SECURITY GUARDBOT

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 15 ft/s (10 mph), even while climbing or descending stairs. It can pivot about its center and make sharp, accurate turns. The Actron Wolf's dimensions are 42" long, 21" 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 sonar turret is a pan/tilt/zoom CCD camera, which can be used to detect distant obstacles.

The software structure is designed for evaluation and comparison of different algorithms for mobile robot locomotion (e.g., map making, path planning, and path following). In addition to their role in mobile-robot research, machines like the Actron Wolf can be used for inspecting and handling of materials in hazardous areas, manufacturing, construction, structural integrity tests, and counter-crime applications. The robot can be equipped with portable sensing devices and actuators and programmed to sense its environment, record data, and perform specific tasks. Typically, such tasks are either too monotonous or too dangerous for humans to perform.

RESCUE PATROLBOT

The Actron Bear^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 30 ft/s (20 mph), even while climbing or descending hills. It can pivot about its center and make sharp, accurate turns. The Actron Tiger is 72" long, 48" wide, and 54" high. It weighs 630 lbs and is built 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 eight-sided sensor turret is a CCD camera, which can be rotated 45 degrees in each direction, is used to detect distant obstacles.

In addition, the robotic site-security application has certain advantages relative to more ambitious battlefield scenarios:

• The operating environment is known in advance and can to some degree be tailored to support robotic installation;
• Experience-based costs of conventional security measures and documented inventory shrinkage together provide a sound and credible basis for cost/benefit tradeoffs.

SURVEILLANCE AIRBOT
The Actron Hawk^TM Multiple Purpose Flying Platform

Airborne Platform Features

• Autonomous Remote Sensing using UAVs.
• Decentralised Navigation and Control of Autonomous Flight Vehicles.
• Simultaneous Localisation and Map Building for Autonomous Flight Vehicles.
• Design and Development of Rapid Prototype UAVs.
• Wind-tunnel and flight based experimental research in aerodynamics and flight performance.
• Modelling of engine/propeller performance and aircraft stability characteristics.
• High fidelity aircraft model development for simulation based control system validation.
• Trajectory optimisation and autonomous guidance for unmanned aircraft.
• Sensor fusion strategies for state estimation using multiple redundant sensors, including GPS.
• Using GPS for aircraft attitude determination.
• System Identification methods and neural networks for fault detection and reconfiguration.
• Robustness analysis of control laws in the presence of uncertain dynamics and wind gusts.
• Robust nonlinear high-performance manoeuvre tracking for autonomous aircraft.
• Autonomous safe recovery and landing of a UAV.
• Terrain Following for autonomous flight vehicles.
• Integration of available technologies into operational UAV systems.
• Real-time fight control software synthesis for UAVs.
• Design and fabrication of airframe components using advanced composite materials.