Bring Home the Troops

The benefits of a robotic security or surveillance are numerous:
1. Humans are removed from direct exposure to potential danger;
2. Robots perform most security and surveillance better than humans;
3. Robots don’t get bored and inattentive during long hours of surveillance;
4. Robots don't participate in "inside jobs."
In addition, the robotic site-security application has certain advantages.

The USA has 150,000 troops in Iraq today. A combination of Actron Robots could adequately replace about 135,000 troops; 15,000 are needed to ensure the robots keep working properly. The mix would be:

Wolf:
The Actron Wolf^TM is a fully operational tracked mobile robot. Each track is equipped with its own suspension system. The robot can move at speeds as high as 10 ft/sec, even while climbing or descending stairs. It can pivot about its center and make sharp, accurate turns. The Wolf^TM's dimensions are 42" long, 24" wide, and 27" high. It weighs 150 lbs and is constructed in three major parts: lower chassis, upper chassis, and sensor turret.

The lower chassis contains the robot's propulsion, suspension, and electrical power systems. The upper chassis houses all computer and electronic processing equipment, including user-interface devices. On top of the twelve-sided sensor turret is a CCD camera, which can be rotated 90 degrees to each side and 45 degrees up and down; it is used to detect distant obstacles.

Bear:
The Actron Bear's robust, tank-like design employs a dual flexible-track system to conquer difficult terrains and steep slopes. Each track is equipped with its own suspension system. The robot can move at speeds as high as 30 ft/s. It can pivot about its center and make sharp, accurate turns. The Actron Bear's dimensions are 84" long, 54" wide, and 57" high. It weighs 630 lbs and is constructed in three major parts: lower chassis, upper chassis, and sensor turret. The lower chassis contains the robot's propulsion, suspension, and electrical power systems. The upper chassis houses all computer and electronic processing equipment, including user-interface devices. The eight-sided sensor turret, which can be rotated 45 degrees in each direction, and the laser scanners used to detect distant obstacles. The Actron Bear perceives its environment through forty-two chassis-mounted and eight turret-mounted ultrasonic sensors. The turret sensor array, used for long-range sensing, can be rotated to sweep the environment and quickly gain information on obstacles located up to 32 feet away. In addition to their role in mobile-robot research, machines like the Actron Bear can be used for inspecting and handling of materials in hazardous areas, counter-crime applications, rescuing downed, policemen, pilots and soldiers. Typically, such tasks are either too monotonous or too dangerous for humans to perform.

Robots are an intriguing technology that can straddle both the physical and social world of people. Inspired by animal and human behavior, capable robotic creatures with a living presence are now being developed, so we can gain a better understanding of how humans will interact with this new kind of technology. People will physically interact with them, communicate with them, understand them, and teach them all in familiar human terms. Ultimately, such robots will possess the social savvy, physical adeptness, and everyday commonsense to partake in people's daily lives in useful and rewarding ways.

Sentry:
The Actron Sentry^TM provides the benefits of a robotic bodyguard and servant are numerous:

The Actron Sentry^TM provides families with and alternative to hiring a Nanny, Nurse, Security Guard, and Servant. It moves about on command and responds to physical and verbal inputs:
(1) Natural and enriched communication in accordance with life scenes Recognizes approximately 10,000 words required for daily life and provides topics in accordance with life scenes and communicates in a friendly manner using gestures.
(2) Autonomous action in accordance with its own rhythm of life The robot has its daily rhythm of life, moves in accordance with time and purpose, automatically charges its batteries and lives with family members.
(3) Information and services provided by connecting itself to the Internet Connects itself to the Internet to provide various external information and services and reflects the information obtained from the contact with the owner in the succeeding service provision. It can also detect smoke and fire and will call 911. This is a self charging, computer controlled autonomous mobile robot.

The Actron Sentry has two powered wheels and two swivel casters. It is slim enough to fit through a 30 in doorway, but wide enough to stay upright on rough flooring. It gets it's power from a pair of gellcell batteries, and it's knowledge from an arsenal of cutting edge sensors. It comes with a "base station" charger, a training module and a number of spare parts.

Badger:
The Actron Badger^TM is a fully operational tracked mobile robot. Each track is equipped with its own suspension system. The robot can move at speeds as high as 5 ft/sec, even while climbing or descending stairs. It can pivot about its center and make sharp, accurate turns. The Badger^TM's dimensions are 24" long, 18" wide, and 15" high. It weighs 30 lbs and is constructed in two major parts: lower chassis and upper chassis. The lower chassis contains the robot's propulsion, suspension, and electrical power systems. The upper chassis houses all computer and electronic processing equipment, and a pan/tilt/zoom CCD camera.

The software structure is designed for evaluation and comparison of different algorithms for mobile robot locomotion (e.g., mapping, path planning and following). The Badger is equipped with portable sensing devices and actuators and programmed to sense its environment, record data, and perform specific tasks that are either too monotonous or too dangerous for humans to perform.

Hawk:
The Actron Hawk^TM is a fully autonomous airborne robot. This UAV can move at speeds as high as 120 ft/sec, even while climbing or descending. It can make sharp, accurate turns. The Hawk^TM's dimensions are 84" long, 90" wide, and 27" high. It weighs 90 lbs and is constructed in four major parts: fuselage, sensor pod, wing, and tail section.

The fuselage contains the robot's propulsion and electrical power systems. The sensor pod houses all computer and electronic processing equipment, a CCD camera, which can be rotated 90 degrees to each side and 45 degrees up and down, and communications electronics. The wing contains the ailerons, flaps and landing gear. The tail section contains the elevator, rudders and parachute recovery system.