U.S. Army personnel successfully demonstrated the use of an unmanned ground vehicle to decontaminate military assets during the recent “Desert Phantom” test at Dugway Proving Ground.
The test underscored the growing role of robotics in minimizing exposure risks for soldiers in hazardous environments.
The exercise involved a demonstration of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center’s Autonomous Equipment Decontamination System. This robotic solution effectively washed a chemical simulant from a vehicle’s surface, eliminating the need for soldiers to engage in direct contact with potentially dangerous substances. The technology allows personnel to remain at a safe distance during decontamination operations, reducing the risks associated with hazardous chemical exposure.
The system includes a camera mounted on an unmanned ground vehicle, which is programmed to circle the target vehicle while scanning its entire surface. The data collected is transmitted in real time to system operators located safely at the rear, who then initiate the decontamination process. The robotic manipulator arm uses the data to spray a decontaminant slurry—developed by DEVCOM CBC—directly onto the contaminated areas, ensuring precision and efficiency.
The process demonstrated during the “Desert Phantom” test not only showed the ability of this autonomous system to perform effective decontamination but also highlighted its efficiency in conserving decontamination resources. By targeting only the hotspots detected by the scanning system, the Autonomous Equipment Decontamination System saves both time and valuable chemical decontaminants.
Implementing such autonomous systems is part of the broader U.S. Army effort to keep soldiers from direct exposure to harmful substances.