Mechanical platform
Chassis, articulated legs, compliant spine, split-pad feet, tandem saddle, and modular payload interfaces.
Age Old Technologies · Cooperative robotics research
DIREWOLF-RMV
An independently designed, dire-wolf-inspired robotic research vehicle for environmental DNA sampling, remote field science, and human-assisted search and rescue.
Pre-alpha researchPrivate repositoryHuman-rated design not certified
The field platform
Built to explore where conventional vehicles stop.
DIREWOLF-RMV studies a large, terrain-adaptive quadruped that can carry two operators, move supplies, support qualified rescue teams, and collect environmental samples across rubble, forest, snow, wetlands, and unstable trails.
The dire-wolf form is an original engineering language: broad shoulder structures, a deep chest, stabilized torso, low sensor head, digitigrade legs, split-pad feet, and a tandem rider station centered over the support polygon.
2planned operator positions
6research workstreams
G0–G8development gates
2independent control planes
System architecture
Six workstreams, one verifiable research platform.
Every subsystem advances through simulation, unmanned hardware, restrained testing, and independent review before human occupancy is considered.
Locomotion & controls
Whole-body control, foothold planning, terrain adaptation, controlled descent, and fault-tolerant motion.
Search & rescue
Thermal and acoustic sensing, mapping, communications relay, responder interfaces, and rescue-support payloads.
Environmental genomics
Sterile air, water, soil, and surface sampling with chain of custody and optional field sequencing.
Human factors & safety
Rider ergonomics, restraints, interlocks, safe-kneel behavior, hazard analysis, and verification evidence.
Simulation & AI
Digital twins, synthetic terrain, perception research, gait optimization, and reproducible model runs.
Controlled progression
From digital twin to supervised field pilot.
The program does not jump from concept to riders. Each gate exists to retire a specific class of risk.
- G0
Requirements & digital twin
Close the architecture baseline, hazards, interfaces, and reproducible simulation environment.
- G1–G2
Scale and subsystem tests
Validate a quarter-scale unmanned demonstrator and a full-scale leg and shoulder test stand.
- G3–G5
Restrained and unmanned validation
Progress through restrained chassis, unmanned field-mule, eDNA payload, ballast, and closed-course tests.
- G6–G8
Reviewed human and field research
Only after independent safety review: instrumented rider work, tandem research, and qualified eDNA/SAR pilots.
Safety authority
AI advises. Independent controls protect.
Emergency stopping, actuator inhibition, rider interlocks, overspeed protection, thermal and fire monitoring, controlled descent, and safe-kneel behavior belong to an independent safety plane. DIREWOLF-RMV is not a certified vehicle, medical device, diagnostic system, or autonomous rescue authority.
Private · active research
Canonical repository
AndrewGE7/direwolf-rmv
The repository holds the research architecture, branch strategy, safety constraints, contribution rules, and funding priorities. Main is reserved for reviewed work; the project branch carries active model runs and experiments. Public release should follow an explicit readiness and licensing review.
- Visibility
- Private · active research
- Rights model
- Planned split model: Apache-2.0 software, CERN-OHL-S-2.0 hardware, and CC BY-SA 4.0 documentation
Funding & participation
Build the first evidence, not the final machine.
The immediate program is seeking the partners and resources needed to establish credible digital and small-scale evidence.
- Robotics, controls, and functional-safety contributors
- Ecology, genomics, and field-test partners
- Compute credits and equipment sponsorship
- Manufacturing support for scaled demonstrators