GuardBot Robot Ball: An Autonomous Eye For The Military

The military could have a new robotic aid in the future, and it'll come in the form of a large studded rubber ball. Called the GuardBot, this robot ball is able to swim and roll across land, and could prove an invaluable tool in the military, as well in research projects and more. The GuardBot has been previously tested at the Naval Amphibious Base in Virginia, and it is now being tested at the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab for potential use in "an operational environment".

The GuardBot is a robotic ball able to roll over land and swim in water, with the latter having a top speed of 4MPH. The ball is able to roll through water up onto a beach, scaling beaches that have inclines as sharp as 30-degrees. There's nine-axis stabilization on board, as well as a propulsion system that uses pendulum motion.

The robotic ball can be designed in different sizes, with the smallest being 10cm and the largest being a huge 9ft. When tested at the naval base, GuardBot was able to both deploy from and return to a naval craft without any issues. In the future, the robotic ball will use GIS to autonomously roll itself to whatever area has been designated.

There are different potential uses for the GuardBot, the main one being surveillance and close-up inspection of objects. The ball's ability to turn entirely around is perfect for this task, but that's not its only potential use. GuardBot can also potentially be used to deliver payloads, which could include explosives.

SOURCE: Defense One