In order to host the Robotics Rodeo III, the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center has collaborated with the Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), and the Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC). The Robotics Rodeo will be hosted at the GA-based Maneuver Battle Lab from June 20-29, 2012.
According to the U.S. Army Senior Research Scientist for Robotics, Dr. Jim Overholt, the Robotics Rodeo III holds potential for both educational and industrial designers and scientists. At the Robotics Rodeo III, innovative unmanned ground systems will be demonstrated to the R&D communities and operators in the U.S. Army. This year, by collaborating with JIEDDO, the U.S Army TARDEC workers can demonstrate the latest technology efficiently for soldiers and key DOD stakeholders, in order to develop robotic systems.
The Robotics Rodeo is looking for more participants, who will demonstrate these capabilities that include Deployment, Setup, Protection, Sustainability and Relocation.
The theme for TARDEC’s 2012 Vignette titled ‘Support for the Combat Outpost’ represents three scenarios such as:
- ‘Corral’ representing ‘Setup, Deploy, and Relocate’, wherein the robot, based on the locations devised by an operator, will autonomously perform a hasty prone fighting position on a sector of a combat outpost perimeter.
- ‘Gunslinger’ denotes ‘Protect’. Here the robot detects and alerts the hostile activity operator within a defined area, followed by tracking of those moving targets.
- ‘Wagon Train’ represents ‘Sustain’- The robot will navigate autonomously to several designated locations, which after arrival will unload materiel in a specified order.