SINGAPORE — From a scalable cryptography chip to artificial intelligence (AI) models capable of detecting unknown malware, here are some of the latest defense technology projects DSO National Laboratories is working on to guard against malicious attacks. future threats.
They were unveiled at a recent exhibition at the DSO complex to mark the 50th anniversary of the defense research and development organization.
Autonomous robot dog can team up with other robots for surveillance
Surveillance of unfamiliar areas, especially urban environments, can be made safer and more efficient in the future through the use of robots such as the four-legged Harrier.
The dog-like unmanned vehicle can navigate tight spaces and climb stairs while generating 3D maps of its surroundings in real time.
It is also capable of operating in areas that do not have access to the Global Positioning System (GPS).
The key innovation lies in the “brain” of the Harrier, called the Autonomy Payload Kit, developed by a team led by robotics systems engineer Elaina Koh, 37.
Ms. Koh said the DSO team is working on improving the intelligence of the robot so that it can better respond to changing situations in the environment.
“Let’s say there is an entrance that is blocked in the Unknown Zone. With enhanced intelligence, the Harrier will know how to find an alternate route to get to its destination,” she said.
The Harrier can also team up with other robots, such as the Foxhound – a larger unmanned vehicle on wheels – to explore areas without the need for operator control.
The two robots can complement each other, Ms. Koh said.
The Foxhound, which has more computing power and capacity, can store information given to it by the Harrier, for example. But the Harrier, being smaller, can maneuver more easily in indoor spaces.
While the DSO team is currently experimenting with teams of two or three robots, “in the future we are looking at expanding it to maybe five, six, or even 10,” Ms Koh added.