Remotely controlled BomBot(TM) designed to keep soldiers out of harm’s way
FAIRMONT, W.Va., April 21, 2006 — U.S. troops in the Middle East will now use special military robots manufactured by the West Virginia High Technology Consortium (WVHTC) Foundation that are designed to combat improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The BomBot, an "expendable" military robot introduced by the United States Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technology Division, was unveiled yesterday at WVHTC Foundation headquarters in Fairmont, W.Va.
The BomBot is manufactured by Innovative Response Technologies, Inc. (IRT), a wholly owned subsidiary of the WVHTC Foundation, and represents a $9.6 million contract from the U.S. Navy. BomBots are robots that can be rapidly deployed to place explosive charges on or near an IED without exposing the operator to danger.
Originally developed at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, the BomBot delivers significant value to the coalition forces deployed in the Middle East. At a cost of only $5,000 each – versus earlier versions of robots that cost $100,000-$150,000 – the BomBot minimizes the military’s financial investment and maximizes frequency of use. The U.S. Navy began shipping the BomBot to U.S. military outposts in Iraq and Afghanistan earlier this month.
"The BomBot was manufactured in only 105 days from the contractual agreement to the first shipment date," said Congressman Alan B. Mollohan, who secured a total of $3.75 million in the 2004 and 2005 Defense Department spending bills for the WVHTC Foundation to prototype, test and evaluate the BomBot. "This rapid production cycle will enable the BomBot team to supply the robots at the rate our troops require them, with the goal of immediately resulting in lives saved."
"The manufacture of the BomBot represents a strategic government/industry R&D initiative, coupled with an urgent military need," said WVHTC Foundation President and CEO James L. Estep. "This successful, accelerated collaboration has resulted in a highly mobile vehicle that can be manufactured at a fraction of the cost of past robots used for these purposes, while keeping the robot operator out of harm’s way and saving military and civilian lives. This has a particularly special meaning to me because my son is serving in Iraq."
Many robotic systems are large and must be transported on a HumVee or by trailer and can move at speeds of only a few miles an hour. The BomBot is a miniature, modified, 4×4, remote controlled truck that has been equipped with a camera that can pan and tilt. The BomBot has a simple explosive charge dispenser that acts in much the same way as the bed of a dump truck. It weighs 15 pounds and is 22 inches by 20 inches by 18 inches in size, can reach speeds of 30 to 35 miles per hour, and is able to quickly and more covertly place a device near an IED to destroy it.
IRT will become the leading manufacturer of the low-cost robots in the country. IRT team members include a group of West Virginia-based companies and organizations: Azimuth, Inc., located in Fairmont and Morgantown; Kvaerner Power, Fairmont; and the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing (RCBI), located in Bridgeport, Rocket Center, South Charleston and Huntington.
Additionally, NOMADIO, Inc., of Philadelphia, Pa., is a strategic partner, manufacturing the remote control radio used on the BomBot system.
"The BomBot represents advanced technology applied in a simple, cost-effective way," said Brad DeRoos, WVHTC Foundation Vice President of Research and Development. "This vehicle can be used for reconnaissance or as a payload transporter. It is designed to carry up to 10 pounds of explosives to a suspect improvised device, drop off the explosives and move away from the explosives so that the operator can detonate them. This will undoubtedly equate to military and civilian lives saved."
Estep added that he anticipates growth in the robotics industry in the future. International and domestic terrorism, hazardous material monitoring and cleanup, and surveillance in hostile environments are examples of scenarios where robotic vehicles play a role in keeping soldiers, first responders and law enforcement personnel out of harm’s way.
For further information, go to http://www.irt-robotics.com.
The WVHTC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Fairmont, W.Va., functioning as an engine of economic change for growing a statewide and regional high-tech business sector. The Foundation has established a multi-faceted approach to maximize economic development, including infrastructure development, research and development, commercialization and affiliate services.
For further information, contact Ron Cochran at .
