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re2, Inc. Signs Subcontract with Carnegie Mellon to Provide JAUS Software Implementation
28 June 2005
re2, Inc. (Robotics Engineering Excellence), a Carnegie Mellon University spin-off company specializing in mobile defense robotics, announced today that it has signed a subcontract with the university to provide software engineering expertise and its JAUS (Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems) Developer Library for the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Gladiator Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle (TUGV) Program. The Gladiator TUGV will provide the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with a tele-operated unmanned ground vehicle for remote combat, reconnaissance and surveillance tasks, allowing the operator to remain safely concealed at a distance.
re2, Inc.’s JAUS Developer Library, a software development toolkit that quickly and easily enables organizations to implement JAUS-compliant systems, will be integrated into the TUGV software system to ensure that the vehicle is JAUS compliant. JAUS is a Department of Defense (DoD) mandated software architecture developed to establish a standard for unmanned systems. JAUS ensures that all Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) are interoperable, can insert new capabilities easily, and remain open and scalable. In addition to UGVs, JAUS can also be integrated into unmanned air, surface or underwater commercial or military vehicles.
“We’re extremely pleased that Carnegie Mellon has selected re2 to provide our software expertise and commercially off-the-shelf JAUS Developer Library to the SDD phase of the TUGV program,” said Jorgen Pedersen, president and CEO of re2, Inc. “By being a part of this program, re2 further solidifies its position as a valued robotics engineering subcontractor in the unmanned systems market.”
“The Gladiator program is important for the Marines because it provides them with remote stand-off capability to locate, identify, and engage enemy targets,” said Colonel Jeff Kotora USMC (ret), Chair of the JAUS Working Group. “re2’s JAUS work for Gladiator is a key aspect to ensure that Gladiator robots and subsystems are interoperable and upgradeable over the long term.”
Carnegie Mellon's National Robotics Engineering Consortium (NREC), a part of the Robotics Institute in the School of Computer Science, leads a team that includes United Defense as principal subcontractor and teammate. Carnegie Mellon will lead the SDD phase of the program as prime contractor, working closely with United Defense to draw on its experience in program management, engineering, integration and integrated logistics support tasks as Gladiator development moves toward production and fielding. re2, Inc. will work directly with the NREC, located off campus in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh, as an integral part of the software development team.
re2, Inc. initially joined Carnegie Mellon’s Gladiator TUGV program in February 2003. During Phase I, re2 provided rapid prototyping services, including proof-of-concept field tests of diesel engines in ATV-sized robotic vehicles. In Phase II, re2 designed and implemented the software system and vehicle electronics for the Phase II prototype. This effort included the JAUS-based vehicle controller, localization, waypoint navigation, payload control, and vehicle computing. A key component of re2’s Phase II effort was safety, specifically as it applied to the JAUS software architecture. The company will continue to make safety a priority within the software system in the SDD phase of the program.
“We at Carnegie Mellon's National Robotics Engineering Consortium are pleased that the Joint Robotics Program, along with the U.S. Marine Corps, have selected our team to develop the SDD phase vehicle of the Marine's TUGV program," stated Jeff Farbacher, program manager for the Carnegie Mellon Gladiator team. "re2 has been a member of our Gladiator TUGV team for several years, providing software and electronics assistance. Now, in the SDD phase of the program, we are counting on re2 to provide its JAUS expertise to ensure that the vehicle meets the DoD's architecture standard for unmanned systems.”
“The awarding of this subcontract to re2 is further evidence of the growing role that Southwestern Pennsylvania- based companies will play in agile robotics, an emerging sector of the overall worldwide robotics industry comprising a wide range of intelligent, mobile products and systems that remotely and, to an extent, autonomously perform complex tasks in various dynamic environments,” commented Bill Thomasmeyer, Executive Vice-President of The Technology Collaborative. “In particular, regional companies and organizations, such as re2, are expected to be primary players in the development, adaptation, and integration of JAUS and other emerging industry standards.”
About re2, Inc.
re2, Inc. (Robotics Engineering Excellence), located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a Carnegie Mellon spin-off company specializing in mobile defense robotics with an emphasis on unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). re2, Inc. has partnered with universities and industry leaders, such as Carnegie Mellon and Exponent, Inc., to develop and support robotic technologies. As a defense subcontractor, re2, Inc. has contributed to the development of mobile robotic technologies for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Army’s Rapid Equipping Force (REF), The Office of2Naval Research (ONR), and The Marine Corps. For more information, visit www.resquared.com or call (412) 681-6382.
Source: PR Web
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