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The Guardian XT is an industrial tele-operated solution that removes the operator from harms way. | Source: Sarcos

Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation announced that the company has made significant strides in developing robotic technologies to usher in a new era of improved worker safety and productivity for shipyard operations.

Sarcos robotic systems are designed to carry out maintenance, inspection, and repair activities, on and around ships underway and pier side, creating safer and more effective shipyard operations and improving the efficiency of sailors and shipyard workers. In September, the company completed a successful field trial for the U.S. Navy at the Repair Technology Exercise (REPTX) at the Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, CA.

The Company performed field tests on the ground and at height using a suite of Sarcos solutions, including the Guardian DX teleoperated dexterous robot for defense; the Sapien 6M dexterous robot; the Sapien Sea Class underwater robot; and the Guardian S remote visual inspection robot.

Sarcos robots are designed to reduce employee injuries while increasing productivity, particularly in dynamic environments such as shipyards. Specific shipyard tasks that Sarcos robots can perform include:

• The Sapien 6M and Guardian DX robots can be teleoperated and safely use various tools while working at height aboard ship or pier side. They can be mounted to a mobile lift platform to perform visual inspections, remove rust and paint with off-the-shelf tools, laser ablation, and repairs using cold spray.
• The Sapien Sea Class underwater robot, integrated with a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV), is designed for both shallow and deep underwater use up to 1 kilometer and can perform inspections on a ship’s hull, propeller shaft, and propeller shaft tube, along with recovering unidentified objects from a ship’s hull.
• The Guardian S visual inspection robot, which can traverse ferromagnetic vertical surfaces and access confined spaces, can be deployed inside and outside a ship to identify foreign objects.

“Working at height in dynamic environments, such as shipyards, is extremely dangerous work,” said Kiva Allgood, President and CEO, Sarcos. “Sarcos’ portfolio of teleoperated robots improves shipyard operations by solving critical pain points including human resource constraints, productivity, and safety.”

“It is imperative for the U.S. Navy to find solutions that will enable us to maintain mission-readiness, particularly while at sea,” said Janice Bryant, Expeditionary and Sustainment Technology Manager, Naval Sea Systems Command. “The technologies demonstrated at REPTX for ship inspection, sustainment, and repair using teleoperated at-height capabilities will have a significant benefit to increase Navy readiness. We look forward to continuing our work with solution providers to rapidly field for effect.”