Lemmings: a family of scalable portable robots

The mission and payload package acutely control the design of small robotic systems. Too often there is an emphasis on the vehicle technology with little thought to mission capability under field conditions. To meet a broad class of mission needs, Foster-Miller has developed a basic robotic family, referred to as Lemmings, which is highly scalable. The Lemmings family of portable robotics can accommodate a wide variety of payloads and control systems from pocket sized systems to desk-sized workhorses; all are based on the same drive and control principles. This paper gives examples of some of the missions, ranging from under water to dry land applications, and discusses how the missions have effected overall system design.