, or optionally enable direct control for soldiers who prefer things the old-fashioned way. Personally, we love the smell of autonomy in the morning, don't you? See it in action after the break.

[Shadowfax07 Posted Jul 11th 2010 6:04AM]

@cafields
way to stay on topic. what has anything you said, got to do with autonomous support vehicles?

[ironlion7777 Posted Jul 11th 2010 8:11AM]

Pray for our children.

[LennyTheDub Posted Jul 11th 2010 9:31AM]

Anything that in any way help keep the men and women who put their lives on the line everyday out of the line of fire can only be a good thing.

[AlexCull Posted Jul 11th 2010 11:57AM]

Sky. Net.

[mmMTOASTY Posted Jul 11th 2010 12:37PM]

"follow me" mode......
steal 1st car = steal all the cars
yes.

[RCook55 Posted Jul 11th 2010 1:25PM]

So someones a Stargate fan and finally created a real life MALP?

[ronzorelli Posted Jul 11th 2010 1:43PM]

how long before these robot masters show up to our doors and demand our compliance in their scheme to take over the world?

[sydcinema Posted Jul 11th 2010 2:56PM]

wait, I gotta fukin walk now? asks the guy who used to drive

[vladimirgeorgiev Posted Jul 12th 2010 4:05AM]

Autonomous Convoys a Reality (CAST) technology has been already developed and tested on battle field of Iraq

Check this action video by
Lockheed Martin .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK5cv8ZzJNI

[Shadowbot Posted Jul 12th 2010 6:25PM]

Looks like the CAST vehicles are designed for pretty structured environments...driving straight down a flat paved road can't be terribly hard to do. And "tested on the battlefield" looks like some Lockheed engineers doing some demonstrations.

But it seems like the whole point of GUSS is to follow troops around while they are on-foot to carry supplies or provide short-range recon. If that's the case, you don't need to worry about things that a long-range convoy would need to (like the enemy stealing supplies or planting a bomb). And a 5 mph speed is more than enough to keep up with someone walking or jogging.

Here's hoping more things like this can find their way to the battlefield and help keep troops safe.