Russian MOD and University of Research sign an agreement to develop exoskeleton for military use TASS 12411151

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Defence & Security News - Russia
 
Russian MOD and University of Research sign an agreement to develop exoskeleton for military use
The Russian Defense Ministry will fund the development of heavy exoskeletons and artificial intellect for tracked robots, the Kursk-based South-Western State University press service has reported. The University has presented those products at the Army-2015 exhibition.
     
The Defense Ministry will fund the development of heavy exoskeletons and artificial intellect for tracked robots, the Kursk-based South-Western State University press service has reported. The University has presented those products at the Army-2016 exhibition Russian armed forces are going to be equipped with mind-controlled exoskeletons
     
"A cooperation agreement will be signed between the University and MoD," Sergey Yemelyanov, the University President, said. "The Ministry assumes complete responsibility for these developments, providing extra funding and support of the state agencies," he continued. However, the amount of funding has not been revealed.

Andrei Yatsun, head of the Kursk University robotics engineering laboratory, told TASS that the prototype of the heavy version of the exoskeleton for Defense Ministry can appear as early as 2016. Thus far, on MoD recommendation, this will be not a combat version but an auxiliary work tool. "We’ve started studying the possibility of using a heavy version of the exoskeleton for loading and unloading," Yatsun said, adding that a soldier in the exoskeleton will lift 80 kg more than with "bare hands."

The system of intellectual movement or, in other words, the artificial intellect for tracked platforms is being developed by the Kursk University Research and Production Center and has already been checked at the proving grounds. "Such intellectual control systems, following their minor adaptation to a specific product, can be installed on any tracked platforms having digital control signals, after which they will turn into robots," the center director Alexander Grivachev told TASS previously.

With the aid of this system the machine moves virtually without man’s involvement. It draws itself the digital map of the obstacles, following which the operator shows the finishing point and the robot starts moving towards it. The human aid will be required only in the most difficult portions of the route while ordinary obstacles, such as fallen trees, can be negotiated by the robot on its own, using sensors and recognizing obstacles at a speed of more than 30 km/h.

On Friday, a science and technology session was held at the Kursk University, taking part in which were Oleg Martyanov, member of the Russian Defense Industry Board, Sergey Popov, head of the Russian MoD’s chief robotics research and testing center, and other officials of the Defense Ministry and defense industry. "Sergey Popov invited the University to participate in the Army-2016 exhibition, notably, at on the MoD demonstration site," the university president pointed out.

At the Army-2016, in addition to exoskeletons, the scientists plan to display vibration robots /moving by means of vibration/ and an underwater robotic scout capable of performing military divers’ functions.
     
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