There are significant risks to consider with such a powerful capability. Mitigation of network attack or data breach of the Artificial Intelligence capability can manage exposure of every tactical, operational, and strategic vulnerability to enemy exploitation. Another risk could be the loss of control of the Artificial Intelligence capability system, causing the system to deny all warfighter communications capabilities – such an occurrence would rewind the clock returning communications management to its largely human-led process as it is today.
The Artificial Intelligence capability concept is ahead of technology. The capability does not exist today, and critical support research and resourcing decisions to even pursue something as powerful as an artificial intelligence capability.
There is plenty of reason for optimism about future autonomous AI systems. The Artificial Intelligence capability concept leverages the link between AI and deep learning. AI systems trained to learn and think independently will likely dominate the field of AI. The key to deep learning is access to large, high-quality datasets.”
High speed robot and autonomous capabilities will become features of future battlefields. Army needs these capabilities to manage all warfighting functions – especially command and control — to win the next war. It depends on systems that rapidly and reliably communicate with our troop formations. Artificial Intelligence capability offers an ‘always-on’ connection to command and control these complexities.
Even lower fidelity versions can help with training and mission planning. On those lines, the synthetic training environment will start distributing One World Terrain as they work out the data management and data storage hurdles.
The trainer is looking at alternatives both for the engagement system that runs the shooting devices and the devices themselves. As the Army works to deliver new synthetic training technology, it recently set up a new network to more effectively integrate software into the program.
The synthetic training environment is a 3D training and mission rehearsal tool that brings together live, virtual, constructive and gaming environments to improve soldier and unit readiness.
The new training environment is network dependent and will interface with operational networks and network-enabled platforms. For now, the cross-function team is working to ensure it can stay on a glide path to reach initial operating capability in line with the current schedule,.
Behind the eye-grabbing new night vision, more lethal artillery and faster aviation being developed by the Army’s new cross functional teams sits a group that gets little attention but without which many soldiers would be grabbing blindly in the dark on the battlefield.
The Assured Position, Navigation and Timing trainer has the task of figuring out how to find ways to move friendly troops safely in hotly contested terrain and also help connect a lots of systems to put the right effects at the right time and place in the most precise way.
Teams have built a camera that sees through dust, helping pilots better guide and land in desert environments.
Something that’s taken for granted, the signal strength on a cell phone, for instance, isn’t something that’s readily available to soldiers using navigation or even targeting equipment. It takes specialists in certain areas to even detect and evaluate if a system is being jammed.
Efforts are working toward a way for any user of any such equipment to see their own signal strength and jamming concerns. Teams are working mounted, dismounted and situational awareness efforts currently. Soldiers will, for the first time, have an alternate way to navigate built into their vehicles that’s not GPS.
There’s also work to consolidate systems. Past equipment development often meant that each system had its own GPS. That’s created scenarios in which a single vehicle with multiple tracking, targeting and communications systems could have seven or more GPS antennae poking out.
If those efforts are successful, it can give tactical-level units beyond line-of-sight capabilities for a variety of uses without GPS. One piece of kit that’s currently under development might not seem, at first glance, like something that most infantry and close combat troops would put at the top of their list. But they should.
That’s because the Adaptive Squad Architecture program is an effort to tie together all of the current and future tech soldiers wear or carry and more. By powering all devices and using one processor, the move could streamline and lighten kit for the individual soldier.
What the squad will do is manage power and signals, and network what a soldier sees from their goggles to their weapon to their radio and what they’re linked into both within and outside of the squad.
And it means more than just what that soldier can see. It has effects on what their commanders can do, too. We give commanders more options than they ever had before, because through the data analysis a commander can best spread the load of equipment through the formations and account for the flood of variables that face the soldier and squad.
Essentially, the architecture becomes kind of a smartphone hub for the soldier and squad that can take on applications, algorithms and other measures to not just evaluate but also improve performance.
Teams will soon launch “Watchtower,” an Army app story similar to what smartphone users access. Within that, a lot of experimentation can take place, and leaders can tailor apps to their unit configurations and specific missions.
One example is soldier load.
Future ammunition is expected to be lighter. So, the commander has a decision to make: carry the same weight but with more rounds, or reduce the weight to the rounds they’ve always carried, keeping fatigue down and performance up?
The system can also use seemingly endless data to see if different weapons systems or communications gear match up, are redundant or ineffective.
Does the squad leader need an M4 or an M249, based on the mission? Does the squad need to carry HF communications gear or can it make do on this mission with satellite and VHF comms only? Those are some examples that the data can help mission planners explore.
And beyond the squad, the aim is to have squad “talk” wirelessly with platforms that the soldiers are riding in, from Bradleys and Strykers to new helicopters and future vehicles. Developers envision a day when the soldier boards a chopper or vehicle and the systems automatically start charging batteries and uploading their data while downloading new information from the larger network.
Squads to tap into cellular networks and battle-track on tablets at network trials. The gear will include lighter and faster communication equipment, battle-tracking applications on tablets and new ways to communicate with one another, as well as partner forces.
By using a secure-but-unclassified architecture, soldiers can tap into commercial cellular networks, like 4G, and a greater range of wavelengths, depending on the electronic threat environment.
Field Teams are getting new capabilities that include advance networking waveforms, which significantly improves our mobile ad hoc networking capability at the lowest tactical echelon.”
The soldiers will begin collective training at the squad-level to view live-streaming full-motion video from unmanned aerial vehicles through an app on approved smartphones. Dismounted troops will get 3D digital maps and the ability to send precision target coordinates.
“Ultimately it’s going to take a hard look at if we have the right radios in the right places” “Are the new capabilities really adding enough capability to justify price points and overall cost of the networks.
It’s not a new or separate network, but instead uses existing devices and gateways alongside commercial off-the-shelf products to make sure communications can continue even in limited bandwidth environments and amid electronic attacks.
“One thing we know for sure is the capabilities we’re pursuing are better, definitely better than what we had. "And soldiers that don’t have it today are chomping at the bit to get it.”
But the amount and specific types of gear needed for infantry, Stryker and armor brigade combat teams do vary and so each type will require different approaches to fielding equipment.
“User feedback, leader feedback and running these through a series of exercises, to include force on force combat training center rotations, will give us that kind of feedback we need to make the best decisions.
“This environment allows us to secure the network, but pass data to where, if it’s perishable time sensitive data, we can actually share it with unified action partners. “That allows us to connect better with teammates and give troops more waveform options, regardless of who they’re working with.
“If we go somewhere where we believe we can leverage the infrastructure, we can and we will. But if there’s a concern ... we have the ability to do some workaround and show up in an area and rapidly “plug and play” into the existing infrastructure is key.
1. Improved Analytics and Better Data
Realistically, you can’t track much data pertaining to human workers. Sure, you can measure their output and productivity in a variety of ways, but the information you collect is not always reliable either.
It’s the complete opposite with robotics and advanced automation systems. As they work, they collect data about anything and everything, which serves as an incredible database of information that you can put to use. It leads to better decision making with more successful outcomes. It reveals a lot more about your processes and it can help you unlock new avenues of improvement. Essentially, the more data you have the better. But it also has to be accurate, error-free, and reliable and that’s something automated systems can definitely provide.
2. Increasing productivity
A robot has the ability to work at a constant speed, unattended, 24/7. That means you’ve got the potential to produce more. New products can be more quickly introduced into the production process and new product programming can be done offline with no disruption to existing processes.
Robot have been designed to handle routine functions while maintaining long-term precision to increase productivity without affecting quality with automated workers in place. Improving supply chain productivity can deliver significant value to warehouse robots. They can increase accuracy, accelerate routine processes, and solve a number of common problems with employees when used side-by-side.
Conventional operation consists of manual labor, such as product handling, cart pushing and equipment operation. Employees walked the entire pick path then guided the pushcart to the packaging area for staging. With an autonomous and smart-picking solution, employees remain in specific zones while the robotic units travel between pick and put operations. Because each robot is responsible for delivering products from the employee to the packaging area, the distance each employee travels during a standard shift is considerably reduced as well.
3. Increased Quality Assurance/Reducing mistakes
The use of robots in the warehouse means that there is little chance of errors in relation to human labor. In addition to errors, this system reduces the time taken to go to different parts of the warehouse only. That is why employees focus more on quality control.
Robots will always deliver quality. Since they’re programmed for precise, repetitive motion, they’re less likely to make mistakes. In some ways, robots are simultaneously an employee and a quality control system. A lack of quirks and preferences, combined with the eliminated possibility of human error, will create a predictably perfect action product every time.
Robotic automation eliminates risks by accurately producing and checking items meet the required standard without fail. With more product going out the door manufactured to a higher standard, this creates a number of new business possibilities for companies to expand upon.
4. Improving safety
Robots don’t need to be with people 24/7. They can work with programmed sensors to avoid other robots and objects. This benefit reduces the chances of serious accidents that could affect a worker’s safety. Some of the most common damage to warehouse employees is caused by collapsing pallet racks, slips, and trips, and often high ladders drop. Warehouse robots eliminate these common risks for employees who are able to handle climbing, pick-up, packaging, and move around the warehouse.
“Employee safety can be improved in highly hazardous environments. In distribution center robots can seamlessly zip past each other, humans, or other moving objects thanks to advanced collision avoidance capabilities, which are processed as quickly as any human can react to potential accidental run-ins.
Safety is the most obvious advantage of utilizing robotics. Heavy machinery, machinery that runs at hot temperature, and sharp objects can easily injure a human being. By delegating dangerous tasks to a robot, you’re more likely to look at a repair bill not other costs. Employees who work dangerous jobs will be thankful that robots can remove some of the risks.
5. Easier scheduling/implementation
Traditional workers need breaks for rest and energy rehabilitation. But robots don’t need breaks. They can work throughout a long shift. Robots provide flexibility, easily retooled and repositioned for new production programs and can easily be redeployed in new applications with ability to easily switch between a wide range of products without having to completely rebuild production lines
Robots can be realistically implemented, depending on the specifics of the operation. This is a remarkably small amount of time even at the spectrum’s high end, particularly when compared to other technologies.
6. Ability to scale
Since robots are relatively easy to install in a facility, you can use a modular deployment system, starting with a few units and adding more as your business increases and needs change. This allows you to avoid an incredibly high initial investment, as you can start with one or two and increase your floor over time rather than buy a large number of robots at once. This modular deployment frees you from the capital to pursue other initiatives, analyzing robots ‘ impact on your business, and taking the next steps.
Any process, system, or platform that is rule-based and includes repetitive tasks or operations can be automated, in full, using robotics. That also means you — as a business — can be just as versatile. There is a nearly endless supply of opportunities in regards to how you can use the technology, and it can be scaled up or down, as much as you need.
7. Reduce both direct and indirect operating costs.
“The implementation of autonomous robots could primarily drive value by reducing direct and indirect operating costs and increasing mission success potential using autonomous robots to drive supply chain innovation.
A quick return on investment outweighs the initial setup costs. Automation advantages reduce production cost. Decrease in Part cycle Time is crucial for increasing efficiency. Robotics can work longer and faster which increases production rate.
8. Enable quick ramp-ups to meet increased demand period
Available labor, particularly during peak periods, cannot always meet seasonal demands. However, companies can turn to robots to improve operations and meet labor demands. “During high demand peak some warehouses have even used robots to quickly train temp workers so that they could add value is added with minimal training. Mixed-flow production approach allows for flexibility in adjusting to demand fluctuations
9. Consistency/Speed
Robots never need to divide their attention between a multitude of things. Their work is never contingent on the work of other people. They won’t have unexpected emergencies, and they won’t need to be relocated to complete a different time sensitive task. They’re always there, and they’re doing what they’re supposed to do. Automation is typically far more reliable than human labor.
This guarantee of quality and consistency coupled with time and efficiency savings means that you can start developing higher quality and more feature-filled products with little or no increase in production time and costs.
10. Create major efficiencies.
Efficiency by definition describes the extent to which time, effort and cost is effectively applied for the intended task or purpose. Process automation reduces the time it takes to achieve a task, the effort required to undertake it and the cost of completing it successfully.
Autonomous robots can test, pick, pack, sort, build, inspect, count, or transport materials of various sizes and weights faster and more efficiently than ever. Robots are designed on compact bases to fit in confined spaces. In addition to being mounted on the floor, robots can be mounted on walls, ceilings, rail tracks and shelves. They can perform tasks in confined spaces, saving you valuable floor space.
Drone technology combined with autonomous navigation and artificial intelligence is being used to understand inventory levels and location within warehouses and enabling organizations to move inventory faster throughout the supply chain. Investing in aerial robots redirects staff to handle high-value activities and empowering their teams with rich information, which can then be revisited at any point and time and can be used to make better decisions.