Reincarnated robots sniff out danger zones
The US Army is putting robots destined for the scrap heap to good use, by sending them into potentially contaminated areas, so soldiers don’t need to risk their lives.
The robot, the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Unmanned Ground Vehicle, or CUGV (part of the CBRN Unmanned Ground Reconnaissance Concept), was previously used with explosive ordnance disposal units around the Army, but more current models have made them redundant. Now the CUGV is being used to detect ammonia, chlorine, carbon monoxide, oxygen levels, lower explosive limits, volatile organic compounds, gamma radiation rate and dose rate, temperature and humidity. An onboard lightweight chemical detector means the device will also detect nerve and blister agents.
In addition to just finding contaminated areas and deciphering the level of danger, the robot can also mark the areas for further sampling and investigation or decontamination.
The idea behind the CBRN Unmanned Ground Reconnaissance Concept (CUGR) is to minimise the amount of time soldiers need to go downrange in their Level A protective suits. The suits are hot, humid and bulky, limit mobility, vision and dexterity and are generally uncomfortable.
Once the CUGVs are at a hazard site, they can stay there much longer than any real-life soldier. Army contractor, Herschel Deaton, explained: “Because soldiers wear self-contained breathing apparatus with a tank of air, much like a scuba diver, inside the suit. Really they only have 45 minutes to go downrange to do what they need to do depending on how they breathe.
“The robot will give you four hours downrange to be able to do all of the site characterisations and sampling that needs to happen.”
The lower risk factor is a big selling point for the system, according to 1st Lt Kathleen Bercume, platoon leader for the reconnaissance platoon.
She said: “You send the robot in, and if it blows up, you just order another part instead of losing a soldier.”
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