Moving Technology Forward by Putting Robots to Work on Military Installations: Autonomous Warrior Transport On-base (AWTO)

The Autonomous Warrior Transport On-base (AWTO) pilot project is an Applied Robotics for Installations and Base Operations (ARIBO) project that addresses the real-world needs of the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Bragg. Soldiers in this battalion, some of whom have mobility difficulties, often require transportation assistance from the barracks to the Womack Army Medical Center. TARDEC and Robotic Research are utilizing robotic technology to provide an unmanned transport system equipped with a reservation/reminder system for these soldiers and caretakers. As a result, we are combining operational value and experimentation, creating a practical-to-tactical strategy that leverages existing autonomy R&D programs to build on increasingly complex operational scenarios.