Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transporter (SMET) Tele-Operation Feedback System

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Ground Sea OBJECTIVE: To develop a modular tele-operation feedback system which can be integrated easily for any SMET system and the Operator Control Unit (OCU) for safety and operational effectiveness. DESCRIPTION: Since 2012, the US Army has been evaluating numerous versions of Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) vehicles. In one exercise, spanning two months, an infantry company and combat engineer squad tested nearly a dozen dissimilar SMET surrogate vehicles designed and provided by multiple vendors. Of note it was discovered that; ALL of the surrogate systems experienced problems with rollovers. The narrower SMET vehicles had more trouble with side slopes, but even the wide-width systems overturned. Dynamic stability is a notoriously difficult problem for remotely operated systems. Taking the operator out of the vehicle eliminates any vestibular and proprioceptive sense of the vehicle stability. Consequently, this situation is compounded when operating the vehicles, at night, in rough terrain, using night vision goggles. [1] Additionally, it was found that while a wider chassis platform having a lower Center of Gravity (C.G.) may help to mitigate rollover, it may also impede mobility of the SMET in tight spaces. Tele-operation resulted in the same probability of vehicle rollover without the help of a tele-operator assist system. We are proposing the investigation and development of a tele-operation feedback system that will act as operator assist for the SMET type vehicles. Fundamentally, this system in the SMET, with cargos, should calculate the location of the vehicle's C.G. at standard intervals (every 10 milliseconds, for example) and transmit this information to the OCU. Any developed system should also be enabled to compute current C.G. locations in a moving vehicle for dynamic comparison with a known rollover threshold to provide warning to the OCU. The OCU may be fitted to display warnings to the Operator (such as amber lights or vibration of the unit) as the C.G. location approaches the rollover threshold, and the OCU may also indicate that the vehicle is in a non-rollover position as the Operator changes the direction of the SMET. This research should also investigate the application of a self-learning system and training of deep neural nets as a part of the tele-operation feedback system to reduce Soldier's workload during the mission. PHASE I: Simple Model for Proof of Concept. A software model and limited physical testing will be performed in a proof of concept study. A software model will be developed that successfully calculates the C.G. location of a robotic wheeled vehicle supporting multiple cargo loads as they are loaded at various location on the robotic vehicle. Modeling and simulation will be used to prove the mathematical model. The software will be loaded into an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and an interface will be developed and configured to, at least, one design of robotic vehicle and Operator Control Unit (OCU) at TARDEC for testing. PHASE II: Configuration Dependent Model. Sensors will be integrated with each strut of the robotic vehicles for both wheeled and tracked vehicles. These sensors will be used to compute more detailed movements and positions of each strut and determine more accurate C.G. locations in a moving robotic vehicle on various terrains. This Phase II research will also introduce and develop a self-learning system and training of deep neural nets. Simulation and modeling will be required for the mathematical design of the self-learning system to ensure accuracy and proof that it is applicable to various configurations of wheeled and tracked robotic vehicles. The software will be loaded on an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and an interface will be developed that is configured to various configurations of robotic vehicles and OCUs at TARDEC for testing. PHASE III: Dual use Configurations. Vision: The tele-operation feedback system is envisioned to become the basis of future tele-operation/semi-autonomous/autonomous vehicles, as a modular plug-in system for the military, because SMET variants are anticipated to feature strongly in future Soldier missions. Additionally, as commercial shipping/delivery companies expand their delivery methods to utilize ground-based autonomous/semi-autonomous and tele-operated systems, many ground based delivery vehicles will benefit from this system for safety and delivery completion. Future modifications may lead to a predictable feedback system, which could greatly enhance the tele-operation system's usability and effectiveness. REFERENCES: 1: Squad Mission Equipment Transport (SMET) Lessons Learned for Industry, Annotated Version of Briefing at NDIA Ground Robotics Capability Conference, March 2nd, 2012: Wikipedia Multifunctional Utility/Logistics and Equipment vehicle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multifunctional_Utility/Logistics_and_Equipment_vehicle3: The U.S. Army, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Strategy. http://www.tradoc.army.mil/FrontPageContent/Docs/RAS_Strategy.pdfKEYWORDS: Semi-Autonomous, Autonomous, Sensor, Dynamic Feedback System, Modular, Attitude Indicator, Rollover CONTACT(S): Yoshiro Nakai (586) 282-5765 yoshiro.nakai.civ@mail.mil Robert Bolton (586) 282-2844