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PackBot

Soldiers from the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, use the iRobot 510 PackBot to identify and un-arm a simulated improvised explosive device at the Robotics lane located at the U.S. Army's National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif. The 510 PackBot is used by infantry soldiers to identify roadside bombs other IEDs. For the soldiers on the front lines the robot allows them to assess areas from a safe distance. The soldiers from the 1/25th SBCT are currently conducting a wide variety of training at NTC in preperation for their deployment to Afghanistan in spring.

PackBot is a series of military robots by iRobot. More than 2000 are currently on station in Iraq and Afghanistan, with hundreds more on the way. PackBots were the first robots to enter the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

Current PackBot 510 variants

PackBot 510 is the current base model. It uses a videogame-style hand controller to make it more familiar to young operators. Configurations include:
  • PackBot 510 with EOD Bomb Disposal Kit designed for improvised explosive device identification and disposal.
  • PackBot 510 with Fast Tactical Maneuvering Kit designed for infantry troops tasked with improvised explosive device inspection. This is a lighter weight robot.
  • PackBot 510 with First Responder Kit designed to help SWAT teams and other first responders with situational awareness.
  • PackBot 510 with HazMat Detection Kit collects air samples to detect chemical and radiological agents.
  • PackBot 510 with Fido utilizes the Fido Explosives Detector from ICx Technologies as a payload in order to "sniff" out explosive materials. With the Fido, the PackBot now has the capability of locating explosive devices and subsequently disarming them using on-board robotic capabilities.
  • PackBot 510 with REDOWL Sniper Detection Kit utilizes the Acoustic Direction Finder from BioMimetic Systems to localize gunshots with azimuth, elevation, and range.

Source

The information contained on this page is unclassified, approved for public dissemination and is released under CC-BY-SA Licensing Agreement.