ARES
The ARES robot is a medium class, high-speed, high payload unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) that is built on top of the Segway RMP-400 mobility platform with advanced electronics, wireless communications, computing, and control technologies. The resultant UGV is highly capable, with a top speed of 15mph, a payload capacity of 200lbs, and a maximum range of 10 miles.
In addition to these robust performance characteristics, the ARES vehicle hardware and software has been specifically designed to accommodate different mission or application payloads. All software on the vehicle is Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS) compliant and has been tested for interoperability by several government and commercial unmanned systems developers. The basic vehicle software supports tele-operation and video feedback from the three on-board cameras, while JAUS-compliant extensions provide GPS-based waypoint following and basic obstacle detection and avoidance capabilities.
The vehicle chassis and electronic hardware system has also been designed with a number of features that accommodate application and payload interoperability. On the top surface of the chassis are two 15x18” mounting locations where different mission payload or robot capability sensors can be secured. To support these payloads, two hardened interface connectors on each side of the robot provide power, network, serial communications, and video inputs for use by the mounted components. These electro-mechanical interfaces allow the payload developer to either create bare-bones payloads that interface to the UGV’s internal computing assets, or sophisticated, JAUS-compliant capabilities components that can interact directly with the on-board vehicle controller. Using these interfaces, manipulator arms, chem/bio detection sensors, GPS sensors, and telescoping mast payloads have already been added to the basic vehicle platform.
The system is controlled via a JAUS-compliant operator control unit called SURC that controls all aspects of vehicle operation and can be expanded to accommodate new payloads.