MVP's robotic dummy is moving from the football field to battlefield

TL;DR

A team of engineering student athletes at Dartmouth developed a mobile tackling dummy to safely train athletes, which later evolved into a live-fire training target for the military.

Transcript

to build robotic training tools to help teams train more safely and more effectively MVP was born out of a collaboration between engineering student-athletes at Dartmouth and the Dartmouth football program head coach Buddy Tian's had cut tackling out of his practices entirely in order to protect his players from injury but that left him with no way... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥺 Collaboration between different fields can lead to innovative solutions, such as the collaboration between engineering student-athletes and a football program.
• ❓ Extensive testing and continuous improvement are crucial for creating robust and reliable technology.
• 🤗 Adapting technology for different purposes can open up new opportunities and expand its potential uses.
• 🏈 The development of a mobile tackling dummy addresses the need for safer and more effective training in football and other sports.
• ❤️‍🔥 The military application of the technology provides a realistic and mobile live-fire training target, enhancing training effectiveness.
• 😀 The mobile armored platform developed for military use has potential for various other tasks, such as evacuations and last mile delivery in dangerous environments.
• 💩 The feedback system of the live-fire training target allows operators to receive real-time data on hits and simulate physical responses.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the collaboration between engineering student-athletes and the Dartmouth football program lead to the creation of a mobile tackling dummy?

The football coach wanted to protect players from injury during practice, so he challenged the engineering school to come up with a solution. The student-athletes understood the problem and invented a mobile tackling dummy that combines agility with safety.

Q: How were the mobile tackling dummies tested and improved upon?

The robots underwent extensive field testing, including daily use during pre-season. Empirical testing and Finite Element Analysis were used to identify weak points and make necessary repairs, resulting in a design that can withstand the rigors of football training.

Q: How was the technology adapted for military use?

After Navy SEALs expressed interest in shooting at the tackling dummy, the team started developing a live-fire training target. A development contract with the Air Force was executed, leading to the creation of an up-armored, highly mobile platform that provides real-time feedback to operators.

Q: Are there other potential applications for the technology?

Yes, the mobile tackling dummy can be used in various sports to eliminate player on player contact and give coaches greater control over training. On the military side, the platform can be utilized for tasks like evacuation of injured personnel and last mile delivery in hostile environments.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Engineering student-athletes at Dartmouth collaborated with the football program to create a mobile tackling dummy that mimics human player motion while being safe to tackle.

• Extensive field testing and improvements were made to develop a robust design that can withstand daily use by football players.

• The technology was adapted for military use, resulting in a highly mobile armored platform that acts as a live-fire training target and can potentially be used for tasks like personnel evacuation and last mile delivery.