US Army Innovates with Robotic Decontaminator to Address Chemical and Biological Threats.

On August 5, 2024, the U.S. Army announced the testing of a new robotic system, the Autonomous Equipment Decontamination System, designed to clean military vehicles exposed to hazardous substances. This initiative is a direct response to the persistent threats of nuclear, chemical, and biological (NBC) agents, known for their destructive potential even in small amounts.

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DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory's Autonomous Equipment Decontamination System (Picture source: US DoD)

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center is at the forefront of this technological advancement. Over four days, four soldiers tested this system, allowing them to provide essential feedback for its improvement. According to Spc. Yaleidi Escalera, this system eliminates the need to be near potential threats during decontamination. "The controls are intuitive and easy to use, which is crucial since we will be the ones using it in the field," she added in a press release.

The system operates with an unmanned ground vehicle equipped with a camera that scans the vehicles to detect contaminated areas. The contamination information is then wirelessly transmitted to operators stationed at a safe distance, who use a robotic manipulator arm to precisely apply a decontamination slurry where needed, thereby optimizing decontaminant use and saving time.

Soldiers highlighted several challenges related to the robot's navigation and its ability to handle the complex shapes and hard-to-reach surfaces of some military vehicles. They also suggested integrating right-click functionality into the computer interface to enhance user capability, as well as a manual control for the applicator arm in cases where the autonomous mode fails to reach all hot spots.

Decontamination is currently a cumbersome operation, requiring between 45 and 60 minutes per vehicle, involving a team of 20 to 30 soldiers in full protective gear. This task must be performed close to the exposure point, putting soldiers at risk of enemy attacks, and uses over 500 gallons of water and 50 gallons of decontaminant per vehicle.

The Autonomous Equipment Decontamination System is a multi-year cooperative project led by DEVCOM CBC, with support from the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory in designing the robotic arm, DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center in supporting the computer interface and UGV operations, and industrial partner Teledyne FLIR for software development of the camera.

For Major Paul Austin, a CBRN experimental officer with the Maneuver Support Battle Lab who coordinates and runs MSPIX, warfighter feedback is critical to assessing the success of a technology initiative. "From my experience as a CBRN officer during my time in Special Operations Command, I know the value of fast, efficient decontamination in the field. Chemical and biological agents are a weapon that can severely disrupt an operation, so being able to quickly address it is essential to completing the mission," he concludes.

This technological advancement represents a significant step towards improving military preparedness against NBC weapon threats, which, although rarely used since World War I, remain a major concern in contemporary conflicts.