QinetiQ North America is unveiling the new TALON V robot at the AUSA exposition next week in Washington DC. Designed as a man transportable robot system (MTRS), TALON V is designed to provide open architecture, increased performance, flexibility and satisfy MTRS requirements. According to QinetiQ, the new robot is designed for interoperability with third party components that gives the soldier more flexibility and options to carry out the mission at hand.
Smaller size and high performance motor allows for faster speeds, stair climbing and improved obstacle negotiationsOther improvements were made to the operating console, with user-defined graphical interface and support for HD video of 1080i. The manipulator arm has also been strengthened, with increased lift capability and third party equipment interoperability (IOP).
One of the new payloads integrated with the platform is a new miniaturised LIDAR the VLP-16 Puck from Velodyne, which will be displayed next week at the RoboBusiness convention in Boston.
“Velodyne’s VLP-16 LiDAR Puck is a perfect match for the TALON platform,” said Daniel Deguire, Director of Unmanned Systems for QinetiQ North America. “Its field of view, light weight, low power consumption and low cost promise to bring a host of new opportunities to deploy autonomous TALON robots, easing the burden on our soldiers and first responders.” The TALON robot system includes an array of specialized models, modules, and attachments, and can be configured for many applications, including IED defeat, CBRNE/hazmat identification, route clearance, reconnaissance, combat engineering support and SWAT/MP unit assistance.
Measuring 3D in real time, Velodyne’s VLP-16 is part of a growing family of solutions built around the company’s Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology. The target range for the VLP-16 is 150-200 meters. Velodyne’s LiDAR Puck provides 16 channels, delivering point measurements of about 300,000 per sec. It operates over 360° horizontal field of view and a 30° vertical field of view, with ±15° up and down. The Velodyne LiDAR Puck has a protective design, making it highly resilient in challenging environments.
