IN THIS ISSUE Special Robot Edition

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Photo courtesy of EKU/Justice and Safety Center Volume 1 Issue 6 September 2008 To contact

gov IN THIS ISSUE Special Robot Edition From Fantasy to Reality Robots Evolve to Help First

Alternative Transformers A New Generation of Smart Robots is in the Works Raising the Bar

1 Photo courtesy of EKU/Justice and Safety Center Volume 1 Issue 6 September 2008 To contact R-Tech RTech@DHS.gov IN THIS ISSUE Special Robot Edition From Fantasy to Reality Robots Evolve to Help First Responders When the Landshark Comes to Call New Bomb Disposal Robot Offers Inexpensive Alternative Transformers A New Generation of Smart Robots is in the Works Raising the Bar First Responders Help Set New Standards for Robots The Responder Knowledge Base Robot Procurement Requires Careful Research: How RKB Can Help This Newsletter discusses technologies of interest to first responders that have received funding, in part, from the Federal government. Mention of these technologies should not be construed as an endorsement of either the technology, or the entity producing it, by the Federal government. To download a copy of this newsletter, visit:

upgrades to such units are costly and time consuming. Furthermore, parts are rarely interchangeable and have limited sustainability.

2 FROM FANTASY TO REALITY Robots Evolve to Help First Responders Early robots were larger, more rugged, and carried a military price tag. The integration of new technology into older-model robots can be difficult due to space limitations and the challenges of getting new components to work with less-sophisticated technology, and upgrades to such units are costly and time consuming. Furthermore, parts are rarely interchangeable and have limited sustainability. Even if a robot can perform some tasks well, it is not useful unless it can perform all of the tasks needed to complete the mission. Photo courtesy of Black-I Robotics The idea of automated helpers has been with us since the days of the Greek myths, when Haephestus, the god of metalwork, created mechanical servants to perform a variety of tasks. Since then, robots have gone from fantasy to reality, and over the last few decades, many types of robots have been developed to assist first responders. For more than twenty years, U.S. military bomb disposal robots have kept troops out of harm s way and filled a manpower shortage. Robots have also been used in law enforcement bomb squad units since the early 1990s. The use of robots by other types of first responders is just beginning. The first search and rescue robot was used in New York City after the September 11, 2001 attacks, and the first wireless remote-controlled firefighting robots were used in Virginia in January Next-generation robots are addressing these gaps based on national assessments that identify the needs of first responders. Requirements generally include a low price, the ability to perform surveillance and lift objects, good visual awareness for the user, and clear signal transmission both indoors and outdoors. Since so much of robot technology has been developed for the military, programs have been created to transfer the technology to first responder use. For example, the Department of Defense (DoD)- sponsored program, FirstLink, includes the Navy robotics loan program for which the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR) in San Diego lends robots to first responders for a six-month trial. For more information on the DoD FirstLink program, visit For more information about a hazmat robot that was part of this exchange, see the June issue of the R-Tech Newsletter at aspx?newsletter=june% pdf. Photos courtesy of Black-I Robotics 2

(From Fantasy to Reality continued) A number of companies manufacture robots that vary in size, from portable to tank-sized. Robots may move by multi-wheel chassis or tracking treads.

Some robots currently in research and development can even adapt their shape and size to complete a multitude of tasks (see the robots featured in the Transformers article in this issue).

3 (From Fantasy to Reality continued) A number of companies manufacture robots that vary in size, from portable to tank-sized. Robots may move by multi-wheel chassis or tracking treads. Control mechanisms include radio frequency, fiber optics, and even videogame joysticks. Some robots currently in research and development can even adapt their shape and size to complete a multitude of tasks (see the robots featured in the Transformers article in this issue). Modular architecture improves the ability to upgrade the units as new robot chassis are being developed to allow the user to capitalize on a wide array of available technologies. Robots are also being configured to perform specific missions, especially in HazMat, tactical law enforcement, non-military explosive ordinance disposal (EOD), firefighting, search and rescue, security and surveillance, and casualty extraction. Photos courtesy of NIST Robots continue to play an increasingly important role in the first-responder community, due in part to new federal requirements. For example, current Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) certification standards for bomb disposal squads require the use of at least one robot, and bomb squads around the country have agreed to have a robotic capability by 2009 in accordance with the National Strategic Plan (see -%20Heaven-Fuller.pdf). You may request a copy of the National Strategic Plan by visiting org. In addition, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is sponsoring the development of standards for both search and rescue and bomb squad robots. When complete, these standards will assist first responders in making procurement decisions (see the Raising the Bar article in this issue). Because of the increasing importance of robotics to the first responder community, this issue of the R-Tech Newsletter is dedicated to emerging robot technologies. Photos courtesy of NIST 3

WHEN THE LANDSHARK COMES TO CALL New Bomb Disposal Robot Offers Inexpensive Alternative Photo courtesy of Black-I Robotics Using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology, a small company has built

4 WHEN THE LANDSHARK COMES TO CALL New Bomb Disposal Robot Offers Inexpensive Alternative Photo courtesy of Black-I Robotics Using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology, a small company has built a mid-sized bomb disposal robot that is half the cost of a conventional robot. With today s tight budgets, robots are one of the most expensive items a bomb squad must purchase, said Sgt. David Thompson, Bomb Squad Commander of the Massachusetts State Police. Moreover, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) certification standards for bomb disposal squads require the use of at least one robot. Black-I Robotics developed the robot, LandShark, using inexpensive welded steel, German motors, two heavy-duty car batteries, and open-source software. The only component that is not offthe-shelf is the controller system. LandShark has the same guidance and surveillance system used in other bomb-detecting robots, making it compatible with equipment already in use. The mid-sized LandShark is four feet long and weighs 450 pounds when loaded with conventional batteries and can push a vehicle weighing up to 11,000 pounds over a short distance an ability existing military robots do not have. Over longer distances, it can also pull or carry up to 300 pounds. In addition, the chassis is technologically scalable, which means it can be paired with other technologies, such as sniper-detection sonar, bomb detectors, and minesweeping gear. There is now even a gasoline/ electric hybrid model. Building unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) for the military and first responders dealing with 4

(When the Landshark Comes to Call continued) improvised explosive devices (IEDs) became Black-I Robotics founder Brian Hart s mission after the death of his 20-year-old son, John.

5 (When the Landshark Comes to Call continued) improvised explosive devices (IEDs) became Black-I Robotics founder Brian Hart s mission after the death of his 20-year-old son, John. John was killed in Iraq when a roadside explosion hit his unarmored military vehicle. In April 2005, Hart also saw a lance corporal die while attempting to push a car bomb off a road with his Humvee. These events prompted Hart and his brother, Richard, to start Black-I Robotics and spend three years building prototypes using their own money. With recent funding from the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), Hart has completed three advanced prototypes for different applications. One prototype will be evaluated by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), another will be evaluated by Sandia National Laboratory for technology integration, and a third prototype will be evaluated by Sgt. Thompson and the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad at Logan International Airport in bomb disposal and car disruption bombs. For more information on the LandShark, visit Photo courtesy of Black-I Robotics TRANSFORMERS A New Generation of Smart Robots is in the Works While many robots are designed to assist first responders, at times they cannot be deployed because they are either too large to gain access to a hazard, or they are not able to traverse the terrain. These obstacles will be overcome by a new generation of robots that will be able to reconfigure their size, shape, and movement based on their environment. These robots will be multi-functional and no longer limited by their physical dimensions. This innovation has important implications for a variety of applications, including first responder situations. Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) have constructed a reconfigurable robot called Superbot with funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Superbot comprises a series of autonomous robots which can link together in a variety of forms and react to their surroundings. The system was originally designed for space exploration but would lend itself to a multitude of first responder scenarios, including disaster assessment, HazMat incidents, fires, and search and rescue. According to Dr. Wei-Min Shen, Director of Polymorphic Robotics Laboratory at USC, the autonomous robots communicate with each other, so each one knows the configuration of the whole and where it is in relation to the other modules. The robots are also programmed to identify how they can move within each configuration. If they are linked together in a chain, they can move like 5

(Transformers continued) a snake or caterpillar. When they are connected end to end in a circle, they will roll like a ball.

Shen s ultimate goal is for the robots to be able to assess their environment on their own and choose the configuration that best matches the situation. Dr.

After 100 of the individual robot components are built, researchers will field test them by dropping them from a plane into a desert where they will conduct exercises designed to test their ability

6 (Transformers continued) a snake or caterpillar. When they are connected end to end in a circle, they will roll like a ball. If a robot is in the position of a leg or arm, it will act as a leg or an arm. Dr. Shen s ultimate goal is for the robots to be able to assess their environment on their own and choose the configuration that best matches the situation. Dr. Shen s team has already built thirty modules and tested them in activities such as climbing ropes, slithering up hills, rolling across expanses, and carrying cameras. After 100 of the individual robot components are built, researchers will field test them by dropping them from a plane into a desert where they will conduct exercises designed to test their ability to overcome obstacles autonomously. Demonstrations of the Superbot in motion can be viewed at robots/superbot.htm. Other robotic technologies under development are based on different ideas. For example, researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University College of Engineering Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa), led by Dr. Dennis Hong, are creating a robotic locomotion system inspired by the movements of amoebas. Amoebas move by a process known as cytoplasmic streaming (see illustration), a mechanism that the RoMeLa team is attempting to translate into a mechanical model that moves by turning itself inside out. Being able to do this would ultimately enable a robot to squeeze into spaces much smaller than its actual dimensions. Illustration courtesy of RoMeLa The pseudopod of an amoeba moves forward by everting its endoplasm at the hyaline cap, where it flows as ectoplasm around the outer survace and re-enters the endoplasm at the uroid With funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Dr. Hong has taken several different approaches to developing his Whole Skin Locomotion (WSL) system. One approach employs a tape-spring mechanism for Photo Courtesy of Polymorphic Robotics Laboratory at USC the body and uses an alloy with shape-remembering properties to generate motion. A second approach, which at this stage is highly experimental, relies on chemical reactions to generate motion. A third approach is a mechanical process that uses flexible helix cords with rollers and an electrical motor. The flexible helix cord approach will be the first to be a practical robot, I believe, said Dr. Hong. He and his team are focusing on the design and fabrication of this model. For more information about the work at RoMeLa, visit Research.html. The next stage in robotic evolution will be the creation of chembots robots that combine soft materials chemistry with robotics to create soft, pliable robots able to squeeze into small spaces and then return to their normal size. Tufts University recently received funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop such robots. Dr. Barry Trimmer, director of the Tufts Biomimetic Devices Laboratory, is basing his work in this area on the growth patterns of caterpillars, which are able to grow to their adult size 10,000 times the size of their larval stage without a corresponding increase in the number of muscles or motor neurons. With these and other technological developments, the next generation of robots will be not only smarter, but also more agile. 6

RAISING THE BAR First Responders Help Set New Standards for Robots Photos courtesy of NIST In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, several first responder agencies, including the New York

However, operators quickly discovered that the latest robotic technologies were not ready for such missions.

7 RAISING THE BAR First Responders Help Set New Standards for Robots Photos courtesy of NIST In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, several first responder agencies, including the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), obtained and deployed robots developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to assist them in their building collapse search and rescue missions. However, operators quickly discovered that the latest robotic technologies were not ready for such missions. First responders and the federal government determined that they must develop standards so manufacturers could get an accurate picture of first responder requirements for various mission types. To that end, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sponsored the development of performance standards for urban search and rescue (USAR) robots by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NIST began the task by collecting more than 100 individual requirements from DHS Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) USAR task forces. We sought the input of emergency responders for search and rescue robots because there weren t existing performance requirements. Bomb squads already had a body of literature available for what they needed because they have had robots for a while, said Adam Jacoff, NIST Robotics Research Engineer. Jacoff s team is formulating test methods based upon the collected requirements to qualify the performance of both USAR and bomb squad robots. The test methods ultimately selected will likely be applied to both types of response robots. Both will be subjected to similar rigors, and both will require similar types of metrics, such as endurance, mobility, and manipulator dexterity. For each requirement, first responders will define a system for measuring performance. For example, one of the requirements is ease of maintenance. Robots not requiring tools and having parts that snap or screw together would be judged more favorably than those requiring special tools. The information collected by NIST will help consumers make procurement decisions, as they will understand how a particular robot will affect logistics, planning, and operations. It is also hoped that robotics requirements such as weight, size, and necessary tools, when highlighted by written standards, will encourage manufacturers to consider lighter weights, as well as simplified tool kits and shorter set-up times. In order to develop the standards, NIST hosts response robot evaluation exercises to allow manufacturers to observe first responders interacting directly with their technology. The events allow users and developers to arrive at a common understanding of performance requirements for various scenarios while refining prototype robot test methods that can be used for practice and training. Three standards have been set so far. The first standard defines terminology. The second determines how robots will be stored and deployed, and the third addresses visual acuity. Practice for Evaluating Cache Packaged Weight and Volume of Robots for Urban Search and Rescue, the second standard, addresses responders desire to know 7

(Raising the Bar continued) how many batteries to bring, what tools are required, and how long it will take to set up the robot before it can be deployed.

When you re down-range, if something breaks, you want to be able to repair it right there if at all possible and not have to waste time finding the right tool, said Jacoff.

8 (Raising the Bar continued) how many batteries to bring, what tools are required, and how long it will take to set up the robot before it can be deployed. According to the standard, the shipping container must contain all the materials necessary to deploy for at least 72 hours without resupply, and specialized tools are discouraged. When you re down-range, if something breaks, you want to be able to repair it right there if at all possible and not have to waste time finding the right tool, said Jacoff. This standard not only helps first responders know if a robot will suit their needs, it helps developers identify their manufacturing goals. How many boxes does it come in? What do they weigh? How long does it take to set up the robot before it goes down-range? Those sometimes-competing ideas provide a design challenge for developers, Jacoff added. Photo courtesy of NIST The third standard, regarding visual acuity, requires testing in both darkness and daylight using the entire robot system, including its cameras under variable illumination conditions, its communications devices, and the remote operator display. If responders locate a HazMat label, they need to be able to read it the color, the text, and the icons and the robot system needs to have the visual acuity to do this, said Jacoff. To accomplish this, robots need a color camera and variable lighting down range. However, the visual acuity requirements differ for different types of response scenarios. For example, first responders performing initial reconnaissance at a disaster scene might need to clear a room where little visual acuity is necessary. Bomb squads might need more clarity to read small shipping labels on suspicious packages. Structural engineers in a collapse may even require zoom lenses to see small cracks in supporting columns at a distance. Photo courtesy of NIST NIST will not condemn a product if it lacks a particular ability. Rather, it informs manufacturers of the requirements first responders have and thresholds that should be met. The test methods must accommodate and measure the entire range of needs. According to NIST, the new consensus standards are measuring devices that meet the needs of all disciplines and mission types. Additional standards under consideration include communications, sensors, safety, human-system interaction, and mobility. First responders working with NIST on mobility standards are establishing realistic tests. Stairs are often wet and slippery, can have objects on them like fire hoses, or have pieces missing, said Jacoff. The team is therefore testing different inclines and surfaces, and making the robot climb at least ten times so they can use the average time as a performance measure. In addition, all robots are tested via remote teleoperation where the operator cannot be seen or heard. It is hoped that robots will one day be widely used in dangerous situations, thus diminishing the risk to first responders while improving their effectiveness. NIST will host the next response robot evaluation exercise in November 2008 at Disaster City, a USAR training facility located at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas the home to the FEMA USAR team Texas Task Force 1 (TX-TF1). For more information on the NIST standards, go to www. astm.org or 8

THE RESPONDER KNOWLEDGE BASE Robot Procurement Requires Careful Research: How RKB Can Help requirement(s) (e.g., explosive detection, search and rescue, video surveillance, etc.) should be evaluated.

9 THE RESPONDER KNOWLEDGE BASE Robot Procurement Requires Careful Research: How RKB Can Help requirement(s) (e.g., explosive detection, search and rescue, video surveillance, etc.) should be evaluated. A quick look at the items on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Authorized Equipment List (AEL) containing the word robot shows several items, such as robots; remotely piloted vehicles; and attachments/tools, including those for search and rescue operations. The AEL items provide another way to navigate RKB, showing related products, standards, and other information that will suggest further RKB searches. Photo courtesy of NIST The Responder Knowledge Base (RKB) has several useful features to help the first responder community learn more about robots. The simplest approach is a keyword search. To see all of RKB s robot information, simply type robot into the keyword search box in the upper-right corner of the screen. The left side of the screen will then show results in multiple RKB content categories. An important consideration in evaluating robots is that for any given mission, both a robotic platform and payload that actually fulfills the mission RKB also lists other types of robots and related information, such as applicable grants (through the FEMA AEL), operational assessments, standards, and relevant studies by NIST and the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG). For example, users can find on RKB a paper published by NIST entitled Conflicting Signals Can Confuse Rescue Robots. Using the research tools, the Website can also assist in evaluating potential operational problems before committing to a specific product. Procuring a robot system requires careful mission evaluation and a great deal of research. RKB helps by providing not only product descriptions but related items that will help first responders choose the right system for specific missions. If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions regarding this or any other feature of RKB, please do not hesitate to contact RKB by at info@rkb.us or telephone at (703)

Small Robot User Assessment irobot PackBot EOD Evaluation Report

February 2007 System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) S u m m a r y Small Robot User Assessment irobot PackBot EOD Evaluation Report The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)