Modern munitions need the ability to track moving targets with passive sensors. This requires a 3D reconstruction of both the background scene and moving objects. Normally this is done with stereo vision to generate a 3-D scene. Unfortunately, the use of paired cameras on munitions is difficult… More

Urban areas present one of the most challenging combat environments for U.S. soldiers. One of the key problems in urban combat is situational awareness and knowledge of the terrain. Soldiers usually have no knowledge of building layouts and floorplans. More significantly, as this information is… More

Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) are assuming an increasingly important role in military operations. They provide effective platforms for performing missions while reducing risk to military personnel. Ultimately, the level of success achieved by UGVs and USVs… More

In the future, the U.S. Navy will likely use unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) as an integral part of the Navy's transformation to a networked, more agile force. Navy planners see USVs operating extensively in ocean, littoral (coastal), and riverine areas. USVs are less vulnerable operating on the… More

Technologies for Human-Robotic Interactions (HRI) currently are not designed for, and do not adequately support, dynamic teaming and Command & Control (C2) interaction paradigms in distributed, manned-unmanned teaming environments to a degree routinely exhibited by well-trained and experienced… More

Unique challenges exist for U.S. and allied forces within post-conflict areas controlled by hostile forces. Route planning through an area where the customs, lifestyles and social norms are not thoroughly understood presents one of the challenges for these forces. The proposed solution utilizes a… More

The U.S. Navy's plans for addressing asymmetric threats of the twenty-first century relies heavily on Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and manned Organic Offboard Vehicles (OOVs) for reconnaissance, force protection, mine detection, special operations, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence… More

In the future, the U.S. Navy will likely use unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) as an integral part of the Navy's transformation to a networked, more agile force. Navy planners see USVs operating extensively in ocean, littoral (coastal), and riverine areas. USVs are less vulnerable operating on the… More

Urban areas present one of the most challenging combat environments for U.S. soldiers. One of the key problems in urban combat is situational awareness and knowledge of the terrain. Soldiers usually have no knowledge of building layouts and floorplans. More significantly, as this information is… More

The U.S. Navy's plans for addressing asymmetric threats of the twenty-first century relies heavily on Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and manned Organic Offboard Vehicles (OOVs) for reconnaissance, force protection, mine detection, special operations, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and intelligence… More

In order for fully autonomous robots to be integrated effectively into small combat teams, unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) must maneuver safely and intelligently among military ground forces and non-combatants. To achieve such robust obstacle detection capability in unstructured environments, it is… More

Planning with dynamic entities is at the core of the "safe ops" risk identified by FCS' Autonomous Navigation System (ANS) and other robotic programs. Autonomous robotic systems will not be extensively deployed unless they can safely operate in environments sharing spaces with other dynamic… More

A robust surveillance solution that harnesses the full potential of SUGVs and UAVs has yet to be created. Rather, much of the emphasis of current research is toward refining individual systems. Without a proper collaborative system, creation of a "sum is greater than the parts" solution is… More

Teleoperated robotic systems are characterized by a lack of situational awareness, and the effects of delays and poor communications. Control of Samll Unmanned Ground Vehicles SUGVs in cluttered environments requires fine control of the platform to avoid obstacles, and align the platforms with… More

Multiple classes of Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) are required to complete many modern, complex missions. Just as with humans, UGVs typically specialize in a small subset of critical tasks. Most work with UGV systems is based around the principle of making a platform optimally perform its tasks.… More

This project aims to create the Autonomy and Visualization Enhancement for Situational Awareness (AVESA) toolkit. AVESAf?Ts goal is to combine greater autonomy with accurate 3D mapping and visualization capabilities for use on Small Unmanned Ground Vehicles (SUGVs) in urban environments, providing… More

Robotic Research in partnership with Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) proposes to develop the Mobility Optimization via Enhanced Robotic Sensing (MOVERS) system for any two-wheeled, four-wheeled or tracked robotic platform to autonomously perform hazardous terrain detection and classification and… More

The ability to fuse electro-optical (EO) imagery with range data enhances the robustness of unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) autonomy by allowing discrimination between types of terrain that cannot be distinguished on the basis of geometry alone (non-traversable mud vs. dry soil, non-traversable rocks… More

Small unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) have provided an invaluable tool to the warfighter by saving lives and supplies while increasing mission effectiveness. As with most emerging technologies, early adopters have been focused on immediate improvements rather than the long term growth or plug and… More

Robotic Research, LLC proposes to continue work on the Autonomy and Visualization Enhancement for Situational Awareness (AVESA) toolkit. The goal of the AVESA toolkit project is to combine greater autonomy with accurate mapping and visualization capabilities for use on any small UGV. In Phase II we… More

Teleoperation is the most commonly used method for controlling Small Unmanned Ground Vehicles (SUGV) into areas that are too dangerous or constrained for humans or canines to explore. These SUGVs provide cameras and sensors that provide situational awareness to the operators. However, as the… More

Mobility Optimization via Enhanced Robotic Sensing (MOVERS) is being developed by Robotic Research, LLC and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at the California Institute of Technology. This Phase II STTR will further develop autonomous terrain classification and driving control systems that enable… More

Smart phones, tablets, and laptops can allow soldiers to connect, share relevant data, receive feedback, display apriori mission information, and much more while remaining small enough to be carried during a mission. However, one of the biggest issues in integrating new technologies and… More

This project will develop an operator control unit (OCU) which is capable of simultaneously controlling a heterogeneous mix of autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles, both land and air, with varying capabilities, and while avoiding operator overload. Current control units suffer from three… More

Robotic Research, LLC, proposes to address the above shortfalls in the live training environment by developing Trackless Adversarial Robots for Ground Engagement Training (TARGET), an autonomous multi-vehicle system that is capable of intelligent, coordinated behavior across varying terrain types… More

This proposal will create a robust, low-cost multi-sensor navigation system for AUGVs called the Technology Enhancement for Robust and Reliable Absolute Navigation (TERRANav). TERRANav will integrate inertial, magnetic, EO/IR, and LIDAR sensors with a priori databases to reduce absolute localization… More

Control of SUGVs in cluttered environments requires fine control of the platform to avoid obstacles, and align the platforms with doorways or stairways. On larger UGVs, speed is normally paramount for mission success, and communication delays can cause control instabilities that often result in… More

Robotic Research, LLC, proposes to develop the Modeling And Perception for HAndheld Computers (MAPHAC) system, which consists of real-time 3D sensing, processing, and display tools for todays computers and smart phones. MAPHACs long-term vision is to provide timely and accurate video game-like… More

Sensor-smart Affordable Autonomous Robotic Platforms (SAARP) is developing low cost autonomous robotic platforms to perform searching, mapping, and navigation tasks with minimal operator interaction. These inexpensive robotic platforms can quickly be deployed by first responders to provide a wide… More