Multi-utility legged equipment (MULE), that was showcased at the North Tech Symposium by ARC Ventures at IIT Jammu, hogged attention of one and all, especially the armed, paramilitary and police forces.
The four–legged robotic mule, equipped with cameras and radars, has been manufactured for human-less intervention to locate and eliminate terrorists, a peril army and paramilitary personnel face quite often in Jammu and Kashmir while combating terrorists.
Official sources confirmed that the army is likely to induct 100 such units, probably this or next year, to add teeth to its counter-terror operations in the region.
Anish Puri of the ARC Ventures said that the it has been designed for human-less intervention.
“Equipped with cameras and radars, it relays info in real-time about the enemy hiding in a room, helping in determination of exact location of the threat,” he said.
Puri added that a firing platform can also be mounted on the MULE to locate and neutralise threats, adding that the capability will be added soon.
During a contingency, explosives and ammunition can also be mounted on the unit and ferried to the soldiers on ground zero.
{{/usCountry}}During a contingency, explosives and ammunition can also be mounted on the unit and ferried to the soldiers on ground zero.
{{/usCountry}}Costing nearly ₹2 crore each, this all-weather ground robot can operate in temperatures ranging from minus 40°C to 50°C.
At 51 kg and three feet height, the robot can walk on snowy and mountainous terrain.
On LTE band, it can cover 10 km.
“From spying to room intervention for detection of enemy, the equipment can be used on hills with a gradient of 45°. It can also climb stairs with a height of 18 cm,” Puri added.
“Since it has cameras that pan 360 degrees, sensor and radars, the live-feed can be seen on the television screens,” said Puri.
Puri claimed that the robot can be kept hidden in water as shallow as one metre for upto 30 mins.
“By the end of this fiscal year, we have to supply 100 such robots to the army,” he said.