Jason Corso, who serves as assistant professor of computer science and engineering at University at Buffalo, has received a fund from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to conduct research on applications of robots to perform demanding operations, including terrain mapping, communication chaining, soldier-aid, search-and-rescue, search-and-destroy and surveillance.
Jason Corso
The Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) award will be used by Corso, who leads a multi-field team of scientists at School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, to buy a fleet of mobile robots or unmanned ground vehicles with different functionalities to endorse his joint research. The devices will enhance the research scenario and will also be utilized in student courses.
According to the 2001 Congressional Defense Authorization Act, one-third of ground battle vehicles must be unmanned by 2015. Corso’s robots will get the benefits of more acute visual detection systems and more intuitive radio controls, as DoD already employs unmanned ground vehicles in battlefields such as Afghanistan. Corso is designing various kinds of robots.
Corso stated that autonomous and unmanned vehicles have the prospects to strengthen the Army. These robots or unmanned ground vehicles would deliver sensory feedback to their human radio-operator from either remote sensory input like video cameras or line-of-sight visual observation. The robot’s capability to sense potential threats and objects of concern such as vehicles or people will assist American soldiers to maintain a safe distance from risky situations.