Wired.com took some videos of the action at the Robot Rodeo, including the autonomy demonstration, in which AMREL’s ROCKY DB6 played a major role. Video below.
The ROCKY DB6, a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) product, is the smallest, fully rugged handheld in the world that can run full Windows or Linux OS. DB6s acted as payload controllers and as an Operator Control Unit. Read more about its role as a platform for autonomous functions here.
James Gathings has joined AMREL as the new Senior Design Engineer. James is well known in the specialized field of rugged computer customizations. Very few engineers have James’s background in this niche area. In addition to modifying computers at Getac for 13 years, James has a certificate of completion in Airframe and Powerplant. Read more
The only fully funded military Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) program today is Advanced Explosive Ordnance Disposal Robot System (AEODRS). There is a very real possibility that it will shape the future of all UGVs in the military. If you intend to work on a UGV for the Department of Defense in the next 10 years, you should familiarize yourself with AEODRS. Read how AEODRS can affect you here.
AMREL’s superlight handheld, the ROCKY DB6 will be used as a payload controller & OCU to display autonomous functions. “The really amazing thing is that in less than 30 days, off-the-shelf DB6s have been integrated into two robots to perform multiple functions,” states Ron McMahan, AMREL’s Vice President of Engineering Solutions. Look for us at the MacroUSA demonstration at the JIEDO challenge. Read more about the Robot Rodeo here.
What are the forces driving the technology of rugged computers? Where are rugged computers being used, and what are their future applications? How will the popularity of business tablets affect them? We addressed these questions and others to Dr. Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, author of the Rugged PC Review as well as its blog. As one of the few independent voices in the world of rugged computing, he has a unique perspective. Here are his self-described “stream-of-consciousness” answers. Read article here.
Utilizing UAVs for firefighting is well-known. This video demonstrates unmanned systems being used for fire investigations, a completely different application. The ease of determining the causes of fires is directly related to the view the investigators have of the burned trees. The perspective provided by high-definition cameras on small UAVs is close to ideal. I doubt that many developers could have predicted this particular use for unmanned systems. As unmanned systems diffuse into the civilian/commercial sector, we can expect more unexpected applications.
The superlight, powerful ROCKY DB6 has recently been upgraded. The point & click operation of the touch screen has been enhanced with a corresponding improvement in the accuracy of its interactive function. Already user-friendly and reliable, the DB6 is now easier to operate and more dependable. Our design engineering department has expanded the DB6’s integration capability as well. A thin longitudinal spacer was crafted to increase the DB6’s “real estate” available for additional components. This “spacer” adds less than ½ inch of thickness to the DB6, which is the smallest fully rugged handheld in the world with full Windows/Linux OS. The “spacer” has been successfully used to add GPS and other critical components.
In the next few years, it is expected that both Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) will be become more integrated into domestic markets. How do UGVs and UAVs compare in this military-to-civilian transition? While clearly there are some significant differences between the way UAVs and UGVs will be deployed, there also some similarities. Read about it here.
AMREL will be at SOFIC, which will be held in the Tampa Convention Center from May 22nd to 24th. Come to booth #340 and see our superlight DB6 handheld and powerful RF9 laptop!
Videos of computers being smashed have a certain visceral appeal. Even though computers make our life easier, all of us have experienced an impulse to chuck one through a window.
While not quite as violent as a window toss, this video demonstrates a test that seems eerily familiar to a drop test of MIL-STD 810.
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