ARM Institute Catalyzes New Directed Projects with Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
Directed ARM Institute projects strengthen collaboration between ARM Institute Members and the Department of Defense (DoD).
September 26, 2022 – The ARM Institute is pleased to announce the selection of three new ARM Institute Directed Projects. Distinct from the Institute’s standard Project Calls, ARM Institute Directed Project Calls go beyond the Institute’s Technology Investment Strategy to specifically address pervasive needs for the Department of Defense (DoD). The three newly selected projects on robotics seek to accelerate solutions for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The ARM Institute previously announced its first set of Directed Projects in 2021.
Directed Projects provide another method for the ARM Institute to fund robotics projects, enable ARM Institute Members to build relationships with the Department of Defense (DoD), and facilitate collaboration between the DoD and non-traditional collaborators. The selected projects also outline use cases for industry, creating dual impact for these projects.
“Directed Projects are another tool in the ARM Institute’s suite of capabilities that enable greater collaboration between industry, government, and academia,” stated Dr. Chuck Brandt, ARM Institute Chief Technology Officer, “These projects leverage the ARM Institute member ecosystem to address DoD needs that also impact the wider manufacturing ecosystem.”
Most recently, the ARM Institute selected three Directed Projects with AFRL. Read more about these Air Force robotics projects below:
New ARM Institute/Air Force Robotics Projects:
Air Force Robotics Project 1: Mixed Reality (MR) Cloud Platform for Robotics
Project Team: GridRaster
Description: The Mixed Reality Cloud Platform for Robotics project seeks to enable the development and scaling of mixed reality and create an immersive 3D environment for robotics operators. The full application of this Air Force robotics project on Mixed Reality (MR) is inhibited by the need for the devices to be small and light enough to be head-mounted (typically as glasses) while also being computationally as powerful as desktop workstations. Through this project, Grid Raster will provide the technology stack using their cloud based advanced 3D Machine Vision and Remote Rendering technologies addressing the technology gaps to allow human machine interactions using MR for robotics-based sustainment.
Air Force Robotics Project 2: Artificial Intelligence Enabled Mobile Multi-Use Robot (MMUR) Defastening
Project Team: Titan Robotics
Project Description: This Air Force robotics project seeks to extend the capabilities of a Mobile Multi-Use Robot (MMUR) currently deployed at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (WR-ALC). Currently, the MMUR system takes on the ergonomically unfriendly task of removing fasteners (defastening) but requires a substantial amount of oversight to ensure the robotics system does not damage the workpiece. This project seeks to develop advanced machine learning (ML) processes that use quantifiable metrics beyond the capability of human perception and lessen the need for tedious human oversight.
Air Force Robotics Project 3: Agile Autonomous Mobile Manipulator (A2M2)
Project Team: Titan Robotics
Project Description: This Air Force robotics project seeks to develop a fully autonomous mobile robotic platform capable of coating a full-sized F-15. Current coating processes are tedious manual tasks that rarely result in the same quality seen in production. Additionally, when automated solutions are used, they are typically built for a single purpose and require significant facility capital investments and a high production throughput to achieve a positive return on investment (ROI). This project seeks to build a flexible, autonomous system that will require less capital investment and reduce aircraft maintenance backlogs and downtime. Using developments in mobile manipulation, the system will be able to move to a part, instead of taking a part to the robot.
Learn More & Get Updates
ARM Members will learn more about ARM Institute Directed Projects and what this new funding mechanism means for member organizations at our 5th Annual Member Meeting taking place November 15-17, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA!
Members can register for our Annual Member Meeting in the ARM Member Community. Registration is free and open only to ARM Members. Email [email protected] to learn more or for help registering.
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About the ARM Institute
The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense under Agreement Number W911NF-17-3-0004 and is part of the Manufacturing USA® network. The ARM Institute leverages a unique, robust, and diverse ecosystem of 300+ consortium members and partners across industry, academia, and government to make robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence more accessible to U.S. manufacturers large and small, train and empower the manufacturing workforce, strengthen our economy and global competitiveness, and elevate national security and resilience. Based in Pittsburgh, PA since 2017, the ARM Institute is leading the way to a future where people & robots work together to respond to our nation’s greatest challenges and to produce the world’s most desired products. For more information, visit www.arminstitute.org and follow the ARM Institute on LinkedIn and Twitter.