Louise Hunter

Background Search & Rescue Collapsed caves/mines Natural disasters Robots Underwater surveying Planetary exploration Bomb disposal

Proposition Research/Development into a group of robots Mechanical development Durable and simple Hardware Reliable/cheap Software Development of control algorithms Physical Testing Difficult to simulate accurately Timeframe – 3yrs Beginning Sept ‘10 Why robots? Risking a robot is better than risking a life Dangerous areas could collapse Can be stronger than a person Can fit through smaller spaces

Types of Robots Group/Collaborating Around 3 to 5 robots. Capable of interacting with each other Required to carry reliable sensors If a couple fail, can leave others in difficulty Often quite a complex design Modular Simple, independent units Can form complex structures and perform various tasks when many are connected Swarm Usually large numbers, (10+) Basic sensing methods, but large quantity of data Simple movement, with large numbers. May struggle with difficult terrain Small, simple design. Easily replicable

Movement Ground Wheels Tracks Legged Water Paddles Propeller Combination Screw propelled Navigating obstacles Turning circle Accuracy (feedback) Self-righting mechanism Making the robot more dependent

Sensors Camera Light source needed (power consuming) IR (Night vision) IR thermograghy (Thermal Imaging) Image processing Beacon Requires victim to be near source Robot could ‘home’ in on signal Fails if signal is too weak, or batteries on beacon fail Ultrasound Sometimes unreliable Cannot distinguish between rock & person Requires user to interpret Others Laser ranging Accelerometers Digital compass

Information Relay Communications Cave Radio Wired to surface Not suitable for long distances User Interface User friendly interface Helpful feedback Remote controls Robots would need some way of communicating with each other Wireless – will have a limit on range Robot Mode? Autonomous Remote Surveying Passing information Human update Robot data

Autonomy Allows robots to progress independent of a user User can concentrate on other tasks Uses sensors to carry out actions Obstacle Avoidance Wall following ‘Personality’ Various reactions to different situations Learning Capabilities Robot can adapt to unique surroundings

Power Battery Power : Weight Time limit for survey What would happen if a robot lost power before returning Umbilical Cord Limited by length Weight and friction can become issues May affect manoeuvrability Would snag on objects

Element Proofing Material Choice Corrosion Wear Impact damage Issues to consider Circuitry and water do not mix (salt/fresh water) Some caves have water with varying PH levels Mud Sand

Conclusion Robots are becoming more advanced and independent through extensive research and testing Removing humans from the equation allows for more dangerous areas to be searched For a practical realisation, reliability is everything Questions/ Comments?