
An autonomous tracked platform that can be used for troop extraction, resupply, and search and security operations was tested by U.S. Marines in this year’s Cobra Gold exercise in Thailand.
The diminutive Chaos robot which was developed by Autonomous Solutions Inc. of Logan, Utah, for the Army’s Automotive Research Development and Engineering Command, is designed to navigate in rugged terrain that previously could only be accessed by soldiers on foot.
While capable of carrying a heavy payload, the intelligent transporter can be hoisted from a vehicle by two people. Chaos is able to lift 50-pound objects at the full reach of its 72-inch optional manipulator arm.
The key to the robot’s unprecedented mobility is four independent tracks that are able to continuously turn a full 360 degrees.