In Short Toward Criminal Justice Solutions: Vanguard Robot Assessment

摘要

In 1999, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) published the Inventory of State and Local Law Enforcement Technology Needs to Combat Terrorism, which outlined the law enforcement communitys need for improved robots to disarm and disable explosive devices. In 2000, NIJ funded Battelle Memorial Institute to conduct a practitioner-based assessment of requirements for developing a cost-effective bomb-disposal robot for use by State and local bomb squads. This effort produced the Law Enforcement Robot Technology Assessment, which discussed the current state of robotics technology and presented the following design criteria for an effective bomb-disposal robot: The ability to pick up a 35-pound object that is 18 inches or more ahead of the vehicle without tilting or becoming unstable.A functional range of 300 to 450 yards from the operator. The ability to operate for 8 to 13 hours a month for training and real scenario purposes. The ability to operate normally in temperatures between -40 and 120 degrees F for from 2 to 4.5 hours using an internal power source.Monthly maintenance time of 0.5 to 2 hours. Annual maintenance cost of $300 to $500. A speed objective of 1.5 to 3 miles per hour. Weight of 130 pounds or less for the mobile portion of the system to permit easy carrying; weight of 170 pounds or less for a two-man lift. Cost of $31,000 or less. The most critical shortcoming of bomb-disposal robots is the high cost. Most bomb squads in the United States cannot afford them.