Self-Mobile Trailer

The combat load for today's individual Special Operations Forces warfighter is 100 pounds or more, which is unacceptably high. Lighter loads will reduce SOF operator fatigue, and increase his ability to move greater distances in a shorter time than is possible today. As a solution to this problem, we propose to manufacture a self-mobile trailer, a robotic "mule" capable of carrying loads up to 1000 pounds - cargo and seated or litter-borne personnel - and autonomously trailing a foot patrol over rough terrain. The team we have assembled for this work has unparalleled experience designing robotic vehicles, and we expect to leverage work on similar vehicles to rapidly assemble and evaluate design concepts. The Phase II work will result in a prototype system suitable for field demonstration and experimentation. For commercialization, this is the only 1000 pound class vehicle currently under construction and we see opportunity for marketing to the Army and Marine Corp for deep reconnaissance missions that would be similar to SOCOM mission demands, as well as potential commercial applications in security and warehousing, and as a supply carrier for smoke jumpers fighting fires in rough terrain.