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The Pronto4™ Agnostic Autonomy System successfully enables optionally unmanned vehicle navigation on the Earth's surface by providing a universal retrofit kit for existing ground vehicle or surface vessel platforms. This compact, modular-constructed hardware system is capable of installation anywhere in the field in a four-four-four process — a four-person team can install four backpack-sized modules in four hours. With the Pronto4™, you can have a superior, affordable, optionally unmanned solution right now.
Benefits
The simplicity of the Pronto4™ allows any existing vehicle or vessel with a steering wheel to be retrofitted in the field instead of taking the vehicle out of the field and adapting it in the factory. Also, retrofitting in the field keeps the existing vehicle supply chain in place, leveraging current assets and preventing a replacement of the vehicle. The modular construction of the Pronto4™ permits field component exchange and local storage of auxiliary parts as well. These benefits reduce the total cost of ownership for the vehicle.
A HMMWV retrofitted with the Pronto4™ Agnostic Autonomy System prepares for a high-speed test (75+ mph).
When the Pronto4™ system is installed on a vehicle, it becomes an optionally unmanned, drive-by-wire system capable of tele-operation or semi-autonomous travel. As such, the unmanned ground vehicle is still available for dual-use in manual mode; all normally accepted manual driving controls are maintained. If a human operator is sitting behind the wheel of the Pronto4™ system while it is controlled by a remote operator or local computer, simply tapping the brake (just like a cruise control) will turn control back to the human operator in the Pronto4™ system.
Vehicles retrofitted with the Pronto4™ Agnostic Autonomy System can perform flexible roles in a tele-operational or semi-autonomous mode.
Features
The Pronto4™ system consists of three sub-systems — power/computing, vehicle and actuation. Installation is minimally invasive to vehicle sub-systems and includes steering control, brake and throttle (pedal) control, transmission control and ancillary functions such as lights, blinkers, wipers, washer, horn and door locks. The reproducible, universal retrofit mechtronics for the drive-by-wire portion of the Pronto4™ system leverages the infrastructure of existing vehicle platforms. The retrofit kit is compatible with the Kairos Autonomi™ ProntoMimic software, as well as third-party pathing products.
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Additional features include:
- JAUS Interoperable
- Field installable and qualifiable
- Weighs less than 50 lbs.
- 12 vdc source
- Adaptable software capability
- Minimal power and computing requirements
- Capable of speeds in excess of 90 mph scalable manufacturing to match build standard of the vehicle; best commercial practices to MIL-STD-810E/F
- Ability to function with or without a driver
- Multiple mission configuration
- Adaptability with numerous other technologies
- After proper IFF, an untrained person can use the vehicle in manual mode
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A Pronto4™ System installed on a Kawasaki Mule. |
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Additions / Add-ons to the Pronto4™
ProntoMimic Software Suite
This software has a series of path creation / following interfaces that perform the task of path creation and maintenance using numerical data or aerial images and path execution in the form of Global Positioning System (GPS) waypoint following. The software is highly flexible and adaptable, and can also be used for tele-operation.
Available software features include:
- Local/host video text annotation
- Global Positioning System (GPS) with dual antennae inputs
- Local video active graphic annotation
- Multiple camera video management
- Pilot headset control
- 3D fast-pan camera
- Magnetic compass and tilt sensor
- Three axis inertial sensors
- Standard USB 2.0 hub peripherals
Once installed, it can be fully field validated for proper operation in less than two hours. ProntoMimic can operate either in concert with or independently from the Pronto4™ Agnostic Autonomy System.
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