ASEMINAR REPORT

ON“Application of robots in military”

Submitted in the partial fulfillment of the requirementsFor the award of the degree of

Bachelor of EngineeringIn

Mechanical EngineeringBY

VEERESH .M(1GV01ME067)

Under the Guidance of:Mr.C.N.Suresha

Senior Lecturer.G.V.I.T

2004-2005DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL

ENGINEERINGGOLDEN VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

KOLAR GOLD FIELDS - 563120.

GOLDEN VALLEY INSTITUTE OFTECHNOLOGY

Kolar Gold Fields-563120 DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATEThis is to certify that the lecture entitled

“Application of robots in military”

Has been delivered byVEERESH.M

(1GV01ME067)

The student of VIII semester B.E (Mechanical) under our supervision and guidance in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Degree of Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) of Visveswaraiah Technological University, during the academic year 2004-2005

Signature of the Committee Signature of the Guide 1.

Mr.C.N.Suresha 2. .

Signature of the H.O.D Signature of Principal Prof.D.Srinivas Rao Dr.U.N.Kempaiah

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to my guide, C.N.Suresha, senior Lecturer of Golden Valley Institute of

Technology for being kind and helpful, for his guidance and valuable suggestions. His

words of advice and encouragement have been a source of enthusiasm.

I sincerely thank Prof.D.Srinivasa Rao, Head of Mechanical Department (G.V.I.T.), for

his guidance, support and valuable suggestions in preparation to Technical seminar.

I am especially thankful to the staff members of Mechanical Department G.V.I.T for help

& support provided by them.

I sincerely thank Dr.U.N.Kempaiah Principal of Golden Valley Institute of Technology

for his guidance, support and valuable suggestions in preparation to Technical seminar.

Finally Iam grateful to my friends and all others who have helped me in successfully

completing this Technical Seminar.

SYNOPSIS

In the field of war the life of soldier is always in danger, as soldiers perform

dangerous activities like walking through minefield, deactivating unexploded bombs, or

clearing out hostile buildings these are the some of dangerous task which soldier perform

in the line of duty.

For such dangerous work ROBOTS can be used, and if something goes wrong

we will lose only the money it costs to build the robots, instead of losing the human life.

In this technical seminar the ROBOTS that are used to do dangerous activities

are discussed.

Contents

Introduction 1

Anatomy of a robot 2 Packbot 3

Remus 12

Predator 15

Conclusion 20

Bibliography 21

INTRODUCTION

ROBOT

A ROBOT is a general-purpose programmable machine possessing certain

anthropomorphic characteristics. The most typical anthropomorphic, or human like,

characteristic of a robot is its arm. This arm, together with the robots capability to be

reprogrammed, makes it suitable to perform variety of tasks in different field.

Need of robot in MILITARY

In the field of war the life of soldier is always in danger, as soldiers perform

dangerous activities like walking through minefield, deactivating unexploded bombs, or

clearing out hostile buildings these are the some of dangerous task which soldier perform

in the line of duty.

For such dangerous work ROBOTS can be used, as robots are capable of doing

such dangerous activities and they can be programmed to do definite task. And if

something goes wrong we will lose only the money it costs to build the robots, instead of

losing the human life. And also using the robots in the field of military increases the

strength of troops to fight.

Currently the developed countries like U.S and U.K have employed robots in

their troops.

ANATOMY OF A ROBOT

Robot is an automatic machine whose actions are controlled by a computer. In

fact, robotics is a mixed discipline of mechanical engineering, electronics and computers.

Basically a robot consists of mechanical body equipped with an arm, sensors etc; a

computer and a source of electricity.

Robotic body is made up of iron, steel and plastic; First of all, almost all robots have

a movable body. Some only have motorized wheels, and others have dozens of movable

segments, typically made of metal or plastic. Like the bones in your body, the individual

segments are connected together with joints.

Robots spin wheels and pivot jointed segments with some sort of actuator. Some

robots use electrical motor and solenoids as actuators; some use a hydraulic system and

some use a pneumatic system (a system driven by compressed gases). Robots may use all

these actuator types.

A robot needs a power source to drive these actuators. Most robots either have a

battery or they plug into the wall. Hydraulic robots also need a pump to pressurize the

hydraulic fluid, and pneumatic robots need an air compressor or compressed air tanks.

The actuators are all wired to an electrical circuit. The circuit powers electrical

motors and solenoids directly, and it activates the hydraulic system by manipulating

electrical valves. The valves determine the pressurized fluid's path through the machine.

To move a hydraulic leg, for example, the robot's controller would open the valve leading

from the fluid pump to a piston cylinder attached to that leg. The pressurized fluid would

extend the piston, swiveling the leg forward.

The robot's computer controls everything attached to the circuit. To move the robot,

the computer switches on all the necessary motors and valves. Most robots are

reprogrammable -- to change the robot's behavior, you simply write a new program to its

computer.

These are the basic nuts and bolts of robotics. Robot cists can combine these elements in

an infinite number of ways to create robots of unlimited complexity.

PACKBOT

Introduction

The iRobot PackBot is a rugged, man-portable, all-terrain, all-weather mobile robot that

has been combat tested in Afghanistan and Iraq. Soldiers have used PackBots to search

Al Qaeda caves in Afghanistan and hunt for chemical and nuclear weapons in Iraq. The

PackBot also provides a versatile platform for modular payloads that can be used in a

wide range of missions.

Fig 1 – packbot explorer

Packbot weighs about 18 kg and is man portable, controlled by Pentium processor that

has been specially designed to with stand rough treatment. Packbot's chassis has a GPS

system, an electronic compass and temperature sensors built in. Packbot manufacturer

irobot says Packbot can move more than 8 mph (13 kph), can be deployed in minutes and

can withstand a 6-foot (1.8-meter) drop onto concrete. Soldiers regularly take advantage

of this ruggedness, tossing Packbot through windows of hostile buildings and then using

it to search and find out where enemy combatants are hiding. Even if Packbot lands

upside down, it can right itself using powerful treaded flippers, which also help it climb

obstacles.

Fig 2-packbot in motion

Packbot comes in several different versions in addition to the basic Scout unit. Packbot

Explorer adds a square "head" that can raise up on a metal arm, pan and tilt, provide gun-

sighting video and generally act as a lookout for soldiers who need to peer over obstacles

or around corners. Packbot EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) is used to disarm or safely

detonate dangerous explosives. It uses a mechanical arm with a gripping hand plus a full

range of audio and visual sensors.

It is equipped with remote infrared and optical cameras that operators can use to closely

examine caves, rooms or airfields while at a distance safely away from the effects of

"surprises": mines, weapons caches, or enemy soldiers. Operators use a wireless

controller to maneuver the robot and control the camera. The view from the cameras is

seen through a helmet-mounted eyepiece. The robot is maneuverable enough to climb

stairs and continue even if it is flipped over. It is also equipped with an infrared light so it

can maneuver and see in total darkness.

In this paper, we will describe a number of completed and ongoing projects using the

PackBot as a base for a variety of applications. These projects include:

Chars: A chemical and radiation sensor payload that has been deployed on

PackBots to search for chemical and nuclear weapons in Iraq.

Griffon: A man-portable hybrid UGV/UAV based on the PackBot with a

gasoline engine and a Para foil wing.

Valkyrie: A man-portable battlefield casualty extraction robot based on the

PackBot.

Wayfarer: A project to develop autonomous urban navigation capabilities for

PackBots and other UGVs.

CHARS

The CHARS (Chemical weapons, Hazardous gas, And Radiation Sensor) Project was to

develop a chemical/radiation sensor payload for the PackBot that could be deployed

immediately to the battlefield in Iraq. CHARS was funded by the Navy Space and Naval

Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) in San Diego, California under the direction of

the Robotic Systems Joint Projects Office (RS JPO) in Huntsville, Alabama.

iRobot engineers developed a PackBot CHARS payload that allowed a PackBot to

carry and communicate with three standard-issue sensors- chemical weapons sensor,

hazardous gas detector, and the radiation sensor. And the PackBot CPU relayed the

sensor data via wireless network to the PackBot OCU. The PackBot OCU (output control

unit) displays the values from the sensors in real-time as the operator teleoperates the

PackBot using the onboard digital video cameras.

These robot are currently being used by the Army to search for chemical and nuclear weapons (Figure 3).

Fig 3-PackBots with CHARS Payloads Searching for Chemical Weapons

Griffon

The Griffon Project was a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

project to develop a man-portable hybrid UGV/UAV based on the PackBot. The goal of

this project was to develop a prototype for a UGV/UAV that a single soldier could

transport, launch, fly to a destination, and use to deliver a payload. Griffon was funded by

the Army Tank-automotive Command Armaments Research, Development, and

Engineering Center (TACOM-ARDEC) at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey.

The Griffon prototype consisted of a PackBot equipped with an Air Mobility System

(AMS). The AMS includes a gasoline-powered propeller engine, a steer able Para foil,

and a superstructure that attaches to the PackBot and provides mounting points for the

engine and Para foil. The total vehicle weight, including the PackBot, is 57 pounds (25.85

kg).

The operator controls steering and velocity using radio-controlled servos on the AMS.

Two steering servos are attached to the Para foil control lines, one on each side of the

vehicle. By retracting the lines on one side and extending the lines on the other side, the

control system can control the vehicle’s turn rate. An additional servo controls the engine

throttle. When the throttle is increased, the vehicle ascends. When the throttle is reduced,

the vehicle descends. Griffon can take a flight, to altitudes of up to 200 feet and flight, the

Griffon prototype achieved flight speeds in excess of 20 MPH (32.18 kmph).

Fig 4- griffon ascent

Fig 5-griffon in flight

Valkyrie Valkyrie is a project funded by the Army Telemedicine and Advanced

Technology Research Center (TATRC) at Fort Detrick, Maryland to develop a battlefield

casualty extraction payload for the PackBot. Over half of all medics who die in combat

die while trying to recover a casualty. The PackBot Extraction Payload (EP) will enable

combat medics to rescue injured casualties without exposing themselves to hostile fire.

This work was initially funded by a Phase I SBIR, and follow-up funding was continued

through a TATRC Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) award.

The EP (extraction payload) consists of a sked flexible stretcher, a drawstring

Casualty Securing Mechanism (CSM), and a Remote Release Mechanism (RRM) that

attaches to the PackBot. When a casualty falls at a location exposed to enemy fire, the

medic will be able to teleoperate the PackBot to deliver the EP to the casualty. The

casualty will roll onto the flexible stretcher, and the medic will use the RRM to release

the EP. Rescuers will then use a rope attached to the sked to pull the casualty to safe

cover. As the rope is pulled, the CSM will automatically close the Sked around the

casualty, securing the casualty to the Sked even over rough terrain.

Fig 6: PackBot Towing EP in rescue

Wayfarer Urban Reconnaissance Task

Wayfarer is an ongoing research project to develop autonomous urban navigation

capabilities for Pack Bots and other UGVs. The goal of the Wayfarer Project is to

develop the technologies that will enable UGVs to perform urban reconnaissance tasks

autonomously. Wayfarer is funded by the Army Tank-automotive and Armaments

Command (TACOM) Tank-Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center

(TARDEC) in Warren, Michigan.

Wayfarer focuses on three specific urban reconnaissance tasks:

Route Reconnaissance: Move forward along a road for a specified distance

and return to the starting point with video and image data and well as a map of the

terrain.

Perimeter Reconnaissance: Move around the perimeter of a building complex

and return video images and map data from all sides of the complex.

Street Reconnaissance: Follow a route specified using GPS coordinates of

intersections and bearings of selected streets, and return with video images and

map data.

The PackBot includes digital video, and GPS capabilities, along with an

onboard mobile Pentium III processor, a wireless teleoperation interface, and full

Operator Control Unit (OCU) hardware and software. For the Wayfarer UGV, we will

add sensors and perception software for autonomous navigation. These sensors will

include a Point Grey Bumblebee/Triclops stereo vision system that will provide 3D range

data, a SICK LMS laser rangefinder that will provide high-resolution, high-accuracy

planar range data, and a Crossbow Inertial Measurement Unit that will provide precise

position and orientation information. The data from both range sensors will be fused to

detect obstacles, build a map of the surrounding environment, and determine street

bearings for road following.

Fig 8: Wayfarer OCU Showing Video (upper left) and Laser Range Data (upper right)

Figure 8 shows a screen capture from the Wayfarer OCU driving the Wayfarer PackBot

with the onboard SICK LMS laser rangefinder. In this example, the robot is being

teleoperated through an indoor office environment and is currently located at the

intersection of two hallways. The upper left quadrant shows the live video feed from the

PackBot’s color drive camera. The upper right quadrant shows the real-time data from the

laser rangefinder. The orthogonal walls of the hallway intersection are distorted by the

wide-angle lens on the drive camera, but are clearly delineated in the top-down view of

the laser range data. In this example, the laser was operated in the 1-degree resolution

mode, with range readings at 1-degree intervals across a 180- degree field of view.

REMUS

Introduction

REMUS is an acronym for Remote environmental monitoring units. These vehicles are

robotic submarines resembling torpedoes that navigate without a human crew onboard

and without cables connecting them to research vessels at the sea surface. They are

among a class of ocean instruments known as autonomous underwater vehicles, or

AUVs.

The vehicles are designed for coastal monitoring as well as survey operations at

various depths in the ocean. They are used widely for both scientific and military

operations. Oceanographers use them as a vehicle to carry a wide variety of ocean

instruments for data collection. Computers on the vehicle are used for system control,

such as navigation and propulsion, as well as for data collection.

Members of the military also use REMUS, usually to locate mines.

How does REMUS WORK?

REMUS navigates with an acoustical system that uses 20 to 30 kilohertz

transponders deployed using Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. REMUS has

three motors, each with its own controller, that operate the propeller and two pairs of fins

used for steering and diving. Inside each REMUS vehicle is a control computer that

functions like a miniature laptop computer. It sits on a custom motherboard that includes

digital signal conversion channels, input/output ports, and power supplies.

A few short lessons allows a person to learn how to program a REMUS mission

then launch, recover, and process the data. More than one REMUS can be used with

different sensors to increase the data gathered or area covered. Researchers are working

on technology that soon will allow REMUS vehicles to reliably communicate with each

other or the operator during the survey using underwater acoustic modems.

The weight of each REMUS vehicle varies based on the weight of the instrument it

carries. But overall, they are relatively small and lightweight, measuring 19 centimeters

(7.5 inches) in diameter and weighing about 37 kilograms (92 pounds). The length starts

at 160 centimeters (64 inches) and may also vary depending on the instrument payload. 

The basic, shallow water REMUS vehicles can dive up to 100 meters (328 feet) deep.

It is capable of conducting an 80-kilometer (50 mile) survey while moving at a speed of 3

knots (that's about 5.4 kilometers, or 3.3 miles, per hour).

FIG 9-REMUS

FIG 10-how long term mine reconnaissance system (LMRS) works

There are several versions of REMUS. The deep ocean version, known as Semi-

Autonomous Mapping System (SAMS), dives to 6,000 meters (3.7 miles) and can be

operated from most any research vessel or ship that can accommodate a portable lab.

Another type of REMUS was employed to visit unexpected places- tunnels. The

Tunnel Inspection Vehicle (TIV) was specifically adapted for insertion into the tunnels of

the to survey the tunnel walls for leak.

Fig 11-REMUS underway

PREDATOR

Introduction

Predator is a long endurance, medium altitude unmanned aircraft system for

surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Surveillance imagery from synthetic aperture

radar, video cameras and a forward looking infra-red (FLIR) can be distributed in real-

time both to the front line soldier and to the operational commander or worldwide in real-

time via satellite communication links.

Flying robots like the Predator provide constant real-time data on troop movements,

enemy locations and weather.

Fig 12-predator

How predator works?

Fig 13- predator views

A Rotax 914, four-cylinder, two-stroke, 101-horsepower engine, turns the main drive

shaft. The drive shaft rotates the Predator's two-blade, variable-pitch pusher propeller.

The rear-mounted propeller provides both drive and lift. The remote pilot can alter the

pitch of the blades to increase or decrease the altitude of the plane and reach speeds of up

to 135 mph (217 kmph). There is additional lift provided by the aircraft's 48.7-foot (14.8-

meter) wingspan, allowing the Predator to reach altitudes of up to 25,000 feet (7,620

meters). The slender fuselage and inverted-V tails help the aircraft with stability, and a

single rudder housed beneath the propeller steers the craft.

Fig 14–Predator’s camera

The RQ-1 is the reconnaissance version of the Predator UAV. The letter 'R' is the U.S.

Defense Department signature for an aircraft designated for reconnaissance. 'Q' is a

designation for unmanned or automated weapons or vehicles.

The RQ-1 uses some of the most sophisticated monitoring equipment available

today:

Full-color nose camera that the pilot uses primarily to navigate the craft

Variable aperture camera (similar to a traditional TV camera) that functions as the

Predator's main set of "eyes"

Variable aperture infrared camera for low-light and night viewing.

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for seeing through haze, clouds or smoke

Every camera in the plane's forward bank can produce full-motion video and still-frame

radar images.

Replacing the camera array with the Multispectral Targeting System (MTS) and loading

the Predator with two hell-fire transforms this battlefield spotter into a deadly automated

combatant. The 'M' in MQ-1 is the Defense Department designation for multipurpose aircraft;

by adding the MTS and Hellfire missiles to the Predator, it truly becomes a multifunctional

battle aircraft.

Fig 15 –predator with hellfire missile

The MTS includes the AGM-114 Hellfire missile targeting system, electro-optical

infrared system, laser designator, and laser illuminator. All of these components give the

Predator and its operators multiple ways to acquire a target in any combat environment.

The Predator fires a laser or infrared beam from the MTS ball located near the nose of the

plane. This laser can be used in two ways:

The beam lands on the target and pulses to attract the laser seekers at the end of

each Hellfire missile.

The on-board computer uses the beam to make calculations about trajectory and

distance.

Sensors bundled in the MTS also calculate wind speed, direction, and other battlefield

variables to gather all of this data into a firing solution. This process is known as "painting the

target." Once a target is painted, the MQ-1 can unleash its own missiles to destroy the target

or send the firing solution to other aircraft or ground forces so they can destroy it.

Conclusion

Robots can minimize and maybe some day eliminates deaths during war. They will be efficient in the way that they are less expensive and operational 24 hours a day. Missions will get done quicker and these robots might change how long our wars will last. The robots will be immune to the effects of biological weapons. They can take care of all the dangerous missions, the ones where our men’ s lives are at stake. Things will be done quicker and easier.

We could replace our soldiers with robots in every field of military to do dangerous activities, as ROBOTS can work efficiently to perform all dangerous activities that a soldier does for a country putting his own life under danger. These robots are not only going to be fighting for our country, but also saving the lives of our countrymen.