www.irt-robotics.com

Program Overview
The WVHTC Foundation’s Robotics program is a robotic technology transfer and commercialization initiative sponsored by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The BomBot™ technology was initially designed by a government laboratory as an expendable robotic system to respond to the Improvised Explosive Device challenge in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our team completed the design for manufacture, design for assembly, and design for end user analysis. Innovative Response Technologies, Inc. (IRT), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the WVHTC Foundation, manufactured and delivered over 2,300 BomBot™ units directly to the two war zones.

The WVHTC Foundation transformed the BomBot™ from an “expendable” DoD system to a “reliable and affordable” commercial system that meets law enforcement, first responder, and military requirements for rapid situational awareness, remote response, and operator support.

This system is designed specifically for law enforcement and first responders, so it capitalizes on the successful BomBot™ design philosophy while emphasizing reconnaissance and intelligence gathering and rapid deployment of useful payloads and instruments. The BomBot-inspired X-Bot product line, now commercially available, provides a reliable, affordable remote reconnaissance and payload delivery tool to mitigate the dangers facing law enforcement, surveillance, first responder, and military personnel every day.

SRG’s Robotics program effectively transfers and commercializes government technology that meets end-user community requirements and gets technology into the hands of law enforcement and first responder practitioners.

The WVHTC Foundation is continuing to improve the product and increase its utility by developing an all-digital command and control system based on Wireless Ethernet at UHF (WEUF) technology. The WVHTC Foundation licensed the WEUF technology from Battelle Memorial Laboratories to increase the system range to over one mile and to enhance operations beyond the line-of-sight and in the urban environment.

Interchangeable mission modules under development to meet law enforcement and military requirements include non-lethal payloads (PepperBall™ Gun and Tear Gas canister deployment), two-way communications, extendable masts for elevated reconnaissance, lightweight mechanical manipulators, under-vehicle inspection, and a variety of chemical, explosive, and radiological detectors.

• Manufactured and delivered over 2,300 BomBot™ units in 10 months from contract award;
• NAVEODTECHDIV purchased another 200 units for Marine Corps use;
• BomBot™ units were accepted by 100% on-site DCMA inspection;
• In February 2007, delivered 96 “enhanced” BomBot™ units for Special Operations Group test and evaluation;
• $180,000 in BomBot™ and X-Bot product sales through June 2007 to law enforcement, military, and international customers;
• Delivered draft Law Enforcement Robotic Requirements-Small Mobile Robot to NIJ;
• Demonstrated PepperBall™ and tear gas deployment applications at Mock Prison Riot™ exercise sponsored by Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization and NIJ;
• Completed proof-of-concept field tests on the Wireless Ethernet at UHF (WEUF) technology;
• Demonstrated BomBot™ technology in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Response Robot Evaluation Exercises (April 2006, August 2006, June 2007)
• Provided technology demonstrations to numerous law enforcement first responder organizations including Bomb Squads, SWAT and Corrections Officers; and
• Initiated marketing campaign and established sales network to make product line available to law enforcement first responder organizations nationwide.