Tangential Rotary-impact Tool (TRT) for MTRS robots

As currently-fielded robots and bomb-disposal personnel become more adept at detecting, inspecting, and disabling conventional Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), the enemy has begun to adopt tactics of both disguising and limiting access to the explosive device or detonation mechanism. A popular approach has been to encase the device and explosives in compacted soil or concrete, effectively preventing currently fielded Man Transportable Robotic System (MTRS) units such as the TALON and Packbot from inspecting or neutralizing the device. To eliminate this enemy tactic, this proposal presents our concept for the Tangential Rotary-Impact Tool (TRT). The proposed Tangential Rotary-impact Tool (TRT) is a strap-on addition for all MTRS units, designed to break-up and cut through packed soil, conrete, and steel-reinforced concrete to expose the encased IED. The tool is remotely operated, requires minimal operator training, and does not affect the run time or functionality of the base robotic platform.