The XM1216 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) is a

Future Combat Systems Future Combat Systems (FCS) was the United States Army's principal modernization program from 2003 to early 2009. Formally launched in 2003, FCS was envisioned to create new brigades equipped with new manned and unmanned vehicles linked by an unpr ...

specific, man packable (< ) version of the iRobot's

PackBot PackBot is a series of military robots by Endeavor Robotics (previously by iRobot), an international robotics company founded in 2016, created from iRobot, that previously produced military robots since 1990. More than 2000 were used in Iraq and ...

Description

The XM1216 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) is a lightweight, man portable

Unmanned Ground Vehicle An unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) is a vehicle that operates while in contact with the ground and without an onboard human presence. UGVs can be used for many applications where it may be inconvenient, dangerous, or impossible to have a human op ...

(UGV) capable of conducting military operations in urban terrain, tunnels, sewers, and caves. The SUGV aids in the performance of manpower-intensive or high-risk functions (i.e. urban Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, chemical/Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TIC), Toxic Industrial Materials (TIM), reconnaissance, etc.). Working to minimize Soldiers' exposure directly to hazards, the SUGV's modular design allows multiple payloads to be integrated in a

plug and play In computing, a plug and play (PnP) device or computer bus is one with a specification that facilitates the recognition of a hardware component in a system without the need for physical device configuration or user intervention in resolving resou ...

fashion. Weighing less than , it is capable of carrying up to of payload weight. The XM1216 can either be remotely manned, or manipulated through use of a

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...

Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...

gamepad A gamepad is a type of video game controller held in two hands, where the fingers (especially thumbs) are used to provide input. They are typically the main input device for video game consoles. Features Gamepads generally feature a set of ...

fitted with speciality drivers. This allows full control of the unit, otherwise unavailable through a conventional joystick. Alternatively a ruggedized controller known as Small HaWC (HArm's Way Controller), more suited to combat environments may be used in place of the Xbox 360 controller. The SUGV is part of Spin Out 1 and has entered evaluation at the Army Evaluation Task Force (AETF). It will be fielded to IBCTs starting in 2011. In February 2012, the Army announced their intention to issue a sole-source contract to iRobot for the XM1216 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) Robotic System. The contract is for developing, supporting, and testing hardware and software related to the XM1216. In August 2015, the U.S. Marine Corps ordered 75 SUGVs.USMC orders 75 SUGV robots
- Shephardmedia.com, 4 August 2015

Gallery

File:FFW fort bliss-2007-02-02-.jpg, Note the

controller held by the operator (click for larger picture) File:SUGV controls.jpg, Alternative SUGV controller File:Irobot-fastac-training.jpg, A robotics technician assigned to the Bahraini Special Security Force (BSSF) trains soldiers on the SUGV

References

;Notes ;Sources
US Army site : SUGV

External links

Visit to iRobot and hands on with SUGV

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...

31 May 2009, Mark Harris Unmanned ground vehicles Military equipment of the United States Military robots IRobot 2000s robots Tracked robots Military vehicles introduced in the 2000s {{robo-stub