Aftermarket NAUT module lets Vision 60 quadruple robot swim

Ghost Robotics’ Vision 60 quadruped robot is already quite a versatile beast, capable of walking, running, and even carrying a gun. Now, thanks to a third-party attachment, it can even “swim” through water.

In its basic form, the 51-kg (112-lb) Vision 60 is capable of traversing uneven terrain, sprinting at a top speed of 3 meters per second (9.8 ft/s), carrying a payload of up to 10 kg (22). lb), and works for up to three hours per charge of its lithium battery pack.

And while it’s already IP67 waterproofmeaning it can be submerged up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) for 30 minutes without leakingit was previously only able to pass through water. However, that is no longer the case, thanks to Onyx Industries’ Nautical Autonomous Unmanned Tail (NAUT) module.

Recently unveiled at the 2022 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Florida, NAUT was designed specifically for Vision 60.

Vision 60 Robot, Without NAUT Module

Ghost Robotics

Attached to the rear end of the floating robot, the aluminum-bodied jet-drive device delivers a top speed of 3 knots (3.5 mph or 5.6 km/h). The NAUT operates either autonomously or by remote control, propelling the Vision 60 through a thrust vectoring system the robot keeps its legs tucked in to improve hydrodynamics as it travels through the water.

Power is provided either by the robot’s battery, or by NAUT’s itself in the latter scenario, it has a claimed runtime of over 30 minutes. The module weighs 2 lb (0.9 kg), with the battery adding a further 3 lb (1.4 kg). It can be quickly disassembled when needed, and like the Vision 60, it’s IP67 waterproof.

An Onxy representative tells us it is now available through the company’s website. The NAUT module can be seen in use in the following video tweeted by Ghost Robotics.

Source: Onyx Industries, Ghost Robotics via The Robot Report

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