iRobot Corp,
Burlington MA: iRobot has announced the iRobot PackBot with Mapping Kit, a proven platform with a new payload designed to help warfighters deftly manage the dangerous tasks of search, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. PackBot with Mapping Kit is the first field tested and deployed robot to integrate real-time mapping and semi-autonomous remote operational capabilities, delivering soldiers advanced situational awareness while they remain a safe distance from danger.
“PackBot with Mapping Kit utilizes new technology that directly addresses the needs of modern warfighter and other first responders to safely gather crucial environmental intelligence without having to enter hazardous situations,” said Vice Admiral Joe Dyer (U.S. Navy, Ret.), president of iRobot Government and Industrial Robots division. “We foresee it becoming an invaluable addition to small unmanned ground vehicle operations that require fast and reliable navigation capabilities in rugged environments.”
The Mapping Kit payload technology is the result of years of advanced research and development at iRobot. Through a state-of-the-art combination of sensors and artificial intelligence, PackBot with Mapping Kit can relay a real-time two-dimensional structural map of the environment it is moving through back to its operator, while simultaneously detecting and avoiding obstacles in its path.
The soldier still maintains control of the robot, but if an obstacle is encountered, PackBot is capable of autonomously changing course to avoid imminent collisions. This advanced autonomy enables the operator to navigate faster and smarter through unknown environments, increasing the safety and tempo of operations in time-critical situations.
