The North Tech Symposium 2023, held in Jammu on Tuesday, was a collaborative effort between the Indian Army’s Northern Command, the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), and IIT-Jammu. The event encompassed exhibitions, product launches, structured one-on-one interactions, technical seminars, showcases of ideas and innovations, and displays of military equipment.
Among the standout exhibits was the Multi Utility Legged Equipment (MULE), a sleek four-legged device equipped with cameras and radars. With a robust payload capacity of 12 kg, it can operate using Wi-Fi or Long-Term Evolution (LTE) connectivity. Wi-Fi is suitable for shorter ranges, while LTE extends its reach up to 10 km from a remote location. The MULE is easily controlled through a user-friendly remote, featuring an analog interface.
This versatile equipment can carry various payloads, including thermal cameras and radars, and can even be configured as a firing platform. It allows for the uploading of pre-defined missions, specifying tasks through waypoints or recorded missions.
What sets the MULE apart is its adaptability to diverse terrains, including snowy and mountainous landscapes. It can nimbly ascend slopes with inclines of up to 45 degrees and surmount steps as high as 18 cm.
Aryan Singh, an R&D Engineer at ARC Ventures, highlighted its potential applications, stating, “We can generally use it in the case of first contact. For example, we know our enemy is in a room but we don’t know their exact location inside the room. In such a scenario, we can deploy the MULE with its 360-degree cameras to enter the room. The operator can then pinpoint the enemy’s location within the room, and if necessary, the firing platform can be used to neutralize the threat.” (Source: ANI)