Kairos Autonomi, Sandy, Utah
Quickly converts vehicles into unmanned systems for the U.S. Military
Congressional Robotics Caucus e-newsletter May, 2010
The Navy, Air Force and Army are utilizing the Pronto4 Agnostic Autonomy System — a vehicle-agnostic autonomy kit field-installable on existing ground vehicles in about 4 hours — as the navigation and control portion of moving land targets that provide realistic, dynamic targets for range training requirements.
The U.S. military has an urgent need to utilize these moving land targets (MLTs) as part of training scenarios for pilots. In January 2009, Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon used the newly released Pronto4 Series 3 Target System from Kairos Autonomi and installed it on inexpensive used vehicles as MLTs as part of a live fire exercise with Navy F/A-18C fighter pilots. The Pronto4 Target System consisted of the Pronto4 system, a GPS receiver and a wireless emergency-stop system. The MLT was programmed to drive unmanned on a runway while the pilots fired Enhanced Laser Guided Training Rounds (ELGTRs) at the unmanned vehicles.
During the initial test, eight ELGTRs were fired at the MLT, and a number of near hits were recorded. Since the initial exercises, more than 40 ELGTRs have been fired at MLTs powered by the Pronto4 Target System. NAS Fallon has procured a number of Pronto4 Target Systems for future use.
Spurred on by this success, Kairos Autonomi competed for and was awarded in September 2009 a contract with Luke Air Force Base (AFB) to deliver 12 Pronto4 Target Systems for MLT training. The Pronto4 system is also in use at Falcon Bombing Range near Ft. Sill, OK.
The Pronto4 system is a rapid, cost-effective conversion kit that delivers the same capabilities as purpose-built systems at less than 20% of the cost.
A Pronto4-enabled vehicle has the ability to be driven by computer or by man without removal of the system. Actuation has been reduced to a flexible set of attachments that can be configured to meet the different, but highly common human control paradigm: the Pronto4 system attaches to human operated controls within the vehicle. The Pronto4 system controls steering, brake, throttle and transmission, and runs from a single 12 vdc power source such as the vehicle battery. It weighs less than 75 lbs.
The continued use of the Pronto4 Target System is assisting Kairos Autonomi in developing a Pronto4 system that can be utilized for tactical military operations. This next generation system, the Pronto4 Series 4, is designed to fit under or behind the seat where a human operator is stationed. The Pronto4 Series 4 utilizes a modular architecture that enables 3rd party developers to integrate their products with the Pronto4: external actuation, sensors or other capabilities fit directly into the Pronto4 via standardized utility modules and bays. The Pronto4 Series 4 also has a one-of-a-kind ability: in addition to being embedded in and operating a vehicle in an unmanned mode, the Pronto4 Series 4 can be fitted with wheels and become a stand-alone robot capable of unmanned operations. This enables the same inexpensive unmanned vehicle kit to be its own small unmanned ground vehicle. For more information refer to www.kairosautonomi.com, phone 801.255.2950.
ADDITIONAL LINK AND RESOURCES:
[http://www.kairosautonomi.com/videos/KA_Fallon_Drop_Full_640_480.wmv]
[http://www.kairosautonomi.com/P4_target_system.html]
[http://www.kairosautonomi.com/downloads/KA_Fallon_Demo_PR_2_13_09.pdf]
[http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/robotics/4327760.html]
####
