What's next for the Pentagon after the Replicator programme?
Although the Replicator initiative has made several accomplishments, there are still multiple gaps to plug across the US Department of Defense (DoD) and its services.
RE2 to develop HDMS for US Army
RE2 has announced that it has been selected by the US Army's Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) to develop a two-arm Highly Dexterous Manipulation System (HDMS). The award was issued under a Phase II Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) competitive contract.
The work will focus on work to enhance the capabilities of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) currently used for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) to perform critical tasks such as inspection, detection, and neutralisation of explosive devices. These systems currently include a single arm manipulator, and are often limited in their dexterity, reach and lifting capacity.
RE2 will develop the dual-arm HDMS technology to provide the robot operator with capabilities that far exceed currently fielded single-manipulator robots. These capabilities include inspection in tight and cluttered spaces, manipulating wires, opening bags or packages, unscrewing lids on containers, and other abilities to provide access and information while operating at a safe distance.
RE2 currently holds prime contracts with various branches and organizations of the US military, including the Navy, Army, Air Force, and DARPA, to develop advanced manipulation systems that interoperate with both existing and future robotic platforms. According to the company, RE2's development efforts are focused on creating plug-n-play manipulation systems and end-effectors that are interoperable with existing and next-generation robotic platforms.
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