USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Aaron Bruce Burmeister

Hoa Gia Nguyen

Narek Pezeshkian

Kevin Holz

Kurt Arthur Talke

Abraham Hart

Mendel Lewis Baker, Jr

Matthew E Jones

Nghia Tran

Michael Bruch

Daniel Tai Yung Leung

David Bart Chadwick

Anthony D Jones

Jacoby Ryan Larson

Leif E Roth

Amin Mohammad Rahimi

Gunther H Rosen

Daniel Leung

Jason Lum

Mark Tjersland

Rich Adams

James Cruickshanks

Saam Ostovari

Leah C Kelley

Brittney Nguyen

Ryan Halterman

A method comprising the steps of providing an Explosive Initiation Safety and Handling System (EISS) coupled to a robot, operatively coupling a charge carrier table and a manipulator to the robot; securing a charge to the charge carrier table; installing a shock tube spool on the shock tube spooling mechanism and locking with an indexing nut; inserting the shock tube that has been uncoiled from the spooling mechanism into the interrupter and replacing the cap; attaching the shock tube to the charge; making an initiator-to-interrupter connection with the shock tube; retracting the manipulator on the robot to a fully stowed position and rotating the charge carrier in front of the robot; picking up the charge with the manipulator, extending the manipulator forward and placing the charge at a threat; stowing the charge carrier; positioning the robot at a distance from the threat, allowing the shock tube to spool out; remotely activating a first firing circuit on the robot to arm the system; cutting the shock tube inside the interrupter and aligning the shock tube with the initiator; and firing a second circuit to initiate the shock tube.

Explosive initiation safety and handling method for explosive ordnance disposal robots

The stowable payload carrier (SPC) apparatus and system described herein may be used in conjunction with a robot. The SPC includes a payload holder assembly, the payload holder assembly being configured to receive one or more payloads of a plurality of different sizes, the payload holder assembly being adjustable to accommodate dimensions of the one or more payloads of the plurality of different sizes. The SPC also includes an actuation device configured to cause the payload holder assembly to rotate, extend and/or retract among one or more deployed configurations and a stowed configuration, the actuation device being operably coupled to the payload holder assembly, wherein the actuation device payload holder assembly is configured to be accessible by a manipulator arm.

Stowable payload carrier

A system with a spool base frame having an initiator, an interrupter, control electronics, and a proximity sensor connected thereto, wherein the spool base frame is configured to hold a shock tube spooling mechanism, the interrupter is configured to allow installation and spooling of a spool of shock tube disposed on the shock tube spooling mechanism, the interrupter is configured to cut spooled shock tube from the spool of shock tube, the control electronics are configured to send a signal directing the interrupter to cut the spooled shock tube from the spool, the interrupter is configured to physically redirect and splice the cut shock tube to a second shock tube connected to the initiator, and the interrupter is configured to discharge the cut shock tube after the shock tube is fired and spent.

Explosive initiation safety and handling system for explosive ordnance disposal robots

A system for landing, comprising a vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) unmanned air vehicle (UAV) having landing gear, wherein the landing gear is telescopic and comprises a sensor, and wherein the landing gear is compressed upon landing on a surface, and the compression causes a signal to be sent to a system that computes the slope of the ground surface using the length of the compressed landing gear and the attitude of the UAV. If the center of gravity falls within the support area, the legs are locked and the UAV power is turned off. If the center of gravity falls outside the support area, the UAV is forced to take off and find a safer landing spot.

Vertical take-off-and-landing unmanned aerial vehicle system capable of landing on uneven or sloped terrain

A dynamically balanced, tracked robot, which can switch between dynamically balanced (wheeled) operation and tracked operation, can include a body and at least one wheel rotatably mounted to the body. At least one strut can also be mounted to the body so that it extends therefrom, and an idler wheel can be fixed to the distal end of the strut. A track can be slipped over the wheel and that idler wheel, so that the track frictionally engages both the wheel and the idler wheel. The robot can have a defined vertical reference vector and a processor. The processor can have non-transitory written instructions that, when accomplished, cause the vertical reference vector to be parallel with a vector defined by the robot axis and the revised post-installation center of gravity, to continue to allow for dynamic balancing of the newly-tracked robot.

Track kit for two wheeled balancing ground vehicle

A system includes a remotely-operated ground vehicle having first and second lift members, a first lift mechanism coupled to the first lift member, and a second lift mechanism coupled to the second lift member, where the first and second lift mechanisms are positioned at different angles with respect to a ground surface. The first and second lift members may be positioned at opposite sides of a front end of the vehicle and may be controlled by a single motor. The lift mechanisms may have a body portion including first and second prongs separated by an opening, with a plurality of magnets embedded within the body portion near the intersection of the first and second prongs. A communication relay may be secured to each lift mechanism via the opening and a magnetic coupling between the magnets embedded within the body portion and magnets embedded within the communication relay.

System and method for remotely-operated deployment and retrieval of communication relays

A system includes a first drive module connected to a first end of a linkage arm and a second drive module connected to a second end of the linkage arm. Two magnetic wheels are connected to each of the first and second drive modules. The first and second drive modules may be independently controlled or controlled using a coordinated controller. The linkage arm may include a first linkage arm portion having at least one degree of freedom with respect to a connected second linkage arm portion, which may be connected via a hinged or ball-joint connection. One or both ends of the linkage arm may have at least one degree of freedom with respect to its respectively connected drive module. Additional linkage arms and drive modules may be connected to form a multi-segment system.

Multi-segmented magnetic robot

A core catcher comprising: a cap configured to be secured to a first end of a core liner such that when the first end of the core liner is inserted into sediment a sample sediment core enters the core liner through the cap; a cross-beam coupled to the cap and mounted across the first end of the core liner such that a cross-section of the first end of the core liner is divided into two openings; a flexible member secured to the cross-beam such that the flexible member, the cross-beam, and the cap form a dual-flap valve designed to allow the sediment core to enter the core liner through the two openings and to prevent the sediment core from escaping the core liner through the cap.

Surface sediment core catcher

A method of maintaining an ad hoc communications network between a base and a mobile platform as the mobile platform moves over a surface comprising the following steps: providing a radio relay device; physically coupling a deployer to the mobile platform, wherein the deployer is configured to releasably stow the radio relay device; sending video data from the mobile platform to the base; monitoring the strength of a network signal received over time at the mobile platform and issuing a weak-link warning when the highest signal strength received at the mobile platform drops below a threshold value; calculating video throughput data metrics based on video data received at the base over time, and issuing an imminent link-failure alert when the metrics reach a predefined condition; and deploying the relay device from the deployer to the surface after the weak-link warning and the imminent link-failure alert are issued.

Method of maintaining an ad hoc communications network between a base and a mobile platform

A method involves using a first lift mechanism coupled to a remotely-operated ground vehicle to engage a first communication relay and position it at a first angle above a ground surface. A second lift mechanism coupled to the remotely-operated ground vehicle is then used to engage a second communication relay. With a single motion by the remotely-operated ground vehicle, the second communication relay is positioned at a second angle above the ground surface and the first communication relay at a third angle above the ground surface. The third angle is greater than both the first angle and the second angle. The second angle is greater than or equal to the first angle. The first communication relay may then be deployed by the remotely-operated ground vehicle at a first location and the second communication relay may be deployed at a second location.

A single-scanning system for a robot can include a base and a nodding mechanism that pivotably attached to the base. A single-scan sensor such as a lidar or laser sensor can be fixed to the nodding mechanism, and a controller can be connected to the single-scan sensor and motor via a gear arrangement. The controller can manipulate nodding characteristics such as nodding range and nodding angular velocity dynamically, during operation of the robot, either in response to a command from a remote user, robot autonomy system, or according to written instructions included in the controller. An encoder disk can interconnect the nodding mechanism to the controller. With this configuration, the encoder disk can receive sensor data from the single-scan sensor, for further transmission to said controller. A transceiver can route sensor data to the remote user, and can also receive commands from the remote user.

Nodding mechanism for a single-scan sensor

A relay device deployment system comprising: a deployer configured to be mounted on a mobile platform; a node radio mounted to the deployer; a self-righting, self-contained, wireless relay device releasably stowed in the deployer, a deployment mechanism mounted to the deployer; and a processor mounted inside the deployer. The processor is operatively coupled to the node radio and the deployment mechanism. The node radio is configured to operate as a node in the network. The deployment mechanism is configured to deploy the relay device. The processor is configured to monitor the network's strength and to send a signal to the deployment mechanism to deploy the relay device when the network strength drops below a threshold value. The relay device comprises an extendable antenna. The relay device is configured to be deployed from the deployer to a support surface and to operate as a node in an ad hoc telecommunications network.

Relay device deployer system

A relay apparatus comprising a housing having a bottom surface, a radio, and a processor, both mounted within the housing. A self-righting mechanism is mounted to the housing such that the self-righting mechanism is configured to reposition the housing from any initial position to an upright position so that the housing rests on the bottom surface. The radio is configured to relay RF signals and to operate as a node in an ad hoc telecommunications network. The processor is operatively coupled to the radio and the self-righting mechanism.

Wireless, self-contained relay device

A traffic control system can include a remote control station and a plurality of traffic control assets. Each asset is networked to the control station with a radiofrequency (RF) transceiver and an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU can receive commands from the control station. In response, ECU can activate a light, or an audio device that is located on the traffic control asset. To move and position the traffic control asset can include at least two wheels and a corresponding motor for each wheel, which can be operated by the ECU to maneuver the traffic control asset according to the user's needs. The traffic asset can be a stop sign or a traffic cone. In some instances, the traffic control asset can have a flat configuration, for convenient storage and a deployed configuration, which can be established from the control station.

Remotely controlled traffic management system

A radio relay comprising: a housing configured to be released from a mobile platform onto a support surface; a radio mounted within the housing, wherein the radio is configured to relay radio frequency (RF) signals and to operate as a node in a telecommunications network; a first antenna mast having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is rotatably coupled to the housing; a first antenna element operatively coupled to the radio and mechanically coupled to the distal end; and an antenna mast rotation mechanism mounted within the housing and the proximal end such that the antenna mast rotation mechanism is configured to upwardly rotate the first antenna mast to a raised position such that the first antenna mast is substantially parallel to the ambient gravity vector.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Aaron Bruce Burmeister