# News

## U.S. Air Force LogoUnited States Air Force

# Hanscom AFB teams support testing of AI and ‘robotic dogs’ at Tyndall AFB

              - Published  May 10, 2021
              -                             By K. Houston Waters                                                     
              - 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs

**HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. (AFNS) --  **
Two Hanscom Air Force Base teams are helping to build the “base of the future” by integrating an exciting new force protection technology at Tyndall AFB, Florida.Teams within Hanscom AFB’s Force Protection and Special Programs Divisions, supplied and integrated the 325th Security Forces Squadron with four prototype Quad-legged Unmanned Ground Vehicles, sometimes referred to as ‘robotic dogs,’ in March.They are semi-autonomous robots that can provide surveillance and perimeter security in difficult terrain or in harsh or unsafe conditions.“The Air Force is really trying to look beyond traditional technologies and vendors in how we are satisfying our base protection requirements,” said Maj. Jareth Lamb, Force Protection Modernization Branch chief. “This is just one of the ways we’ve been getting after innovation in the force protection space.”Designed by Ghost Robotics, these Vision 60 model robots are outfitted with 14 sensors and will be integrated with the Immersive Wisdom-developed command and control software Vanguard, using semi-autonomous and user-operated modes. The prototypes are equipped with advanced multi-directional, thermal, and infrared video capabilities, allowing for artificial intelligence-based threat detection.“People see these robots out walking around and they think this is a fieldable capability, but there is still a lot of development, testing and evaluation that still needs to be done,” said Johanna Lewis, Special Programs Division program manager. “Having them just walk around is not what we’re after. We want them to patrol the base using their integrated sensors to provide our forces in the base security operations center with useful, mission-critical data.”What sets these units apart is their ability to integrate additional advanced technology, like A.I.-based acoustic sensors, Lewis said. This would allow them to make decisions based on changes in the environments, such as the presence of humans or perceived threats.Despite the broad range of complex technology outfitted on the robots, experts say the user interface is actually quite simple to operate.“The command and control of these is actually pretty intuitive,” Lamb said. “They come with a control pad and joystick, so for anyone who’s ever played a video game before, you can easily pick it up and be able to control the full range of capabilities on these robots with minimal training.”The Hanscom AFB teams are currently providing program management, engineering support, contracting, and test and evaluation support to help determine the full range of capabilities of the robots, as well as determining training requirements.“It’s our responsibility to find out where the boundaries of these units are and if we can push those boundaries,” Lewis said. “We need to determine the full scope of how well they work, and how easy they are to maintain. These units at Tyndall are the first to be deployed and installed, so we have to do our due diligence and thoroughly test them.”Although early in the test and evaluation process, Lamb believes A.I.-enabled robots and similar technology could be a force multiplier with broad application Air Force-wide.“The sky is the limit,” he said. “If these ‘dogs’ can assist our forces in the field or in an expeditionary response capacity, I think that’s a win. But it’s still early. This is the first time that we’ve explored this type of technology, so there’s a lot we’re still learning. I think we’re really just scratching the surface about how we can leverage this exciting capability.”The Special Programs Division first highlighted the dogs last year at the Air Force’s second Advanced Battle Management System onramp exercise, which ran from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3 at Nellis AFB, Nevada.According to Lewis, testing of the prototypes at Tyndall AFB will continue through the fall.Her team issued a $1 million task order for the Tyndall AFB effort under an indefinite quantity, indefinite delivery contract with Immersive Wisdom. The task order is set to expire Sept. 30, but they are considering an agreement to extend that timeline, Lewis said.Click **here** to see a video of the robotic systems in action at Tyndall AFB.

FSUSAFAFAir ForceAFMCAir Force Materiel CommandHanscom AFBTyndall AFBBase of the FutureQuad-legged Unmanned Ground Vehiclesrobotic dogsinnovationmodernization