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Robotics Innovation

Autonomous Urban Reconnaissance Ingress System (AURIS)

Revolutionizing Urban Reconnaissance with Autonomous Robotics

Robotics Solutions

 

What is AURIS?

The Autonomous Urban Reconnaissance Ingress System (AURIS) represents a milestone in robotic innovation, solving a critical limitation in modern reconnaissance and tactical operations: the inability of unmanned ground vehicles to open doors. Unlike traditional methods that rely on explosives or manual intervention, AURIS provides a quiet, autonomous, and efficient solution for door ingress, enhancing Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) capabilities in military and first-responder missions. It integrates advanced machine vision, 3D sensing, and robotic manipulation to handle complex door designs and environments seamlessly.

AURIS exemplifies the forward-thinking engineering and establishes a strong foundation for robotics to address real-world challenges. By addressing a fundamental obstacle in urban operations, it contributes to the larger vision of autonomous systems operating safely and effectively in unpredictable scenarios.

 

Note: prototype control box shown

“With AURIS, we’re addressing real-world challenges by merging cutting-edge technology with practical applications.”

Michael Conry, Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer
 

Innovative Collaboration: The Teams Behind AURIS

AURIS is the result of a collaborative effort between Boston Engineering Corporation and Autonomous Solutions, Inc. Funded by the US Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), the project demonstrates how focused expertise in robotic manipulation, machine vision, and autonomous systems can converge to deliver transformative solutions.

This collaboration underscores Boston Engineering’s leadership in robotics development. By bringing together innovation and practical problem-solving, projects like AURIS showcase the company’s ability to address challenges with precision and ingenuity—traits that define its role as a leader in the robotics industry.

 

 

Real-World Applications: Where Systems Like AURIS Make a Difference

Robotic systems such as AURIS are tailored for complex and high-risk environments, where versatility, discretion, and precision are paramount. These include:

  • Military Operations: Safely opening doors in dense urban combat zones.
  • Law Enforcement Interventions: Assisting Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams and bomb squads with safe ingress during high-stakes missions.
  • Emergency Response Scenarios: Supporting hazardous materials (HAZMAT) units in dangerous or structurally compromised buildings.

The development of AURIS reflects a broader effort to enable autonomous systems to perform in challenging real-world scenarios—systems that reduce human risk, improve operational tempo, and provide new capabilities for urban and reconnaissance missions.

 

 

AURIS Capabilities

In tactical missions, gaining access to closed doors is often a significant challenge for unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). Traditional methods like explosives or brute force are noisy, destructive, and unsuitable for scenarios requiring discretion. AURIS addresses this gap by enabling UGVs to open doors autonomously, enhancing safety, operational tempo, and situational awareness. This capability is vital for military operations, SWAT teams, bomb squads, and HAZMAT units operating in urban environments.

The AURIS gripper provides manipulation of many objects, not just doorknobs, levers and handles. It surpasses the capability of many original equipment manufacturer (OEM) grippers while providing increased versatility. The system uses force-control and provides further capability for users in advanced autonomy, vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), unexploded ordnance (UXO) and operation in comms-restricted environments. AURIS could also potentially be used in industrial or commercial robotic assembly environments.

AURIS integrates machine vision, 3D sensing, and advanced robotic manipulation to perform tasks autonomously:

Vision and Perception: Uses sensors to identify door structures, track knobs, and detect obstacles. It autonomously detects door orientation, knob type, and hinge positions, even at various distances and angles.

Manipulation and Mobility: Equipped with a novel gripper and robotic arm, it can autonomously grasp and rotate door handles, accounting for complex variations in door and knob designs.

User Interface: Allows operators to supervise or override tasks as needed. The semi-autonomous system supports manual intervention at any stage and transitions back to automation seamlessly.

Autonomy Features: Includes 3D scanning, path planning, and autonomous navigation through doorways.

      

"The capabilities demonstrated by projects like AURIS highlight how robotics can evolve to bridge the gap between human ingenuity and machine precision in the most challenging environments."

David Shane, Director, R&D Business Development
 

The Development Timeline: When AURIS Came to Life

The development timeline of AURIS is broken down into two engineering phases: Phase I and Phase II. Both stages of the process included collaborative efforts between Autonomous Solutions, who executed the vision and autonomy pieces, while Boston Engineering produced the mechanics, electronics and integration.

Phase I: Feasibility and Initial Development

 

Objective: Establish the feasibility of the AURIS concept and develop a functional prototype.

Key Achievements:

    • Demonstrated semi-autonomous robotic door opening.
    • Integrated existing technologies, such as robotic arms and manipulators, with AURIS-specific enhancements.
    • Conducted feasibility tests to prove the concept in real-world scenarios, including:
        • Autonomous 3D scanning of doorways.
        • Detection and segregation of doorknobs.
        • Autonomous arm motion for knob grasping.
        • Semi-autonomous vehicle movement to pull doors open.
        • Autonomous navigation through doorways.
    • Collaborated with military and law enforcement operators for testing and feedback.

Outcome: Successfully proved the system’s feasibility and identified areas for further improvement, setting the stage for more advanced development in Phase II.

 

Phase II: Advanced Development and Pre-Production Prototypes 

 

Objective: Refine the AURIS system and create pre-production prototypes for field testing and commercialization.

Key Achievements:

Note: prototype control box shown
    • System that opens doors reliably
    • Includes mechanics, controls, and behaviors
    • Autonomy with potential for more
    • Modular and IOP implementable design
    • Basis for interior recon or mapping
    • Tactics are energy efficient
    • Capable of manipulating other objects
    • Easy to use when fully implemented
    • Commercialization capable

Collaborations:

    • Working with UGV manufacturers to optimize interfaces and ensure compatibility.
    • Coordinating with stakeholders to align the system with operational needs.

Outcome: Demonstrated a robust, tactically relevant, and field-viable system and prepared for deployment in military and first-responder applications.

These phases highlight AURIS’s progression from conceptual development to a practical, field-ready solution capable of addressing critical gaps in reconnaissance and tactical operations.

Read More About the AURIS Development Phases Here

“Projects like AURIS showcase how collaborations that include end users (in this case, First Responders) can unlock new possibilities for safer, smarter, and more capable solutions for them.”

Mike Rufo, VP of Research and Development
 

The Future of Robotics: A Foundation for Safer, Smarter Systems

The success of AURIS demonstrates the value of purposeful robotics development—systems that address tangible challenges while advancing the state of the art. As autonomous systems become integral to military, law enforcement, and emergency response operations, projects like AURIS will continue to set the standard for performance and adaptability in complex environments.

With its modular design, versatility, and ability to operate autonomously, AURIS represents one example of how robotics can transform urban operations. However, it’s not an endpoint—it’s part of a larger effort to redefine what robotics can achieve.

Through initiatives like AURIS, Boston Engineering continues to lead the way—building a strong foundation for the next generation of robotics that will enhance safety, precision, and efficiency in the most demanding scenarios.

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