SurveillanceLockheed developing autonomous and covert rover

Published 25 March 2011

A surveillance robot aims to operate around humans without being detected by them; the machine uses a laser scanner to builds a 3D computer model of its surroundings and uses a set of acoustic sensors to distinguish the proximity and direction of footsteps

A covert robotics demonstration late last year by Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Laboratories at Cherry Hill, New Jersey featured a four-wheeled prototype that aims to operate around humans without being detected. The machine uses a laser scanner to builds a 3D computer model of its surroundings and uses a set of acoustic sensors to distinguish the proximity and direction of footsteps.

Lead engineer Brian Satterfield says the robot was designed to operate within four constraints: “Avoiding visible detection by sentries of known locations, avoiding potential detection by sentries whose positions were unknown, avoiding areas in which the robot would have no means of escape, and, as this robot was designed to run at night, avoiding areas that were well lit.” To make it hard to spot in the dark, the robot was painted black.

If the robot believes it is in danger of being detected by an approaching sentry, it will try to get to a place where it can hide, Satterfield says. His comment is an example of how natural it is for us to talk about such robots as if they understand how they are perceived and have a “theory of mind”.

Lockheed Martin’s approach does include a sort of basic theory of mind, in the sense that the robot makes assumptions about how to act covertly in the presence of humans,” says Alan Wagner of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, who works on artificial intelligence and robot deception.

But the level at which the robot’s software operates is probably limited to task-specific instructions such as, “if you hear a noise, scurry to the nearest dark corner”, he says. That’s not sophisticated enough to hide from humans in varied environments.

Significant AI will be needed to develop a robot which can act covertly in a general setting,” Wagner says. “The robot will need to consider its own shape and size, to have the ability to navigate potential paths, [to be aware of] each person’s individual line of view, the impact that its movement will have on the environment, and so on.”

Satterfield’s robot was built with off-the-shelf components. Both he and Wagner say that specialized hardware which is more compact and quieter will improve future robots’ mobility and their ability to stay hidden. “There are very few fundamental limits that would prevent robots from eventually conducting extended covert missions and evading detection by humans,” Satterfield says.

Lockheed Martin’s work looks ready to emerge, albeit quietly, into the real world. The US army recently solicited proposals for a “persistent surveillance” robot with concealment capabilities and suited for extended deployments. Later this year, the US Department of Defense is expected to back that up with cash awards for working designs.