The Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology (CCAT) in San Diego, California today announced a $50,000 award to the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego (SSC San Diego) Technology Transfer Program. The money will be used for a number of improvements to SSC San Diego’s extensive line of robotic systems, yielding more intelligent robots that can function without need for a joystick or other hands-on human intervention. The improved systems could be used to better detect and help neutralize improvised explosive devices (IEDs), provide real-time visual and recorded surveillance, create maps of areas that are hazardous or inaccessible to humans (such as caves or bunkers), and sense human presence.

“At the present time, there are approximately 2000 robots in use in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that number is expected to grow to over 4000 by the end of 2006. The good news is that for every robot we lose, we typically spare the life at least one warfighter or innocent civilian,” said Bart Everett, Chief Engineer for Robotics at SSC San Diego. “The bad news is that our current robots are remote controlled, thus require extensive human involvement. The CCAT funding of our Technology Transfer Program will help pave the way for improved functionalities, such as voice-recognition for control, enhanced mobility, and significantly increased autonomy. The robot becomes much more of an asset, and far less dependent upon the operator.”

Sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD), the CCAT program offers funding and business development to small-business entrepreneurs, government labs and academic researchers to speed commercialization of technology needed by DoD and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“SSC San Diego’s robotics program has unlimited potential, not only in reducing casualties, but also in its ability to provide valuable information to the military and other first responders,” said Tom Sheffer, program director for CCAT at San Diego State University (SDSU) Research Foundation. “CCAT looks forward to working closely with the Navy to offer support in enhancing their robotic technology and providing a path toward greater commercialization.”

About CCAT
The Center for Commercialization of Advanced Technology (CCAT) is supported by Congress and funded by the Department of Defense as a public-private collaborative partnership among academia, industry, and government. With Centers located at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) and San Diego State University (SDSU), the CCAT program provides funding and business development support services to small entrepreneurs, small businesses, and government/university research scientists that have developed technology for use in the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, as well as the commercial marketplace. Additional program partners include the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Jacobs School of Engineering, von Liebig Center and The Security Network with support from the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego. For more information about CCAT, visit http://www.ccatsocal.org. For more information on SSC San Diego’s extensive robotics and unmanned systems projects, visit http://www.spawar.navy.mil/robots/.

Contacts
CCAT
Suzanne Finch, 619-594-7221