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Marathon Targets / Press Releases / 2009-11-17 Marathon Robotics Selected for DoD Live Fire Training ProjectAutonomous Mobile Robots to Improve "Moving Marksmanship" TrainingWASHINGTON DC, November 17, 2009 - Marathon Robotics (www.marathon-targets.com), a global leader in live-fire robotic target systems, has been selected to provide Rover targets for evaluation by the US DoD. The project selection was made by the Comparative Testing Office of the US Department of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense. Contract award is expected following final approval of the upcoming FY 2010 Defense Appropriations and contract negotiations.
"We designed these robots to mimic human behavior during a variety of live fire scenarios," said Alex Brooks, CEO of Marathon Robotics. "They can be configured to behave like insurgents, civilians, friendly forces - or all three simultaneously. These robots are expected to improve both moving marksmanship and also 'escalation of force' decision-making." A team of robots can execute complex pre-planned scenarios, moving in and out of sight of training instructors - behaving much as people do. For example, the system is so realistic that when a robot is hit by live fire, the rest of them respond by scattering for cover.
"To be one of a few projects selected from hundreds of proposals from around the world is both an honor, and a validation of the system we designed and deployed with the Australian Defence Force," said Brooks. The project will be managed by the US Marine Corps Systems Command, Program Manager for Training Systems (PM TRASYS) in Orlando, Florida as a Foreign Comparative Test project. A network of mobile robotic targets - highly modified armor-plated Segways® resembling human targets - move freely across the entire training range. The mobile Rovers operate in an autonomous mode with minimal operator overhead, executing high fidelity scenarios while improving efficiency and reducing training costs. Marathon Robotics was founded by three PhDs who are now senior robotics researchers at the University of Sydney, Australia. Marathon delivered its first autonomous robots to the Australian Defence Force's sniper training range in Western Australia in 2008. The unique system was designed in conjunction with the Australian Department of Defence to facilitate challenging and realistic training, with an emphasis on improving moving marksmanship in live fire training.
"To be selected so quickly after our first presentations in the US is an excellent validation of the urgent need to improve moving marksmanship, and our potential to achieve those results" said Tobias Kaupp, CFO of Marathon Robotics. "We were further encouraged by the enthusiastic response to our robots at the Modern Day Marine and AUSA conferences last month." Based upon the reaction of potential users at those two conferences, Marathon will also be exhibiting at Milipol (www.milipol.com ) in Paris November 17-20 (Booth #1E-075), and I/ITSEC (www.iitsec.org) in Orlando November 30-December 3, 2009 (Booth #2910). An actual field-tested robot will be on display at both trade shows. Marathon Robotics has offices in Sydney, Australia, and US offices in Washington, DC and Huntsville, Alabama.
About Marathon RoboticsMarathon Robotics designs and builds robotic target systems for live-fire training. The company's target robots enable armed forces to train with an unprecedented level of realism. Autonomous operation is enabled by cutting-edge robotic technology and a scalable system architecture. For more information about Marathon Robotics, and a brief video of the robots on a live-fire range, please visit www.marathon-targets.com.
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Marathon Targets / Press Releases / 2009-11-17 |
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