Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a “Q&A interview” conducted by Joanne Pransky of Industrial Robot Journal as a method to impart the combined technological, business and personal experience of a prominent, industry engineer-turned entrepreneur regarding his pioneering efforts in bringing a robotic invention to market. This paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The interviewee is Geoff Howe, Senior Vice President of Howe & Howe, Inc., a subsidiary of Textron Systems and a leader in advanced robotic platform solutions and applications built and proven for the most extreme conditions in the world. Geoff and Michael Howe founded Howe & Howe Technologies in 2001 and was acquired by Textron Systems in 2018. In 2010, Howe and Howe developed one of the world’s first robotic fire-fighting solutions. Geoff Howe describes the evolution of the Thermite robotic firefighter’s commercial development, along with the challenges of breaking ground in this new industry.

Findings

Geoff and his identical twin brother, Michael Howe, are inventors, military contractors, actors and entrepreneurial businessmen famous for their philanthropic drive to give back to their community. When Geoff and Mike were just six years old, they were known as “Howe and Howe Construction.” At the age of eight, Mike and Geoff built their own one room log cabin with the power tools their mom had given them for their birthday. At 16 years old, they started tinkering with vehicles before they even had their drivers’ licenses. They both graduated from Maine high school and colleges with honors. The company’s portfolio includes the RIPSAW® , Thermite, the Badger, Subterranean Rover and other extreme vehicles used for numerous applications. In 2010, Howe and Howe completed three new vehicles. First was the Thermite™ which entered the unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) market as the USA’s first firefighting UGV. The second vehicle was Ripchair™, the development of an off-road wheelchair for those that have become disabled and are unable to walk. The third vehicle was Riptide, the amphibious version of the RIPSAW. Year 2015 saw the commercial development of the Big Dog Extreme 4x4 fire truck and the Thermite RS1 and RS3 firefighting robots. The Big Dog is an off-road truck and also serves as an all-terrain multi-use firetruck. The Thermite provides firefighters and first responders immediate eyes inside the fire as well the ability to safely attack industrial, chemical and HAZMAT fires from their core. The Thermite robot provides safety and inside access on containing and defeating fires of any magnitude.

Originality/value

Howe & Howe Technologies first gained notoriety in 2001, with the development of the world’s fastest tank, the RIPSAW. Successful demonstrations soon followed, which eventually allowed the Howes, at the age of 31, to be named among the youngest in history to ever receive a multi-million dollar military contract from the USA. Soon after, in 2010, Howe & Howe received a Guinness World Record for developing the world’s smallest armored vehicle, the Badger. By the time the Howes were 36, they had one world record, multiple patents pending for their product developments, as well as military contracts. The Howes also had their own reality television show on a major US network. In 2010, they completed the Thermite, Fire Fighting Unmanned Ground Vehicle. In 2012, the Howes founded “Outdoors Again,” a nonprofit 501c3 organization that holds outdoor events and social activities for those who require the use of a wheelchair.

中文翻译：

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Geoff Howe，德事隆系统子公司 Howe and Howe, Inc. 高级副总裁；机器人消防技术的共同先驱，包括 Thermite™ 消防机器人

目的

本文的目的是提供由《工业机器人杂志》的乔安妮·普兰斯基 (Joanne Pransky) 进行的“问答采访”，作为一种方法，介绍一位杰出的、由行业工程师转行的企业家的技术、商业和个人经验，关于他在带来机器人发明推向市场。本文旨在讨论这些问题。

设计/方法/方法

受访者是德事隆系统的子公司 Howe & Howe, Inc. 的高级副总裁 Geoff Howe，他是先进机器人平台解决方案和应用的领导者，为世界上最极端的条件构建和验证。Geoff 和 Michael Howe 于 2001 年创立了 Howe & Howe Technologies，并于 2018 年被德事隆系统公司收购。 2010 年，Howe 和 Howe 开发了世界上第一个机器人消防解决方案。Geoff Howe 描述了 Thermite 机器人消防员商业发展的演变，以及在这个新行业中破土动工的挑战。

发现

Geoff 和他的孪生兄弟 Michael Howe 是发明家、军事承包商、演员和企业家，以回馈社区的慈善事业而闻名。当杰夫和迈克只有六岁时，他们被称为“豪和豪建筑”。八岁时，迈克和杰夫用妈妈送给他们的生日电动工具建造了自己的单间小木屋。在 16 岁时，他们甚至在获得驾驶执照之前就开始摆弄车辆。他们都以优异的成绩毕业于缅因州高中和大学。该公司的产品组合包括 RIPSAW®、Thermite、Badger、Subterranean Rover 和其他用于多种应用的极端车辆。2010年，豪和豪完成了三辆新车。首先是作为美国第一辆消防 UGV 进入无人地面车辆 (UGV) 市场的 Thermite™。第二辆车是 Ripchair™，它是为残障人士和无法行走的人开发的一种越野轮椅。第三辆车是激流，它是 RIPSAW 的两栖版本。2015年见证了Big Dog Extreme 4x4消防车和Thermite RS1和RS3消防机器人的商业开发。Big Dog 是一款越野卡车，也可用作全地形多用途救火车。Thermite 为消防员和急救人员提供了直接观察火情的能力，以及从核心安全地扑灭工业、化学和危险品火灾的能力。Thermite 机器人在控制和扑灭任何规模的火灾时提供安全和内部通道。

原创性/价值

Howe & Howe Technologies 于 2001 年首次声名狼藉，开发出世界上最快的坦克 RIPSAW。成功的示威活动接踵而至，最终让 31 岁的豪斯成为历史上最年轻的从美国获得数百万美元军事合同的人。不久之后，在 2010 年，Howe & Howe 因开发世界上最小的装甲车 Badger 获得了吉尼斯世界纪录。到豪斯 36 岁时，他们拥有一项世界纪录、多项产品开发专利以及军事合同。豪斯还在美国的一个主要网络上举办了自己的真人秀节目。2010年，他们完成了Thermite，消防无人地面车辆。2012 年，Howes 夫妇创立了“Outdoors Again,