“I WILL never leave a fallen comrade.” So states the US Soldier’s Creed, and true to that vow, 22-year-old Sergeant Justin Wisniewski died in Iraq last month while searching for soldiers abducted during an ambush on 12 May.
A remote-controlled robot that will rescue injured or abducted soldiers, without putting the lives of their comrades at risk, is being developed for the US army. The 1.8-metre-tall Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot (Bear) will be able to travel over bumpy terrain and squeeze through doorways while carrying an injured soldier in its arms.
The prototype Bear torso can lift more than 135 kilograms with one arm, and its developer, Vecna Technologies of College Park, Maryland, is now focusing on improving its two-legged lower body. The robot recently showed how it can climb up and down stairs with a human-size dummy in its arms. “We saw a need for a robot that can essentially go where a human can,” says Daniel Theobald, Vecna’s president. But Bear can also do things no human can, such as carrying heavy loads over considerable distances without tiring. The robot can also carry an injured soldier while kneeling or lying down, enabling it to move through tall grass or behind a wall without being spotted.
The robot’s hydraulic arms are designed to pick up loads in a single smooth movement, to avoid causing pain to wounded soldiers. While the existing prototype slides its arms under its burden like a forklift, future versions will be fitted with manoeuvrable hands to gently scoop up casualties.
Tracks on both the thighs and shins allow the robot to climb easily over rough terrain or up and down stairs while crouching or kneeling. It also has wheels at its hips, knees and feet, so it can switch to two wheels to travel efficiently over smooth surfaces while adopting a variety of positions. To keep it steady no matter what position it adopts, Bear is fitted with accelerometers to monitor the movement of its torso, and gyroscopes to detect any rotation of its body that might indicate it is about to lose its balance. Computer-controlled motors adjust the position of its lower body accordingly to prevent it toppling over.
The robot’s humanoid body and teddy bear-style head give it a friendly appearance. “A really important thing when you’re dealing with casualties is trying to maintain that human touch,” says Gary Gilbert of the US army’s Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center in Frederick, Maryland, which provided the initial funding for Bear’s development. Congress has since added a further $1.1 million.
Although rescuing injured soldiers will be its most important role, Bear’s work will also include mundane tasks such as loading trucks and carrying equipment for soldiers. “The robot will be an integral part of a military team,” says Theobald. Bear is expected to be ready for field testing in less than five years.
Author: Dawn Stover, freelance science writer
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THIS ARTICLE APPEARS IN NEW SCIENTIST MAGAZINE ISSUE: 9 JUNE 2007
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