Segway Geophysical Tow Vehicle

David HodoDavid BevlyJohn Hung

Bob Selfridge

Overview

• Collaboration between Collaboration between Auburn University and Auburn University and the Army Corp of the Army Corp of Engineers Huntsville Engineers Huntsville CenterCenter

• Goal: Provide an easily Goal: Provide an easily transportable tow vehicle transportable tow vehicle for various geophysical for various geophysical sensorssensors

• Safer and more accurate Safer and more accurate UXO detectionUXO detection

Background / Acknowledgements

• Initial funding from ESTCP (Spring 2006)Initial funding from ESTCP (Spring 2006)• Transportable Manned and Robotic Digital Transportable Manned and Robotic Digital

Geophysical Mapping (DGM) Tow Vehicle: Geophysical Mapping (DGM) Tow Vehicle: Project MM-200608Project MM-200608

• Continued funding from DERP FUDS Continued funding from DERP FUDS MMRP-IT program and the Army Corp MMRP-IT program and the Army Corp Huntsville CenterHuntsville Center

Capabilities & Benefits

• Autonomously control position and speed of Autonomously control position and speed of a trailer with geophysical sensors.a trailer with geophysical sensors.

• Operated and monitored from distances up to Operated and monitored from distances up to 2 miles.2 miles.

• Increased safety and data quality from Increased safety and data quality from standard survey methodsstandard survey methods

• Highly repeatable path and speed for Highly repeatable path and speed for comparing sensors and methodologies.comparing sensors and methodologies.

Path Following• Follows paths consisting of lines and arcsFollows paths consisting of lines and arcs• Places center of trailer on pathPlaces center of trailer on path• Capable of operation with and without GPS Capable of operation with and without GPS

on trailer.on trailer.

Path Planning

• Supports 3 task typesSupports 3 task types• GridsGrids• WaypointsWaypoints• Six-line TestsSix-line Tests

• Can pre-plan around (sparse) known obstacles.Can pre-plan around (sparse) known obstacles.• Grids and obstacles are defined by convex Grids and obstacles are defined by convex

polygons.polygons.• Direction of travel and speed can be specified for Direction of travel and speed can be specified for

grids.grids.

Simple Path Example

Mission Planner (Screenshot)

Fence LakePath

Grid

User Interface• Allows tele-op and autonomous control of the Allows tele-op and autonomous control of the

vehiclevehicle• DisplaysDisplays

• Desired and actual pathsDesired and actual paths• EM sensor data (EM61Mk2 and TM5Emu)EM sensor data (EM61Mk2 and TM5Emu)• System Health (battery voltages, pos. status, etc.)System Health (battery voltages, pos. status, etc.)• Video feedVideo feed

• Remote PC and comm. equipment mounted in Remote PC and comm. equipment mounted in rugged Storm Caserugged Storm Case

User Interface (Screenshot)

Compact, Rugged Control Unit

Major Demonstrations• McKinley Range, Huntsville, AL – numerousMcKinley Range, Huntsville, AL – numerous• Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), MD – May 2007Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), MD – May 2007• Camp Sibert: Site 18, AL - Sept 2007Camp Sibert: Site 18, AL - Sept 2007• SERDP/ESTCP/NAOC Workshop, Denver, CO – July SERDP/ESTCP/NAOC Workshop, Denver, CO – July

20082008• Operated by Parsons Corp:Operated by Parsons Corp:

• Great Salt Plains, OK – Dec. 2008 Great Salt Plains, OK – Dec. 2008 • Camp Sibert, AL – Jan 2009 Camp Sibert, AL – Jan 2009

• Ft. Benning, GA – May 2010Ft. Benning, GA – May 2010

Robot with G858 Magnetometer (APG)

Robot with EM61Mk2 Array at GSP

System at Ft. Benning, GA

Sample Map (APG)

• Mapping at APG Mapping at APG with EM61Mk2with EM61Mk2

• Results from 4 Results from 4 grids showngrids shown

• Gaps are from Gaps are from pre-planned pre-planned obstacle obstacle locations.locations.

References• D.W. Hodo, D. M. Bevly, J. Y. Hung, S. Millhouse, B. Selfridge, “Optimal Path Planning with Obstacle

Avoidance for Autonomous Surveying.” Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, Pheonix, AZ, November 2010.

• N. Harrison, B. Selfridge, C. Murray, and D. Hodo, “Self-guiding robotic geophysical surveying for shallow objects in comparison to traditional survey methods,” Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Environmental and Engineering Problems (SAGEEP), Keystone, Colorado, April 2010.

• N. Harrison, B. Selfridge, M. Root, C. Murray, D. Hodo, D. S. Millhouse, “Self-Guiding Robotic System Surveying and Comparison to Traditional Survey Methods.” Proceedings of the UXO/Countermine/Range Forum™ 2009, Orlando, FL, August 2009.

• W. Travis, D. W. Hodo, D. M. Bevly, and J. Y. Hung, “UGV trailer position estimation using a dynamic base RTK system,” Proceedings of the 2008 AIAA Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference, Honolulu, HI, Aug 2008.

• D. W. Hodo, J. Y. Hung, D. M. Bevly, S. Millhouse, “Linear Analysis of Trailer Lateral Error with Sensor Noise for a Mobile Robot-Trailer System.” Proceedings of the 2007 IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics, Vigo, SPAIN, June 2007.

• D. W. Hodo, J. Y. Hung, D. M. Bevly, S. Millhouse, “Effects of Sensor Placement and Errors on Path Following Control of a Mobile Robot-Trailer System.” Proceedings of the 26th Annual American Controls Conference, New York City, July 2007.

• D. W. Hodo, “Development of an autonomous mobile robot-trailer system for UXO detection,” Master's thesis, Auburn University, August 2007.