Hankook Tire Continues University Robotics Project

This year Hankook Tire is again supporting the Technical University of Kaiserlautern’s Robotics Research Lab. The lab, under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Karsten Berns, has devoted itself to the development of working, autonomous un-manned robots that can be implemented, for example, by emergency services in crisis situations. In 2009 the German university’s ‘RAVON’ robot – fitted with Hankook tyres – is taking part in the ELROB (European Land-Robot Trial – Civil Version), held between June 15 and 18 in Oulu, Finnland. The purpose of the event, held every two years, is to demonstrate the current European state of the art in unmanned vehicles and the possibilities this offers.

“We are very pleased that the Technical University of Kaiserlautern can again this year both technically and financially support their project,” stated Jin-Wook Choi, Hankook’s executive vice-president and head of Hankook Tire in Europe. “The development of autonomous robots for deployment in disaster areas is something we consider to be exceedingly important. They enable access to areas where people cannot enter or are unable to do without exposure to danger – during flooding, fire or danger from explosions, for example.”

The name RAVON stands for “Robust Autonomous Vehicle for Off-Road Navigation”, and the vehicle is about as large as a micro car. It has been especially developed to operate, without external interference, on difficult off-road terrain with dense vegetation, to navigate to locations and fulfil specific tasks.

“Many robots intended for outdoors use are designed for road or road like paths. RAVON, on the other hand, is able to find its way in a forest, through numerous different obstacles such as holes, overhanging branches or tree stumps,” said Dipl.-Inf. Christopher Armbrust from the Technical University of Kaiserlautern’s Robotics Research Lab.

The RAVON vehicle will continue to be further developed. The aim is to create a vehicle that can navigate in the most difficult of terrains without human assistance and thus carry out valuable rescue services following natural disasters or accidents. Since day one, some five years ago, the off-road robot has travelled on Hankook off-road tyres.

We have always been able to rely upon the Hankook 4×4 tyres. In the last five years we have not had a single tyre failure,” noted Christopher Armbrust. “In Hankook Tire with have exactly the right partner for our project.”