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Locomotion in Challenging Environment

Research Project Presentation

16-761 Introduction to Mobile Robotics

Spring 2001

February 8, 2000

Yuzo IshidaSCS/GSIA

Carnegie Mellon University

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Agenda

Introduction: Mobile robot vs. Land locomotion

Systems : Robot on off-road

1. Mars (LRV, FIDO/JPL)

2. Volcano (Dante/CMU)

3. Antarctic (Nomad/CMU)

Challenges : key research area

Solutions

Conclusion

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A book

The bible of robotics in challenging environment

OFF-THE-ROAD LOCOMOTION

- M.G. BEKKER 1960 -

What’s the difference?Land locomotion vs. Mobile robot

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

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What is a robot ?

Unimate,

the first industrial robot

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

For what ? •Automationreplacing humans in monotonous, heavy and hazardous processes

What a distinctive feature is?•Work without direct control

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Why we need it on off load ?

Why do we need robots inchallenging environment?

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

What kinds of challenging environment do you image? Space (Moon, Mars), Volcano, Polar area

(Antarctic) Disaster happened area (bombed building) Battlefields (wars, gun-shootings) Academic environment (CMU)

For safety or to save life in challenging environment

(Can apply crime prevention / resolution besides research use)

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A land locomotion on Moon

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

•Extend the area to be explored

•But not safe for astronauts moving around unknown/uncertain area

A Land locomotion not robot Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV)

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Systems

Mobile robots in challenging environment

- Mars, Volcano, Antarctic -

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

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In space

Are legged-type robots ideal for locomotion on Moon or Mars to explorer ?

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

"Ambler,“ by CMU/NASA (’90) a six-legged, 12-foot-tall, prototype, autonomous robot with the "brains" and motor skills to explore rugged terrain

“NASA mission managers had confidence that legged vehicles are a realistic alternative to wheeled rovers for lunar and Mars exploration”.

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Wheeled type robots won the race on Mars

Autonomous on-board software that reduces the number of interactions with Earth-based mission operators

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

“FIDO” rover directly supports the NASA/JPL Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Project that will launch 2 rovers to Mars in the summer of 2003.

Why wheeled type? No more legged type robots?

Vision technology (“Watch” rather than “feel”) - Give robots an “insight” to identify the terrain - Give robots a “right” to select a path

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Sanctuary of legged robots

Legged-type robots are ideal for locomotion on steeper or less traction terrain, where vehicles cannot move.

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

“Dante II” by CMU/NASA, a tethered walking robot, which explored the Mt. Spurr (Aleutian Range, Alaska) volcano in July 1994. High-temperature,

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Locomotion + Vision

“White out (no contrast)”Stereo vision works poorly or not at all. The laser sensor works well on all terrains

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

“Nomad” by CMU/NASA (’98)drove 10.3km autonomously in Antarctica under a variety of weather and terrain conditions.

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Challenges

Challenges ofMobile robots in challenging

environment

- Planning, Controlling, Communicating -

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

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Challenges for autonomous

Challenges (key research areas in robotics of

challenging environment)

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion Autonomous (partial => full)(learning, decision making,

intelligence, recovery)

1. Path planning2. Control robots and manipulator3. Operator interface and supervisory control

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Robot capability

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

Autonomous• Goal directed• Proactive

Adaptive•Dynamic interaction(Adapt to their environment)

Cooperative•Communication(Cooperate to achieve goals)

Dante II (Legged robot) FIDO (Mars)

Nomad (Antarctic)

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Difficulties

Difficulties of

mobile robots in challenging environment

Planning: • Path planning is made based on map.• Map is usually imperfect.• Knowing current position of robot (localization) is critical point for autonomous Controlling: • Terrain may not be hard enough to support the weight of robot.• Robots may not have enough traction from terrain to move as they expect.Communicating: • Robots in far away (Mars) or behind obstacles have less ability to communicate with controller.

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

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Solutions

Solutions forMobile robots in challenging

environment

- Vision technology, Faster algorism, Efficient interaction -

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

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Steps for autonomous locomotion

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

1. Path planning- Capture : Laser / stereo sensor (Vision)

- Identify (Localization) : updating the distribution, based on robot motion and sensing - correlation-based Markov localization (CBML) – faster/less storages;

- Think : error recovery module

2. Control robots and manipulator

- Advanced wheel-terrain interaction mechanics: faster and on-line calculation

- Wheel-terrain contact angle:

angle estimation methodology to

get more stable traction

3. Operator interface and supervisory control

- Software architecture : more efficient/less communication with vision (camera) support

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Conclusion

Conclusion

- Over 40 years’ on-goingresearch, science and engineering -

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

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Conclusion

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

Robots in “challenging environment” are necessary to achieve our varieties of goals “safely” and are trying to be “autonomous”.

But we must know more precisely ….

Where we are: •Accurate and efficient algorism for localization

What we see: •Robust vision technologies to capture terrain

What we expect: •Less/faster and on-line calculation to estimate terrain and locomotion

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A book

The bible has already described the following points in 1960;

•A motor vehicle and the train concept•Physical properties of soil, mud and snow•Geometrical properties of terrain surface•Motions resistance and vehicular forms•Operational definition of mechanical mobility• Wheel-terrain interaction mechanics• And more….

Introduction

Systems

- Mars

- Volcano

- Antarctic

Challenges

Solutions

Conclusion

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Q&A

Thank you for kind attention!

I would like to be happy to answer any question you might have.