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Using SAND-X Motor's All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) as a Platform, the Collaborative Project Aims to Develop an Automated URS Ground Vehicle that Can Take on Local Terrain
Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy, and sustainable technologies, along with UK-based QinetiQ, a leading technology development and engineering company operating primarily in the defense, security and aerospace markets, and Swiss-based all-terrain vehicle (ATV) developer Sand-X Motors, jointly announced their collaboration to develop an Unmanned Rover System (URS) today at the URS award kick-off meeting, which was hosted by the Defense Services Marketing Council (DSMC).
The URS development program was conceived as part of Masdar Institute and DSMC’s partnering to Achieve Innovation in Defense & Aerospace (PAIDA) Working Group. The collaborative project will integrate Sand-X’s ATV with artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to develop a purpose-built ground vehicle, to meet the UAE’s URS needs.
The URS program is expected to lead to the development of a UAE-manufactured unmanned tactical vehicle that will provide logistical solutions, such as route clearance and the provision of relief aid to the front lines and refugee camps safely and securely.
Dr. Steve Griffiths, Vice President for Research and Interim Associate Provost, Masdar Institute, said: “We are excited to leverage our state-of-the-art research facilities and highly-skilled researchers to support the development of the URS Capability Demonstrator, along with our collaborators, who are global leaders in robotic and autonomous systems, military technologies, and ATVs. We believe that the URS program will ultimately lead to the development of disruptive technologies that will enable greater vehicle expeditionary mobility without sacrificing survivability. The collaboration builds on Masdar Institute’s ambition to develop strong platform capabilities in intelligent systems that are revolutionizing multiple sectors.”
Some of the capabilities of the URS ground vehicle will include remote control operation, which will allow direct human input to drive the vehicle remotely; a “follow-me” system, which enables the vehicle to follow the driver once he dismounts the vehicle; “return home” capabilities, which enables the vehicle to return by fastest means to a fixed point without driver intervention; shuttle abilities, which allow the vehicle to shuttle supplies between bases; and waypoint-follow, which enables the driver to send the vehicle ahead to the waypoint and then return to a preselected destination.
Sand-X will provide the land systems to the URS Program, including all current background intellectual property (IP) and hardware with data packages required by QinetiQ and Masdar Institute to integrate to the existing Sand-X T-ATV 1200 Tracked All-Terrain Vehicle.
Urs Eiselin, CEO, Sand-X Motors, said: “We are pleased to work with the DSMC, Masdar Institute and QinetiQ, and to leverage the SAND-X T-ATV 1200 all-terrain vehicle as a platform for further development of highly sophisticated and efficient ground URS vehicles.”
QinetiQ was selected to be the chief industrial partner by PAIDA on the technology development front. QinetiQ was chosen based on their extensive experience developing and manufacturing cutting-edge autonomous robotic military systems, such as the QinetiQ Raider II, which has capabilities – like obstacle detection, obstacle avoidance, follow-me, waypoint navigation and return to base – that are achievable on the proposed URS ground vehicle.
Iain Farley, Managing Director International, QinetiQ, said: “QinetiQ is privileged to have been selected to work with the Masdar Institute, SAND-X Motors on the URS Program. Development of novel autonomous systems that optimize military platforms for operations is a core capability within QinetiQ. We are confident that this collaborative project will build on our previous successes, and support the objectives of the autonomous ground URS program.”
The collaborators will enter the URS Capability Demonstrator in the AED1-million UAE Drones for Good Award and the AED1-million UAE AI & Robotics for Good Award. Award winners will be announced on 11 February, 2017.
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About Masdar Institute
The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Masdar Institute) was established by the government of Abu Dhabi as a not-for-profit, private graduate university to develop indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi addressing issues of importance to the region.
In collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute has developed an academic and research platform that articulates its mission and vision according to critical energy and sustainability challenges.
An important characteristic of Masdar Institute is its focus on complex real-world problems that require a multidisciplinary approach for the development of solutions from an integrated technology, systems and policy perspective. This multi-interdisciplinary and integrated approach is supported by the structure of its academic programs and by the emphasis placed on engaging external partners from industry, government, and other academic institutions in collaborative activities.
Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.
Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow. With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.
Masdar Institute offers degrees in:
● MSc Engineering Systems and Management
● MSc Computing and Information Science
● MSc Materials Science and Engineering
● MSc Mechanical Engineering
● MSc Water and Environmental Engineering
● MSc Microsystems Engineering
● MSc Electrical Power Engineering
● MSc Chemical Engineering
● MSc Sustainable Critical Infrastructure
● PhD in Interdisciplinary Engineering
Please visit our website http://www.masdar.ac.ae/
For more information contact:
Name: Shaima Al Jarman
Director – Marketing & Communications
Public Affairs Department
Email: saljarman@masdar.ac.ae
Phone: +971 02 810 9365
© Press Release 2016
