Environmental Energy Systems, Inc. (EES) proposes a feasibility study to be made of an advanced robotic vehicle capable of entering a battlefield, locating and retrieving casualties, and returning them to the rear for treatment. The robotic vehicle also might conduct limited diagnostic or treatment functions. Artifical intelligence programming and advanced robotic sensor and computer technologies will be key to the vehicle's capabilities. The general concept for the artificial intelligence/robot supplement to medical support calls for a small, light-weight, two-unit wheeled vehicle using a twin hull construction with a connecting, full articulated pivot. It would be of low profile and narrow width yet still be capable of carrying two soldiers in a prone position. The vehicle would be monitored and directed from a control van to the rear. On board, sensors, communications, and actuating devices would be employed under artificial intelligence programming to locate and retrieve casualties. It appears feasible for such a vehicle to perform these functions and possible diagnostic and treatment activities as well. Project objectives will be to determine the feasibility of such a vehicle and develop the baseline design data for prototyping of athe concept in later phases. EES is uniquely qualified to perform this research due to its background in robotic vehicles, telemetry and sensor design, and in artificial intelligence concepts. The EES approach will be to use its institutional knowledge and expertise to analyze the requirement and identify and evaluate appropriate technology for the robotic vehicle. Teams would be organized capable of this level of research and each would contribute to the integration of their diverse technologies into a practical system concept. The results of their findings would be submitted to the U.S. Government in the form of an interim and final report.
