The Era Of The Robotic Vehicles Has Arrived
From robotic construction trucks to robotic
submarines, the world of robotic vehicles is being employed to revolutionize
our lives. Traditionally associated with the military, robotic planes,
submarines, tanks, trucks, cars, mechanical bugs and other types of mobile
robots are being developed for civilian use as well. Futuristic advancements
are no longer a matter of "How," but more so a matter of
"When," as to when the technology will be affordable enough for average
citizens.
"The good thing about this system is you don't
have to send a marine out and risk that life," Captain James Lee said of
his bomb-disassembling and reconnaissance mission robotic vehicles. The
machines may cost $100,000 a piece, but they're fairly durable, especially
considering that duct tape and common materials can be used to patch them.
The Packbot Scout Robot (developed by Robotic Systems
JPO) quickly takes apart a bomb, saving an entire Humvee full of soldiers. The
Dragon Eye and Raven B unmanned aircraft patrols the battlefields, even in
adverse weather conditions.
The Stalker (developed by Lockheed Martin) is
especially keen for silent night operations, while the Golden Eye can hover for
three hours, assessing the scene. The unmanned Predator drone is one of the
most highly-touted autonomous robots used by the
Civilian robotic vehicles are also being developed for
a number of uses. Sonar robotics technology is capturing never-before-seen
images of deep sea beds with the Synthetic Aperture Sonar. Farmers use these
vehicles to check on their crops.
Forest rangers count trees and monitor wildlife in
remote regions of their parks. Surface water vehicles are skimming the coasts,
while underwater devices are recovering old shipwrecks and AWOL lobster traps
that have fallen loose, thus threatening endangered marine animals.
You may not know it, but automated guided vehicles
(AGVs) are transporting materials all around warehouses and hospitals at this
very moment. The early robotic vehicles were easy to make, researchers say, but
they were fairly limited in their paths and found it difficult to adapt to
changes in their environments.
The interim robotics automation could scan bar code
grid lines on the floor or use laser technology to maneuver around, although
tall obstacles still blocked the way and routine maintenance was high. New
robotic vehicles are trained to circumnavigate around any obstacle, whether it
is a pallet or a person.
They use 3-D scanners, maps and other complex systems.
In the future, people are expected to work alongside robots much more
frequently.
Source: articlealley.com