In the News

05.08  |  POST-GAZETTE: Sensor-rich 'Scout Ball' Has Firm Rolling

Imagine you're a platoon leader in Afghanistan, approaching the entrance to a dark cave and wondering whether enemy fighters are lurking inside. You could send some men in, at great risk of their being shot. Or the Army could give you a robot, but they're expensive, relatively heavy and often stymied by difficult terrain. But what if you could throw an object inside that would give you readings from multiple sensors...

11.07  |  MobileFusion: Surveillance Ball Acts as Remote Eyes and Ears

Police, fire and military personnel are often forced to enter dangerous situations blindly, not knowing what they will find inside. A wide range of expensive camera and audio technologies have been developed to help gather accurate intelligence information. Pittsburgh-based Mobile Fusion saw this as an opportunity to combine vital data-gathering needs into one cost-effective, customizable device that is the same size and shape as a softball...

10.07  |  MobileFusion at Modern Day Marine Expo

Lockheed Martin hosted several robotic platforms. One of these applications was the Scout Ball, a baseball size sphere made of LEXAN, weighing less than one kilogram. Scout Ball is equipped with visual and IR cameras, microphones, position sensors, signal processing and data recording. This ball can see, hear and store information as it monitors its surroundings...