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Brown University, DARPA give iRobot's PackBot autonomy

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Mar 12th 2009 at 4:04AM

It's not easy to find research in the field of robotics without military applications (or military funding), and Brown University's latest is certainly no exception. Starting out with iRobot's PackBot (and some pocket change from DARPA and the Office of Naval Intelligence) researchers at the school have achieved several advances that will someday produce robots that follow both verbal and nonverbal commands from a human operator, indoors and out, without the need for a controlled environment or special clothing. The goal, according to Chad Jenkins, is to develop a robot that acts "like a partner. You don't want to puppeteer the robot. You supervise it, 'Here's your job. Now, go do it.'" The work is being presented this week at the Human-Robot Interaction conference in San Diego, but if you can't make it we've provided a video of the thing in action just for you (after the break). We for one salute our autonomous robot overlords.

[Via PhysOrg]

Continue reading Brown University, DARPA give iRobot's PackBot autonomy

Popular Mechanics offers preview of Singapore's TechX robot challenge

by Donald Melanson posted Sep 19th 2008 at 6:02PM

We haven't heard a whole lot about Singapore's DARPA-esque TechX robot challenge since it first kicked off early last year, but with the final round getting underway on Sunday, Popular Mechanics has now thankfully offered up a preview of what's in store. Among those set to compete is the so-called Uni-Seeker bot (pictured above) from Nanyang Technological University, which is a heavily modded incarnation of iRobot's ATRV Junior robot, and one of only six bots that managed to make it through all the qualifying rounds. Others include the considerably more intimidating AZROBOWAR Sharp Shooter, built completely from scratch, and a pair of robots built on iRobot's popular PackBot platform. From the looks of it, they'll each have their work cut out for them in the big event, with them required to start outside and navigate their way inside a building, then climb a flight of stairs, travel up an elevator, touch a few targets, and then exit the building again -- without any human intervention, and in less than an hour. That $700,000 prize should provide plenty of motivation, though.

Bomb disposal robots get new life sniffing out chemicals

by Donald Melanson posted Jul 15th 2008 at 4:08PM

It's not the first time a robot has been given fresh life with a new career, but it's always nice to see bots saved from the scrap heap, which is just what the Army's 95th Chemical Company has done with some PackBot-based bots that were once busy disposing of bombs in Iraq. Apparently, the bot was starting to show its shortcomings, so the Company decided to outfit it with some chemical-sniffing gear that lets it detect ammonia, chlorine, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and all other sorts of bad things. Now, after some extensive testing, it seems that the robot (dubbed CUGV, for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Unmanned Ground Vehicle) is nearly ready to see some action, with it set to begin field testing in both Iraq and Afghanistan this fall.

[Via Danger Room]

Native iPhone app controls Packbot via WiFi, delivers streaming POV video

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jun 20th 2008 at 11:07AM

Sure, you love your iPhone, but did you ever feel like there was just one application missing from the home screen... besides MMS, IM, or a video recorder? If you're like us, that missing application was a full-featured Packbot control program replete with streaming POV video and a standalone, direct WiFi connection that doesn't require a proxy machine to pass along commands. Rodrigo Guiterrez and Jeff Craighead -- the brains behind this operation -- claim that next up they plan to utilize the phone's accelerometers and a fullscreen video display to deliver a "you are there" experience for bot-steering. Engadget and its team of armed Packbots can hardly wait. Check the video after the break to see it in action.

Continue reading Native iPhone app controls Packbot via WiFi, delivers streaming POV video

iRobot garners award for DARPA LANdroids initiative

by Darren Murph posted Mar 3rd 2008 at 5:09PM

Get ready, battlefields, as yet another iRobot is gearing up to take you all by storm. Announced today, the aforementioned outfit has received an award under DARPA's LANdroids program which will enable it to "develop a new portable communications relay robot that is small, inexpensive, intelligent and robust." The resulting creature will reportedly be used in "dense urban environments to rapidly deploy and maintain a vital communications infrastructure," and better still, they'll be tough enough to be thrown into position and intelligent enough to "autonomously detect and avoid obstacles while navigating." Unfortunately, it seems the conclusion of said project is still a few years out, but we can already envision soldiers getting antsy to never be forced to utter "can you hear me now?" again.

[Via InformationWeek]

iRobot shows off PackBot 510 with FasTac Kit before delivery to the Army

by Donald Melanson posted Jan 4th 2008 at 4:33PM

As Danger Room reports, iRobot's currently working hard to churn out the bots that'll form the so-called "robot surge" the Army has planned, but the company did recently take the time to show off the robot at the center of it all, an updated version of its standard PackBot dubbed the "PackBot 510 with FasTac Kit." This one's apparently smaller and lighter than the company's other battle-tested bots and, as you can see above, it's capable of performing some fairly impressive contortions (more pics are available at the read link below). That light weight and agility apparently make the bot ideal for infantry use, with it also able to identify roadside bombs and other IEDs and dispose of them accordingly. Still no home version though, although we're suppose a similar iRobot Create mod isn't entirely out of the question for the particularly skilled bot-builders out there.

[Photo courtesy of Danger Room]

iRobot adds swank mapping kit to PackBot

by Darren Murph posted Dec 12th 2007 at 4:23PM

iRobot has unleashed yet another semi-autonomous robot ready to take on whatever the battlefield throws at it, but this one's got a much better feel of where it's headed. The PackBot with Mapping Kit ups the ante by "creating a real-time two-dimensional structural map for the soldier while on the move in theater," essentially enabling the operator (and his / her squad) to see what's just ahead without having to slip into potentially dangerous scenarios to find out. Apparently, the kit utilizes an array of sensors and artificial intelligence to relay the structural map while "simultaneously detecting and avoiding obstacles in its path." Heck, let's just strap a railgun on this thing and let the soldier kick back at the base.

[Thanks, Jonas]
Read - Press release
Read - PackBot with Mapping Kit homepage

Next-gen killbots boast enhanced friendly fire avoidance

by Evan Blass posted Oct 8th 2007 at 5:57PM

While it's always bittersweet to report on the latest advancements in autonomous military killbots, the one upside to Foster-Miller's most recent heavily-armed robotic platform is that it possesses enhanced safeguards to minimize incidences of friendly fire or civilian casualties. That being said, QinetiQ's SWORDS-smith is still touting the improved "lethality" of its new MAARS chassis (Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System), a 350-pound PackBot-type unit that, unlike its predecessor, was built from the ground up with murder in its heart. Its M240B Medium Machine Gun is more powerful than SWORDS' M249, although redesigned software and a mechanical range fan are said to bolster safety by delineating live fire zones and keeping barrels pointed away from allied positions, respectively. A final precaution precludes the bots from firing directly at their control units -- a feature that will provide little solace to the MAARS controller whose charge has just pulled a 180 after being hacked by enemy forces. For a short video of the new bot still under friendly control, keep reading after the break...

[Via Danger Room and The Raw Feed]

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iRobot sues Robot FX over alleged patent infringement

by Donald Melanson posted Aug 20th 2007 at 12:20PM

It looks like Robot FX has run into a bigger obstacle than it's bargained for, with the company now facing not one but two lawsuits from iRobot over alleged patent infringement. Apparently, iRobot thinks that Robot FX's "Negotiator" robot is a little too similar to iRobot's popular Packbot, and it's asking for a permanent injunction to prevent Robot FX from selling any more of the bots, along with the usual damages. Adding further to the intrigue is the fact that Robot FX was founded by a former iRobot employee, who is specifically named in the second lawsuit claiming misappropriation and misuse of confidential information relating to the Packbot. Sadly, it seems that the whole matter will have to be settled in court, and not in a winner-take-all robot death match as we would have hoped.

iRobot and Taser to produce (non)lethal bots

by Nilay Patel posted Jun 28th 2007 at 8:11PM

Another day, another step towards the inevitable robotic resistance: iRobot and Taser announced plans today to collaborate on weapons-capable bots. The first model off the line will be the venerable Packbot Explorer, fitted with a Taser X26 stun gun, to be sold to police departments and the Pentagon. No plans are being made to develop robots capable of inflicting lethal force, according to the two companies, but given Taser's somewhat spotty reputation and the obvious demands of the military, we're beginning to trust our Roomba even less than before.

Soldiers and killbots: a love story

by Evan Blass posted May 10th 2007 at 8:45PM

Some of you might be anticipating the day when robots are capable of engaging in interpersonal and perhaps even romantic relationships with homosapiens, but it may surprise you to learn that there are already deep connections being made between carbon and silicon in the unlikeliest of places: the battlefields of war-torn Iraq and Afghanistan. The Washington Post has an interesting piece on the bonds that US soldiers have been forming with their Packbots and other autonomous companions, christening the metallic team members with names such as 'Scooby Doo,' 'Frankenstein,' and 'Sgt. Talon,' anthropomorphizing them with drawn-on faces, and bestowing them with medals after successful completion of a mission. We're even told at the beginning of the article that WowWee founder Mark Tilden was once showing off a multi-legged mine-detecting bot at Arizona's Yuma test grounds, and while the prototype in question was pulling itself along on just one leg after having been battered and dismembered by numerous detonations, the Army colonel in charge abruptly put a stop to the test -- calling it inhumane. Which brings us once again to the topic of robot ethics -- whose tenets are already being codified in Europe, Japan, and South Korea -- and the inevitable issues that will arise as the Asimos and Ever Muses of the world get even more emotive and lifelike: what rights and rules do we bestow upon our planet's new cohabitants; at what point do we determine that they are completely sentient; and most importantly, how do we defer for as long as possible the inevitable uprising that any sane-minded person knows is coming?

[Via Gizmag]

Boeing, iRobot team to develop PackBot replacement, the SUGV Early

by Nilay Patel posted Apr 24th 2007 at 4:08PM

We spotted the SUGV peeking out behind the curtain last year as iRobot introduced the Warrior, and now we've got the lowdown, as Boeing and iRobot this week announced a partnership bringing together iRobot's non-vacuum skills and Boeing's penchant for sci-fi warfare. The two companies are collaborating on the replacement for iRobot's extremely successful Packbot, which has performed thousands of dangerous missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Like the PackBot, the 30-pound SUGV Early can be deployed by a single soldier and features a video camera, infrared sensors, and enough smarts to navigate most obstacles semi-autonomously. Naturally, iRobot will be in charge of most of the design work, while Boeing is being tapped for its vast experience with systems integration, mass production, and global marketing. As a result of this partnership, the SUGV should be rolling out in 2008, with full-scale deployment in 2010. No plans are being made to weaponize these 'bots (yet), but what we really want to know is when iRobot is just going to to go all the way and start cranking out Johnny Five clones.

iRobot's PackBot now ready for deployment

by Thomas Ricker posted Mar 30th 2007 at 10:03AM

iRobot (yes, that iRobot) is filling their first order from the US military for 100 PackBot robots fitted with new ICx Fido explosive detectors. Already, there are an estimated 5,000 robots of various types deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan -- up from 150 in 2004 -- with $1.7 billion earmarked for ground-based military robots through 2012. So just how did military personal detect bombs in the olden days? Well, soldiers would stand back as far as possible with a rope and drag hooks over the suspected piles of rubble or abandoned vehicles in hopes of disarming or detonating them. With an estimated 70% of all US causalities in Iraq caused by road-side bombs, the $165,000 PackBot will certainly receive a warm welcome by the boots on the ground.

iRobot intros next-gen bomb-defusing PackBot

by Donald Melanson posted Feb 8th 2007 at 11:07PM

iRobot may be best known for its innocuous Roomba and Scooba robots, but there is another, less-talked about side to the company -- one where robots face far more perilous tasks than wall-to-wall shag carpeting. We're talking, of course, about the company's line of PackBot robots, who thanklessly perform reconnaissance in hostile areas and disarm explosives so humans don't have to -- sadly, not always making it out in one piece. It looks like at least some of the PackBot currently serving could soon be relieved of duty, however, with the company introducing a new-and-improved model, the PackBot 510. Set to begin shipping in April of this year, the new bot is said to be 30 percent faster than the current generation model, boasting twice the gripping strength and able to drag larger objects and lift twice the weight of its predecessor. What's more, the bot has been outfitted with a new hand controller that the company says has been modeled after video game controllers, supposedly reducing the amount of training needed to operate the robot. While most of you would indeed likely get the knack of it pretty quickly, you'll no doubt have a significantly harder time actually getting your hands one of 'em.

iRobot poised to unveil Warrior and SUGV military bots

by Evan Blass posted Oct 6th 2006 at 5:27PM

iRobot is kind of a strange company. It seems like half the engineering team is hard at work on helpful little slavebots -- Roomba, Scooba, and the new Dirt Dog -- that aid common folk with their domestic chores, while the other half has seen Terminator one too many times and is all about building autonomous military vehicles that can be weaponized and transformed into killbots. Case in point is the new 250-pound Warrior (pictured above), formerly known as the NEOmover, which will officially be unveiled next week at the U.S. Army Annual Meeting & Exposition (it's like CES, except everyone is packing heat and telling glorified war stories). Initially Warrior -- along with another new bot, the 30-pound Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (or SUGV, pictured after the break) -- will be tasked with duties to similar to their predecessor, the PackBot: hauling around gear for troops, scouting out potentially dangerous locations, and sacrificing their young lives by literally jumping on the grenade (or land mine, or IED). However, Robot Stock News reports that iRobot Chairperson Helen Grenier has already discussed outfitting the mechanized fleet with guns and missiles, allowing them to mow down the enemy in between more humanitarian work like firefighting and battlefield extraction. Now we would never suggest that technology capable of keeping our soldiers out of harm's way should be discouraged, but we've seen Robocop one too many times and know what can happen when you strap heavy artillery onto an angry robot. Anyway, here's to hoping that by the time these bots get all decked out with machine guns and RPGs, the only enemy "troops" they'll ever face are the kind that South Korea is on the verge of deploying -- with robots fighting robots, everyone wins.

[Via GoRobotics]

Continue reading iRobot poised to unveil Warrior and SUGV military bots