The Tripwire robotic platform is a low-cost, unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) that can reduce or eliminate the time of danger for an operator who must inspect, x-ray, or render safe a hazardous device. The user may remotely inspect the area around the platform using 4 onboard cameras, including a pan/tilt master camera. The folding manipulator includes a 360 degree, continuously rotating gripper that can be used to open doors, flip / lift items from the ground, or move the threat to a safer area for further processing. The robot can lift 44 lbs. (20 kg) and can reach up to 51″ (130 cm) vertically and 23″ (58 cm) horizontally. It is important to note that the robot has low costs and minimal maintenance allows for more freedom to train and less worry about replacing parts that are far costlier on other robotic platforms.