Adopting cutting-edge technology to conceive futuristic support systems, the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory based in Bengaluru, has produced mobile robots to reduce casualty in Indian Army.
The robots can be used in low-intensity conflicts and supplant military personnel in surveillance operations. “These are ideal for stealth surveillance and we are working on futuristic scenario,” said CAIR scientists who were displaying the technology at the Pride of India exhibition held as part of the Indian Science Congress here. “These are technology demonstrators that can be scaled up once cleared for induction,” they said.
On display were various robots with locomotion mechanism technologies, including robots that can be deployed in rough terrains and walking robots. The snake robot was described as ideal to navigate and gather information in a low-conflict scenario like the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. These are manually controlled and the technology combines the latest in computer software, mechatronics and other emerging fields. Besides surveillance, the robots can map the terrain and also be deployed for mine detection before sending the infantry to the war zone.
Vishakapatnam-based Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, a unit of the DRDO, has developed an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) which is not only futuristic but has also propelled India into the league of nations possessing such a capability. “What is significant is that it can be used to carry payload and even if detected and destroyed, there will be no human casualty apart from detecting mines in the sea,” said K. Srikanth, scientist at the laboratory. It could also be deployed for underwater search and surveillance besides intelligence collection.
Mr. Srikanth, who is involved in developing a stealth technology to reduce the “observability” explained that the concept embeds different kinds of technologies to reduce the distance at which the naval ships could be detected. “If the stealth technology is used, a naval ship which is at present detected 100 km away, will come into the enemy observation range only when it is a few km away and give the country an edge”.
The DRDO was represented by 36 of its 52 laboratories from across India at the exhibition and also on display were missile models, aircraft models, airborne and early warning and control system, models of Brahmos, ship sonar model, LCA fighter model, night vision goggle and binocular, RP model of Kaveri engine, snake robot, autonomous search robot, Arjun MVT-MK-1 model, and missile warhead, among others.
