Clearpath Robotics launches “Warthog UGV”, the amphibious robot

by Clearpath Robotics

03 November 2016

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Clearpath Robotics, a leading provider of mobile robotic platforms for research and development, has partnered with ARGO XTR to release Warthog – a large, amphibious, all-terrain mobile robot designed for application development. Warthog enables researchers to reliably test, validate, and advance their robotics research faster than ever before in real-world conditions, whether on land or in water.

“ARGO XTR (Xtreme Terrain Robotics) has a terrific record of manufacturing rock-solid outdoor platforms,” says Julian Ware, General Manager for Research Solutions at Clearpath Robotics. “Combined with our expertise in robotics, we’ve developed rugged platform suitable for a wide range of robotics applications in mining, agriculture, forestry, space, and environmental monitoring.”

Warthog’s light-weight aluminum chassis, low ground pressure, passive suspension system, and 24” traction tires allow it to easily traverse a variety of tough terrains including soft soils, thick muds and steep grades, all while carrying up to 272 kg of payload. With built-in bilge pumps and an IP rating of 67, Warthog is fully weather-proof and amphibious, capable of moving through deep waterways at up to 4 km/h, or travel at speeds of up to 18 km/h while on land. The all-electric, skid steer platform has expandable power allowing for a runtime of 6 hrs and can be outfitted with quad tracks for ultimate traction and maneuverability in snow and sand.

“ARGO XTR is excited to partner with a progressive robotics company like Clearpath with our platform,” says Jason Scheib, ARGO XTR Robotics Program Director. “The combination of our proven experience in amphibious and extreme terrain environments with our platforms with the progressive software and sensor integration from Clearpath Robotics, has created a second to none solution for a myriad of research and commercial applications.”

Designed for end-to-end integration and customization, Warthog includes an internal computer, IMU, wheel encoders, and mounting racks, as well as accessible user power and communication ports for integrating sensors, manipulators, and other third-party hardware. Warthog is shipped with the Robot Operating System (ROS) preconfigured and a Gazebo simulation model, allowing researchers to get started quickly with existing research and widely available open-source ROS libraries.

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