Tactical mobile robotic search and rescue mission modules

Foster-Miller, under the sponsorship of LTC John Blitch's DARPA TMR program, has developed a number of prototype payloads that can be fit onto small robotic platforms for the purpose of performing various search and rescue functions. Presently they have been designed for the Lemmings-type vehicle but the intent in to construct them so that they are plug and play modules for a larger variety of systems. The function modules include: modified image intensifiers and thermal cameras for dark terrain search; two-way voice communications; fingerprint identification; door breaching for operation in hazardous environments; water, material and air sampling and monitoring kits; deployable combat casualty rescue nets; and rescue line launchers with fire control. The vehicle is amphibious to 90-ft and has been fitted with various underwater sensors for search and recovery operations. The vehicle can be fitted with a 14, 18 or a 40-in fold-up mast for out of reach operations. This paper will discuss the functionality of the subsystems and how they relate to robotic platforms.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.