DST partners to develop robotic system

6th July 2016 - 10:30 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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Australia's Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group has teamed up with academia and industry for the development of a prototype robotic teaming system that can provide autonomous perimeter and base protection capabilities, it was announced on 4 July.

The system builds on Agent Oriented Software (AOS) Group’s intelligent Watchdog (iWD) concept. It integrates DST’s knowledge of human-machine teaming, Deakin University’s expertise in intelligent systems, Insitu’s platform technologies and AOS’ intelligent agent expertise, a statement said. The system allows unmanned ground and air vehicles and unattended ground sensors to work in concert to detect and conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).

Apart from defence operations, the system also has applications in agriculture, mining and emergency management. The partnership is part of DST's contribution, under the Trusted Autonomy Strategic Research Initiative, to the Autonomy Strategic Challenge trials being held in November 2018. DST will also utilise learnings from this system in its other unmanned systems to support ISR operations in urban environments.

Simon Ng, defence scientist, said: ‘The capability will be demonstrated to key navy and air force stakeholders in mid-2016. Plans are in place to continue development of key underlying technologies inherent in this system as part of DST’s strategy to facilitate the transition of autonomous technologies into defence capability.’