Officials at the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center of Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md., have announced that the iRobot PackBot EOD robot from iRobot Corp. in Burlington, Mass., has been selected as the platform of choice to create a new advanced radiation and chemical detection robot.
The Aberdeen Proving Grounds, home to the U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command, will integrate a new chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) detection payload with the battle-proven iRobot PackBot to create the first-ever robot with such a wide array of sensor capabilities.
The iRobot PackBot-based CUGV will be provided to military operators for initial demonstration in the CUGR ACTD, and will remain with these operators for two years of follow-on experimentation. This will provide the basis to decide if the CUGV provides military utility.
The CUGV is designed to inspect potentially hazardous areas and send data back to warfighters and first responders, allowing people to stay out of harm’s way. The CUGV can collect chemical air samples and detect oxygen levels, lower explosive limits, volatile organic compounds and gamma radiation, as well as toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents. Current PackBot EOD customers are expected to have the option to integrate the CBRN payload when it becomes available.
