RE2 Technology being deployed by the US Air Force
RE2, Inc., a leading developer of intelligent modular manipulation systems, is providing its Small Robot Toolkit (SRT) to Northrop Grumman Corporation subsidiary Remotec Inc., which will use the tool-change technology to upgrade the manipulation capabilities of the Andros HD-1 unmanned ground vehicle. The US Air Force Air Combat Command recently awarded Remotec a contract to upgrade its fleet of Andros HD-1 Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) to help counter evolving threats from improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
RE2 developed the end segment of the upgraded Andros HD-1 manipulator arm, which features a powerful rolling wrist and gripper that is able to lift and maneuver heavy objects up to 125 pounds, such as a 155mm shell. The manipulator arm‟s end segment also features RE2‟s Quick ReleaseTM technology, which allows end-effector tools to be manually changed in the field.
"RE2‟s end-effector technologies enable Remotec to easily upgrade the manipulation capabilities of our Andros HD-1 platform and offer advanced life-saving tools to the US Air Force," said Mike Knopp, president of Remotec Inc. "The complexity of the IED threat continues to evolve, and our unmanned ground vehicles need the most advanced robotic capabilities to help keep „danger at a distance‟ for the men and women serving in our country‟s armed forces."
"We were pleased to have the opportunity to work with Northrop Grumman Remotec to enhance the Air Force‟s fleet of Andros HD-1 robots with our SRT technology. This license agreement enables RE2 to transition our robotic tool-change technology to the field, which is a major milestone for our growing company," stated Jorgen Pedersen, president and CEO for RE2.
RE2 was awarded the Army Small Business Innovation Research Achievement Award in December 2008 for the success of its SRT program and the Army‟s Commercialization Pilot Program to aid in the transition of the SRT technology from a prototype to a fielded product. Pedersen continued, "The success of our SRT technology can be attributed to the Army‟s ongoing support and advocacy for our manipulation research, the efforts of our Contracting Officer Representative at US Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), Lonnie Freiburger, the guidance of our Army SBIR Technical Assistance Advocate, Jean-Paul Hanna, and the hard work and dedication of our talented engineering team."
Source: RE2
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