Dexterous Manipulation System
Customer: US Navy/NAVEODTECHDIV
Phase II SBIR

The goal of this SBIR program is to develop a dexterous manipulation system that can grip a blasting cap or wire protruding from a target and remove the item by pulling straight back, without moving the robot base or damaging the item griped. The system should also be able to pick up a wire or blasting cap from the ground. Robotic control for these tasks must be accomplished by either a human operator
viewing the scene remotely and controlling the manipulator, an autonomous controller, or some combination of the two.

During the eighteen--month Phase II, RE2 will do the following:

• Develop and fabricate a practical prototype of a high degree-of-freedom dexterous manipulator for EOD and other missions requiring fine manipulation capabilities;
  
• Improve the situational awareness of the operator when controlling the dexterous manipulator from a remote, non-line-of-sight, location;
  
• Develop intelligent control strategies to allow the user to easily command the manipulator that improves upon the current method of primitive joint-by-joint control;
  
• Develop advanced sensor feedback capabilities, including force and tactile feedback, to assist the operator with delicate operations.

Robotic Nursing Assistant
Customer: US Army TATRC
Phase I SBIR

Phase I SBIR contract grant was awarded by the U.S. Army's Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) to design a Robotic Nursing Assistant.

RE2's concept combines a hospital-proven robotic platform, dexterous manipulators similar to human arms, and intuitive control interfaces to provide a practical implementation of the Robotic Nursing Assistant (RNA). The resultant RNA will serve as an extension of the nurse when performing physically challenging maneuvers such, as helping a patient sit up in bed or moving a patient from a gurney to a hospital bed.

Force Protection Robotics Manipulator Arm Integration Program
Customer: AFRL
BAA

The multi-phase Force Protection Robotics Program aims to develop automation and intelligent system technologies for use in high threat areas, expeditionary and fixed airbase support, and homeland security. The goals of the Force Protection Robotics program are to:

• Enhance security force response and situational awareness;
• Increase use and reliability of unmanned systems in hostile work environments;
• Exploit leading edge technologies to the benefit of the operators by reducing time-on-target by 50%, decreasing personnel exposure by 30%, and increasing standoff detection by 1 km.

During the initial phase of the program, RE2 will integrate its JAUS-compliant Small Robot Toolkit (SRT) manipulator arm onto a small robot platform. The manipulator arm will also be integrated with a third-party OCU. The SRT offers plug-n-play end-effector tools, such as a brute force gripper, a dexterous gripper, and a sensor tilt table, to enable the system to easily adapt to a variety of missions. The integrated system will be demonstrated in a real-world force protection environment.

Small Robot Toolkit
Customer: US Army
Phase II SBIR

During the 18-month Phase II SBIR, RE2 will demonstrate an adaptive, modular Small Robot Toolkit such that the OCU can adapt to various tools, manipulators, and disposable hand controllers.

The specifics of the Phase II program
include:

• Create a prototype of the SRT manipulator arm, tools, and OCU;
• Verify the ability to integrate the SRT on small robot platforms, including Foster-Miller’s TALON;
• Verify the usability and functionality of the SRT in experimental and/or operational settings;
• Design new tools based on feedback from military EOD personnel in the field; and
• Prove efficient manufacturability of the SRT system.