The Vision: Develop a vehicle that can deliver humanitarian aid to crisis zones without putting its crew at risk.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has long relied on vehicles to transport food and aid to people in need. For this purpose, WFP uses the SHERP off-road vehicle, an ATV capable of handling even the toughest terrain. With its massive balloon tires, the SHERP can overcome extreme obstacles and, thanks to the paddle-like tire tread, even traverse water. Initially, the SHERP was controlled using two levers, similar to a tracked vehicle, to operate the left and right wheels and brakes.
To enable the SHERP to operate in areas too dangerous for human drivers—such as landmine zones—an ambitious cooperative project with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) was launched. The goal: make the SHERP remotely operable so that humanitarian aid can reach crisis zones safely, without endangering personnel.
The AHEAD Project: Perfect Remote Operation with Sensodrive and DLR Technology
During the predecessor AHEAD project (2020–2022), Sensodrive and DLR already gave the SHERP capabilities comparable to a MARS rover. The ATV was equipped with perception sensors, depth cameras, and a LIDAR system. Sensodrive contributed a haptic Force Feedback control station, allowing the steering levers, clutch, accelerator, and brakes to be fully teleoperated. Integrated safety features, such as a gas spring emergency brake, ensure secure operation under critical conditions.
The project demonstrated the superiority of Sensodrive’s highly sensitive torque sensors and perfectly integrated actuators, reinforcing our position as pioneers in automotive and robotics applications.
MaiSHU: The Next Step Toward Driverless All-Terrain Vehicles
The follow-up project, MaiSHU, short for “Multimodal Perception and Human-Machine Interfaces of Semi-Autonomous Intelligent Systems for Humanitarian Aid in Unsafe and Unstructured Environments”, built on the AHEAD project and was successfully completed in 2024 with a large live demo in Volkach.
For MaiSHU, Sensodrive developed a dedicated shift actuator installed on the SHERP’s gear lever, enabling torque-controlled, highly sensitive remote gear shifting. Additional functions such as ignition, dashboard switches, and tire pressure control were also made remotely operable. All driving functions can now be controlled either autonomously via AI or teleoperated with precise haptic feedback from a “driver” safely located in a telepresence control room.
High-Precision Teleoperation with Sensodrive SensoJoint Drive Units
Both in the control station and onboard actuators, the torque-controlled SensoJoint drive units from Sensodrive are used. Their market-leading torque technology ensures precise mechanical execution of all commands in the vehicle while simultaneously providing the teleoperated driver with fully realistic haptic feedback. Steering, gear shifting, braking, and acceleration feel exactly as if the operator were physically in the vehicle.
Ready for Humanitarian Aid in Crisis Zones
The fully developed SHERP was presented to the public in June 2024 at the Volkach training grounds, successfully completing a demanding test course filled with obstacles. The vehicle was remotely operated from a mobile Local Mission Operation Center (LMOC). The operator had no direct line of sight and relied entirely on cameras and sensors on the SHERP. Thanks to Sensodrive’s intelligent haptic Force Feedback control station, the operator was able to maneuver with precision and finesse as if physically present in the vehicle.
The next step is real-world deployment: in South Sudan, the WHO has operated a fleet of 19 SHERPs for two years, with drivers sometimes exposed to significant risk during aid delivery. The ultimate goal is to convert this fleet into driverless all-terrain vehicles, enabling safe, precise, teleoperated humanitarian aid delivery.
Sensodrive Technology for Other Sensitive Operations
The potential applications for this technology are vast: not only remote vehicle operation—for example, demining operations—but also telemedicine and other fields can benefit from Sensodrive’s Force Feedback products. Many of our high-end simulator solutions have also leveraged insights gained from these projects, becoming integral parts of our Force Feedback portfolio.
