In the critically acclaimed RPG videogame Mass Effect, players are able to traverse the inhospitable terrain of alien worlds in the turret-equipped Mako, a versatile six-wheel go-anywhere-do-anything vehicle capable of dealing out as much punishment as it absorbs.
DARPA\'s 7-ton Crusher functions in conjunction with gaming peripherals and a hacked iPhone. Credit: rec.ri.cmu.edu
Whether developer BioWare based its Mako on inspiration garnered from the real-world is a matter of opinion, although one look at the US government’s new Crusher all-terrain monster would certainly suggest as much.
Created by the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the hulking Crusher is a surprisingly nimble unmanned, six-wheeled robotic vehicle able to plough with relative ease through all manner of environments and virtually any obstacle thrown in its path.
“This vehicle can go into places where, if you were following in a Humvee, you’d come out with spinal injuries,” commented Stephen Welby, director of DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office in a Stars and Stripes newspaper article. “Usually vehicles are set up to protect humans. Here, we didn’t have to worry about that.”
The Crusher, which lumbers over almost anything and everything thanks its extreme suspension system, weighs a tad short of 7 tons, pushes a top speed of 25mph, and has been designed to be completely autonomous.
By relying on GPS and internal map technology, the Crusher is able to successfully navigate from one point to another without requiring outside assistance from a remote driver, although remote control is also possible.
“This could be used as a scout, or a quick-response support vehicle,” outlined Welby “With existing cameras we've put on there this vehicle is able to see rabbits at long-range, and enemy troops from 4 kilometres away. Imagine sending this to an intersection and letting it sit there to monitor what's going on for days or weeks.”
Those testing the Crusher are currently using standard videogame controllers from Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console to operate the vehicle’s onboard cameras, antenna, and weapons systems, while videogame racing wheel peripherals govern directional control when necessary. Similarly, in terms of adapted consumer electronics, a hacked iPhone is being used to convey the Crusher’s internal diagnostic updates.
Learn more about the Crusher and marvel at it in action by clicking here.
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