U.S. Army gets demo of new supertoy

Oshkosh Defense recently demonstrated the latest in unmanned ground vehicle technology at the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center at Fort Hood, Texas.

Oshkosh Defense is an industry leader in the development of autonomous vehicle technology. The Oshkosh TerraMax autonomous vehicle system incorporates the latest in advanced robotic hardware and software.

The Oshkosh Command Zone electronics system provides a drive-by-wire capability, which allows intelligent computer control of steering, acceleration, braking, and transmission.

The IBEO LUX laser scanner offers enhanced sensing capabilities as part of the light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system for 360-degree obstacle detection. The laser scanner's low-profile packaging reduces the visual signature of the sensors on the vehicle, allowing the vehicle to blend in more seamlessly within the military's fleets.

The Perception Capabilities Demonstrator technology system is also able to render imagery from a previously driven route alongside real-time data, allowing a human operator to analyze the scene for changes and quickly identify potential threats such as IEDs. Future developments of this emerging technology will focus on improved localization for autonomous operations in varied environments, including areas with little or no GPS coverage.