The only constant is change and innovation.
This is particularly true for modern standards
of warfare and as a consequence, for suppliers
of defense technology. The military plot has
changed. Fewer ground troops are supported
by self-navigating vehicles (Unmanned Ground
Vehicles, UGV) furnishing reconnaissance data.
Network based tactic decisions are the driving
force behind the development of systems and
applications to optimally support modern
warfighters.
Finally, strategic battlefield operations are high-
ly dependent on the availability of real-time
data to be accessed and shared by commanders,
who can then spread dedicated data to their
front fighters. The diversity of UGVs on the
battleground is ever increasing, and will include
types which have been discussed in the
roadmap of Unmanned Ground Systems1. On
the electronics side it turns out that continued
reduction of SWaP (Space, Weight, and Power)
is a critical demand – combined with a stan-
dards-based reduced foot print, flexible I/O
and high performance of embedded computing
power (HPEC).
The support of autonomous ground mobile
computing requirements for vehicle operating
functions such as vision, communications and
autonomous navigation, in parallel with sup-
port for payload functions such as custom
sensor input or weapons management, will
place a high burden on the current crop of
rugged HPEC offerings. Will the answer be
more custom-fit proprietary solutions, a mix
of smaller dedicated processors or the evolution
of standards to meet the needs of an au-
tonomous vehicle future? The optimistic an-
swer is that the evolution of technology stan-
dards, COTS and engineering innovation will
be help usher in the age of vehicle autonomy
in all forms of military engagements.
Today UGVs are either tele-operated by a re-
mote human driver, or run semi-autonomously.
At this stage of UGV development, there is a
range of capability for autonomous operation.
For example, the UGV can either be slaved to
another human-operated vehicle in a convoy
scenario, or follow a tracking beacon or geo-
graphic waypoints using onboard sensors, GPS
and computing power to guide progress. HPEC
can play a big role in the evolution of au-
tonomous capabilities as they head toward
full independence. In addition, the needs of
payloads, such as Improvised Explosive Detec-
tion (IED) devices, will become ever more so-
phisticated. Autonomous operation will need
situational awareness provided by payload
computing as UGVs become fully autonomous.
To support progress toward full autonomy,
the US Army RS JPO has developed a func-
tional plan for multiple types of UGVs, in-
cluding multiple classes of vehicles and un-
manned ground vehicle platforms. Specifically,
the classes known as self-transportable and ap-
pliqué will have the most influence over the
HPEC evolution. The RS JPO Unmanned
Ground Systems Roadmap was created with
key technology enablers for UGV growth over
time. Some of these enablers will have a unique
evolutionary/revolutionary HPEC requirement,
especially as applied to the sub-segments of au-
tonomous navigation, power, vision, architecture
and payload support. To support this roadmap,
HPEC solutions will soon require performance
upgrades beyond what is available today.Within
the UGV self-transportable and appliqué classes
there are specific programs with unique capa-
bility sets that require technology enablers in
order to adhere to the roadmap. These programs
include the following.
Project Workhorse: UGV program deploying
in Afghanistan that involves a self-transportable
utility platform in the form of the Army-spon-
sored Squad Mission Support System (SMSS)
from Lockheed Martin. The SMSS is an au-
tonomous ground vehicle that can carry up to
a half-ton of squad equipment and can be re-
motely operated via satellite to perform au-
tonomous operations such as follow-me, go-
to-point and retro-traverse. The SMSS sensor
suite integrates light detection and ranging
(LIDAR), infrared (IR) and a colour camera.
Embedded computing for
unmanned ground vehicles
D
EFENCE
& A
EROSPACE
By Mike Jones,
ADLINK Technology
The aggressive roadmap for
unmanned ground vehicles
demands a common,
standards-based high
performance embedded
computing (HPEC) architecture.
ADLINK with other embedded
platform vendors is working
to meet the requirements
for HPEC systems of
the future, answering.
Figure 1. Lockheed Martin SMSS, currently deployed in Afghanistan
October 2013
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