Harris unveils RedHawk robotic system during AUVSI 2012

Harris has introduced its new RedHawk remote-controlled robotic system, designed to unarm improvised explosive devices (IEDs), during the ongoing AUVSI Unmanned Systems North America conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, US.

The system has been developed based on user experience gained by several Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) operators and is customised to meet the mission requirements of explosive ordnance disposal technicians and first responders.

Harris Government Communications Systems vice president of Aerospace Systems Bill Gattle said, that the firm’s goal was to push the technology forward so that one day no one will ever have to walk up to an explosive device in order to neutralise it.

"RedHawk’s haptic control technology reduces operator workload, preserves forensic evidence, and provides such realistic, intuitive feedback that operators can pick out an individual wire in an IED," Gattle added.

Equipped with an intuitive haptic feedback, RedHawk’s enables operators to remotely manipulate and disarm IEDs, while safeguarding operators from harm’s way.

The haptic technology enables operators to apply forces, vibrations, or motions to feel the objects.

The RedHawk family of solutions includes a modular, expandable system of wireless haptic controllers, precision manipulators, UGVs and accessories that can be easily reconfigured to perform specific missions.

More than 7,000 UGVs, which are already fielded, can be fitted with the RedHawk MP-R bolt-on solution, while RedHawk AGS is a highly-integrated UGV system.