Australia has awarded a 3.3 million Australian dollar ($2.4 million) contract to Cyborg Dynamics Engineering to develop a lightweight, semi-autonomous unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) for the armed forces.
According to the defense department, the Brisbane-based company will integrate various Australian technologies into the modular, robotic platform to help improve the army’s fire support capabilities and ensure better protection of soldiers.
The UGV will also be equipped with artificial intelligence target recognition capability and advanced driving technologies so only one soldier needs to operate the vehicle.
Since the new equipment is robot-assisted, the defense department says that the UGV will enhance soldier capabilities, lethality, and reduce operator risk.
‘Cutting-Edge Innovation’
Australian Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price explained that the government continues to tap the services of local firms such as Cyborg Dynamics because the country recognizes that cutting-edge innovation can provide better protection to the armed forces.
She also said that the country’s investment in modernization is critical to ensuring that Australia maintains an advantage over various threats amid an evolving strategic environment.
Meanwhile, Cyborg Dynamics Engineering founder and CEO Stephen Bornstein told Business News Australia that the multimillion-dollar contract allows his company the opportunity to further develop its robotics capabilities.
“We’re also working on a new use case for artificial intelligence such as Great Barrier Reef protection, and spinning out core technology from this unmanned ground vehicle into construction robotics,” he remarked.