Servo - July 2009

remote control.

9. Light weight fiber optic cable for reliable control link in EMI areas.

10. Internal battery power and radio control, long-term operation.

11. Able to ascend and descend stairs.

12. Able to traverse debris and uneven surfaces.

13. Manipulator arm to pick up or deliver items, break glass, hold camera, etc.

14. Weatherized for rain, snow, or long sun exposure.

Variations In Requirements Create A Unique Robot

These are just a few of the features that officers might want in a law enforcement robot. These can be further divided into subcategories with more specific requirements for individual applications. For example, a pan and tilt TV camera base can be added, as well as a variable zoom lens or special lighting to the TV system. A particular agency may desire a manipulator arm that can reach up to six feet or more with a specified payload capacity and be mounted on a swivel base. The robot itself may need to be configured to raise its entire body structure such as with some Remotec Andros models. The Port of Seattle’s robot for example, has the ability to elevate the manipulator and TV camera high enough to be able to open and inspect overhead bins in aircraft cabins. Figure 2 shows the Andros in its elevated position at the recent SRS meeting.

Other groups may want tracked mobility for climbing stairs or a more common rubber-tired base. A large van with multiple control panels may appeal to a larger law enforcement agency with a larger, more functional robot whereas a small suitcase-size control panel may appeal to others.

Civilian agencies may need just a simple mobile TV platform to assess certain dangerous or inaccessible locations. Other police agencies may want to remotely ‘enter’ an active or

abandoned meth lab that contains vast quantities of volatile gasses and liquids and be able to measure these gases and safely visualize the interior. Refineries and chemical industries may want to enter into a HAZMAT area to determine types and levels of hazardous materials. Seemingly innocent, abandoned packages need to be safely handled and examined, and possibly destroyed with a disrupter or disposed of. Hostage situations or unsecured crime scenes may require a robot to enter the suspect’s area and set up negotiations between the suspect and police personnel.

In many cases, the robot may only be used a few times a year, and may sit in a special van or closet, waiting for that call to action. These robots must work properly when the need arises, and preventative maintenance will be required. Periodic activation of the systems is a must to assure availability when needed and some types of battery systems may require a constant trickle charge.

One way that many agencies keep their operators familiar with the robot’s systems and operational methods is to take the robot to area schools, civic groups, and various government agencies for ‘show and tell.’ The operator’s skills are honed, the tax payers get a chance to see what “X” amount of dollars bought for them, and the various teams get a

FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 2.

chance to proudly ‘strut their stuff.’

The Remotec Andros Robot

There are many American companies that make very capable and widely-used robots for police and law enforcement work, but two seem to stand out as very identifiable in popularity. Northrop Grumman’s Remotec Division (formed in 1980) makes the Andros series of robots that I’ve already mentioned. There are