New software gives Navy robots a number of useful capabilities
The Boston Globe this morning reports that some 248 robots belonging to the Navy – specifically, 248 Man Transportable Robotic System MK 1 MOD 1 robots — will be getting new software from their manufacturer, iRobot. The upgrade will cost taxpayers $7.7 million, which would seem a bargain considering the capabilities being touted.
From that Globe story:
Upgrades include the company’s User Assist Package, or UAP, which represent a step towards more robot autonomy, iRobot said. UAP brings GPS mapping and semi-autonomous features such as self-righting – if flipped over, the robot will automatically right itself. There’s also a retro-traverse feature – if communications are disrupted, the robot will automatically re-trace its path until communications are restored. Robots equipped with UAP can also hold a heading. That means that on rough terrain, a robot can maintain a constant heading, automatically adjusting for bumps and other obstacles, iRobot said.
So these military robots are smart enough to recognize when something has gone terribly wrong and to take corrective action; they’re willing to retreat when retreating makes sense; and, they know the difference between a bump in the road and being upside down in the middle of a quagmire.
If only our politicians were so smart, we wouldn’t need so many military robots.
