Crusher (robot)
Encyclopedia
Crusher is a 13200 pounds (5,987.4 kg) autonomous off-road Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle developed by researchers at the Carnegie Mellon University's
National Robotics Engineering Center for DARPA. It is a follow up on the previous Spinner vehicle. DARPA's technical name for the crusher is Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle and Perceptor Integration System, and the whole project is known by the acronym UPI, which stands for Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle PerceptOR Integration.
s (made of aluminum and titanium
) and skid plates to protect the robot from heavy blows from objects like boulders. The crusher also has a hybrid engine capable of travelling several miles on one battery charge. The diesel engine then turns on to continue powering the crusher and to recharge the battery module. This diesel engine comes from a diesel Volkswagen Jetta
.
, the crusher continuously attempts to find the fastest and easiest path to its destination. For example, if it encounters an object more than 6 feet (1.8 m) high or a gorge more than 6 feet (1.8 m) deep, the crusher will find a way around it.
The camera system uses five 1.9 megapixel color cameras, which give an overall field of view of 200 degrees horizontally and 30 degrees vertically at a resolution of over four times that of a normal television set. Currently, the crusher sends data back to an operator via a 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) long 1.6 millimetre (0.062992125984252 in) wide fiber optic cable.
, reconnaissance
, or Medevac
; as a supply mule; or as a sentry. John Bares, one of the people on the development team for the crusher, mentions that Medevac would be a good use for the robot because it could go into the battlefield under fire to scoop up fallen soldiers.
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
National Robotics Engineering Center for DARPA. It is a follow up on the previous Spinner vehicle. DARPA's technical name for the crusher is Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle and Perceptor Integration System, and the whole project is known by the acronym UPI, which stands for Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle PerceptOR Integration.
Capabilities
The robot can travel over rough terrain, such as vertical walls more than 4 feet (1.2 m) high, wooded slopes, and rocky creekbeds. It can turn 180 degrees in place, raise and lower its suspension by 30 inches (76.2 cm), more than one-half the 49.5 inches (125.7 cm) diameter of the wheels, and lean to the side. The crusher can carry 8000 pounds (3,628.7 kg) of combined armor and cargo. According to Stephen Welby, director of DARPA's Tactical Technology Office, "This vehicle can go into places where, if you were following in a Humvee, you'd come out with spinal injuries." The crusher can see enemy troops from over 2 miles (3.2 km) away with its cameras. The crusher can carry a maximum of 8000 pounds (3,628.7 kg) of payload and armor combined. The crusher can climb up slopes of more than 40 degrees and travel with more than 30 degrees of slope to the side. When pushed to its maximum speed, the crusher can travel at 26 miles per hour (41.8 km/h), but it can only sustain that speed for less than seven seconds.Construction
These robots have space frameSpace frame
A space frame or space structure is a truss-like, lightweight rigid structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with few interior supports...
s (made of aluminum and titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
) and skid plates to protect the robot from heavy blows from objects like boulders. The crusher also has a hybrid engine capable of travelling several miles on one battery charge. The diesel engine then turns on to continue powering the crusher and to recharge the battery module. This diesel engine comes from a diesel Volkswagen Jetta
Volkswagen Jetta
Although the Golf had reached considerable success, in the North American markets, Volkswagen observed that the hatchback body style lacked some of the appeal to those who preferred the traditional three-box configuration...
.
Controls
The crusher has no driving controls because it is autonomous. Instead, the operators drive the crusher with video game controllers. While driving between its waypoints via GPSGlobal Positioning System
The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...
, the crusher continuously attempts to find the fastest and easiest path to its destination. For example, if it encounters an object more than 6 feet (1.8 m) high or a gorge more than 6 feet (1.8 m) deep, the crusher will find a way around it.
The camera system uses five 1.9 megapixel color cameras, which give an overall field of view of 200 degrees horizontally and 30 degrees vertically at a resolution of over four times that of a normal television set. Currently, the crusher sends data back to an operator via a 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) long 1.6 millimetre (0.062992125984252 in) wide fiber optic cable.
Purpose
The crusher will be used for a number of missions considered highly dangerous for soldiers, such as fire supportFire support
Fire support is long-range firepower provided to a front-line military unit. Typically, fire support is provided by artillery or close air support , and is used to shape the battlefield or, more optimistically, define the battle...
, reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
, or Medevac
MEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
; as a supply mule; or as a sentry. John Bares, one of the people on the development team for the crusher, mentions that Medevac would be a good use for the robot because it could go into the battlefield under fire to scoop up fallen soldiers.
See also
- Autonomous robotAutonomous robotAutonomous robots are robots that can perform desired tasks in unstructured environments without continuous human guidance. Many kinds of robots have some degree of autonomy. Different robots can be autonomous in different ways...
- List of military vehicles
- Multifunctional Utility/Logistics and EquipmentMultifunctional Utility/Logistics and EquipmentThe Multi-Mission Unmanned Ground Vehicle, previously known as the Multifunction Utility/Logistics and Equipment vehicle , was an autonomous unmanned ground combat vehicle developed by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control for the United States Army's Future Combat Systems and BCT Modernization...