Technion’s Role in Israel’s Security

D. Weihs
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
dweihs@tx.technion.ac.il
Monday, May 17, 2010
 Some Numbers to Start

•Founded 1924
•9000 Undergrads- 4000 Grad Students
• 60000 Graduates , 10000 Advanced degrees
•Over 70% of Engineering execs.are
graduates.

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 Historical Highlights -1

•Pre State
Technion Building

•Mirage – Kfir

•Merkava-

•Intelligence-

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 Highlights- 2

1. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

2. Space - OFEK, Techsat

3. Mine
4. Removal

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 Highlights 3

1. Crush Victims

2. Smart Helmet

3. Missiles

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 The Technion Autonomous Systems
Program (TASP)

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 What is an Autonomous System ?
An Autonomous System is a system which is capable of
adapting its own course of action, in order to be able to
accomplish its assigned mission, while operating under
an unexpected, and uncertain environment.

Generalization of the concept of ROBOT.

It can take the place of Humans

in Dull, Dirty, Difficult and Dangerous activities

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 Components of Autonomous Systems
•Sensors (Eyes, Ears, Nose,
Whiskers Toes, etc.)
•Assessment and Decision
making tools ( Brain)
•Actuators (Muscles ,Limbs,
Teeth, Claws etc)
•Communication tools (mouth)
•Payload ( Genes)

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 Levels of Autonomy
Lowest – fully programmed and supervised
Next – some decision making, fully supervised
Higher – some decision making- no supervision
Still higher- fully independent in decision and action
Highest – fully independent in decision and action
Including group cooperation

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 Why at the Technion ?
The Technion , one of the top 25 engineering
schools in the world, does research in the areas
related to autonomous systems in a wide range of
disciplines
• Aerospace Engineering - AE
• Biomedical Engineering - BM
• Civil and Environmental Engineering - CE
• Computer Science – CS
• Education in Science & Technology- ES
• Electrical Engineering - EE
• Industrial Engineering and Management - IEM
• Mechanical Engineering – ME
• Medicine- M
Research in this cutting-edge field is ongoing,with
40+ faculty members, in over 20 laboratories involved

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 Main Focus Areas –Research
Centers

• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Satellites

•Unmanned Ground and Marine Vehicles
•Autonomous Medical Systems
•Household and Industrial Robotics
•Autonomous Agent networks

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 The Goldstein UAV and Satellite Center

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 Aerodynamic Background : Nano UAVs
Dandelion seeds Thrips

Wing span 0.8 mm,

average chord (rod length) 0.3 mm
Rod diameter 1.5 micron,
Distance to diameter ratio 10:1
Insect weight: 60 micrograms

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 Passive Glider

Series- EMP, 30 mm flat diameter,

Rods: 30 µ width, 50 µ depth.
Spacing 7.5/1, Dihedral: 20 Deg.

Electroformed Nickel Based Alloy

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 Medical Systems
Tele-surgery
-operating
Without
human presence

Autonomous robot is able

to position itself and perform
medical manipulations
within the human body.

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 Autonomous Agent Systems
Examples: Air Traffic control

Power grid control

Forex & international Trading

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 Sample ongoing projects

•Satellite formations

•Robo-copter

•Snake

•Robo-cycle

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 MOTO

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 Planned projects

•Robomedic – Evacuation while treating

•Autocare – Caretaker for invalids & infirm
•Autosome – Managerial and clerical robots
•Autobug -- Miniature flying vehicle

Our Website:

http://tasp.technion.ac.il

Monday, May 17, 2010

 But, there are some dangers

Thank you for your attention

Monday, May 17, 2010