The Application of Telematics in the Canadian Landmine Detection Capability

Abstract

Starting in 1990, the Defence Research Establishment Suffield began to investigate combining key landmine detection capabilities with robotics technologies to effect a landmine detection system which would remove soldiers from the danger and tedium of landmine detection. The resulting solution was a tele-operated (strict master/slave) robotic vehicle combined with a multi-sensor detection array of sensors specifically chosen for their ability to detect the properties of low metal content and non-metallic anti-tank landmines on roads and tracks. The focus of this paper is to 1) describe how telematics have been applied in this tele-operated landmine detection system, 2) provide a functional description of the robotic tele-operation control system and 3) speculate on the addition of complementary control technologies to make such systems more autonomous.