Kairos Autonomi:Strap-on Autonomy Systems for Existing Vehicles

    Kairos Unmanned Vehicles Collage

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Video

Kairos Autonomi has been quite busy throughout the last decade delivering unmanned systems and capabilities to our customers. We will begin to share these videos with you.

Watercraft

The Pronto4 Serie4 (P4Series4) robotic applique is install in a SeaDoo personal watercraft. This enabled our customer to share a P4Series4 between their HMMWVs and the SeaDoos at a significantly lower cost that purchasing custom built robotic watercraft

Pronto4 Uomo

The following videos show the installation of the Pronto4 Uomo (P4Uomo) in unmodified HMMWVs. The P4Uomo is the Kairos entry into a class of seated robotics call Rapidly Installed Robotic Applique Kits or RIRAKs. These robotics strive to drive the installation in a ground vehicle to zero, thereby eliminating the commitment of the vehicle and enabling point-of-use robotics.
The cost of the resultant robotic system is contained in the cost of the RIRAK.

These videos represent a progression through the manufacturing blocks as the P4Uomo is enhanced through each manufacturing cycle.

RIRAK during AWA 17.1

This video by Sgt. Adam Gregory shows soldiers testing the Rapidly Installed Robotic Applique Kit (RIRAK) at AWA 17.1. 

RIRAK and RIEMA based EOD System

This video shows the concept of combining a Rapidly Installed Robotic Applique Kit (RIRAK) with a Rapidly Installed External Manipulator Arm (RIEMA) on an unmodified HMMWV. The concept enables the creation of a EOD or Route Clearance robotic system using a readily available vehicle coupled with a man portable RIRAK and RIEMA. The resultant EOD or Route Clearance robotic system is capable of traveling at over 40 mph and manipulating 150lb loads from a safe distance.

The RIRAK is a Kairos Pronto4 Uomo and the virtual RIEMA is a design supplied by RE2 as part of their other programs.

About Kairos Autonomi, January 2015

Autonomous Technologies
Kairos Autonomi has developed the following technologies for various contracts

  • Pronto4 Uomo Installation Block M2
    • Kairos Autonomi has released video of our Pronto4 Uomo being installed into four different vehicles, followed by a test drive. This video is available for view on our YouTube page. 

  • Kairos Autonomi’s Pronto4 Uomo, M3, Runs at a DARPA Robotics Challenge Test in South Carolina
    • University of Nevada, Las Vegas showed off Kairos’ Pronto4 Uomo driving a vehicle at a DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) test in Charleston, South Carolina in preparation for the DRC event early June 2015. The video was made by a local South Carolina news station.
      • A link to an article and the video is here.
  • Mining Haul Truck Demonstration, Spring 2013
    • Kairos Autonomi provided a Pronto4 for installation and operation of a 130 ton mining haul truck. The Pronto4 enabled the truck to perform unmanned operations.

 

  • Robotic Range Clearance Competition, August 2011
  • TrackBox™ Mobile Deployment Carrier, September 2009
  • PRONTO4 SYSTEM CAPABILITIES, August 2009
  • FALLON MLT DROP, NAS Fallon Training Range, January 2009
    • As part of a CRADA, Kairos Autonomi supplied the U.S. Navy with a moving land target powered by the Pronto4 Agnostic Autonomy System. At NAS Fallon, the MLT autonomously pathed a north/south course on a mock gravel runway at 35 mph. The Navy dropped a number of inert, Enhanced Laser Guided Training Rounds (ELGTRs) at the Kairos MLT during live strike training.

Kairos Moving Land Target used in training at NAS Fallon

  • MOVING TARGET COURSE #2, Barstow, CA, September 2008
    • Kairos Autonomi's latest vehicle, a Nissan truck (pictured below), was recently used to perform Moving Land Target testing. In less than 10 linear business days at minimal effort, Kairos Autonomi:
      • purchased the truck for $3,500 with 125,000 miles on it
      • maintained the truck with new tires, new battery, hub repair, and other standard maintenance for $1,500
      • installed and qualified the Pronto4 system in less than 1 man-day
      • transported the vehicle to the test site
      • outfitted the truck as a 'Technical' (indigenous enemy vehicle), including a DShK 12.7 mm mounted gun (Dishka)
      • performed video demonstrations
        • The 'Technical' also featured a safety target on the hood, and was man-driven to range position for record and go operation (standard feature). Two different courses were used, and the vehicle was configured the same for both. The first course was about 1.5 miles long on a flat, dry lake bed, with the vehicle navigating some long turns at speeds up to 25 mph. The second course was about 1 mile in length and run over rough, uneven terrain with the vehicle achieving speeds of 15 mph in 4WD. Additional testing was performed at a later date with speeds of 40+ mph using the same vehicle on a different course.
        • The video is a bit amateurish, but we are pretty proud of it:

Moving Land Target (Unmanned Ground Vehicle) using the Pronto4 Strap-on Autonomy System
A Nissan truck outfitted to look like a 'Technical' before an autonomous run.

  • MOVING TARGET COURSE, Primm, NV, Aug. 2008
    • Testing in a dry lake bed near Primm, NV, we created a simulated moving ground target course. We used a stock Pronto4 system with standard software installed in a Chevy Avalanche. The course was about 6 miles long. We completed multiple runs and achieved speeds of 90+ mph. The Chevy Avalanche autonomously follows the same path (tire ruts evident). Each video was captured using on-board cameras with annotation overlay. Time: about 6 minutes.

Unmanned Ground Vehicle powered by the Pronto4 Strap-on Autonomy System
A Chevy Avalanche using the Pronto4 system prepares to drive 90 mph near Primm, NV.

DARPA Urban Challenge 2007
Three Track B teams that competed in the Urban Challenge 2007 used the Pronto4™ Agnostic Autonomy System for their hardware platforms. These teams provided video to Kairos Autonomi as they documented their efforts leading up to the Urban Challenge 2007.
Video links are provided below:

  • URBAN JUGGERNAUT
    • Team Juggernaut competing in the Urban Challenge National Qualification Event, October 2007.
    • The Urban Juggernaut performing a series of navigation runs as part of Team Juggernaut's DARPA site visit, June 23, 2007 (59 mb).*
    • Team Juggernaut's video demonstration for earning an Urban Challenge 2007 site visit, March / April 2007 (98 mb).*
  • Autonomous Run only (39 mb).
  • Brigham Young University's video demonstration for earning a site visit for its team, BYUC, April 2007.
  • The University of Utah is supporting a team and created this video demonstration for earning a site visit, April 2007 (65.6 mb).*
  • Team Juggernaut's Track A Proposal video, June 2006. Team Juggernaut was not awarded Track A status, most likely due to its lack of partnering with other companies and entities. Of course, we like to think the team's core technology is solid.

Other Video

  • To see a Pronto4™ agnostic automated vehicle driving 60+ mph in tele-operation mode, click here.
  • In tele-operation mode, see a Pronto4™ agnostic automated vehicle negotiate a curve in the road (click here).

* These files may take a while to buffer due to their large file size. However, you do not have to wait for the videos to fully download. After the files are buffered about 20 percent, you can click run to start playing the videos.

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