COMPARISON OF RIBOZYME STRUCTURE/FUNCTION

Not Available Visionary Products, Inc. (80%) proposes to collaborate with Utah State university (20%) to develop a novel, articulated, shape shifting portable robot (SSRP), possessing a unique hybrid walking and rolling locomotion capability and a highly terrain-conformable 3-degree of freedom structural geometry. The concept employs snap-together lightweight modules, each with two extendable-retractable legs attached to an instrument chassis at rotatable hip joints. Independently controlled omni-directional wheels are attached to each leg to provide speed and agility when walking or climbing locomotion is not necessary. By rotating, extending or retracting its legs, the VPI concept (MANTIS) can also modify its geometry to clear high objects and pass under combinations of low clearances and narrow openings. Importantly, it can maximize range and duration of a mission by using legged locomotion only when necessary, relying upon highly mobile and fast ODV locomotion when it is not. The objective of Phase I will be to demonstrate that the MANTIS is technologically feasible and to show by DADS simulation that it is capable of meeting, or exceeding, solicitation performance specifications. The team will be headed by Dr. Robert Gunderson, who recently retired from USU and joined VPI as its Chief Technology Officer.