A novel track-drive mobile robotic framework for conducting projects on robotics and control systems

This paper presents a novel robotic framework to help students to practically grasp the concepts of Robotics and Control Systems in a laboratory environment. The framework is centered on a robotic rover having two tank-like tracks which permit locomotion on uneven terrains. The sensory system consists of encoders for position feedback while the actuation system comprises of six precise DC motors. To enhance the learning outcomes of students and to permit readily realizaion of applications, developed software library supports three different command levels. The efficacy of the framework has been demonstrated by presenting a list of projects conducted on the framework. In particular, as a case-study, a project titled tether tracking and control of robotic rover has been detailed in the paper with presentation of experimental results. The pilot study indicated that incorporating the framework in robotics laboratory resulted in an efficient methodology of imparting interdisciplinary knowledge to engineering students. Additionally, the framework finds its potential in research of advanced robotic and control algorithms

Scripting the swarm: event-based control of microcontroller-based robots.

Swarm robotics in real world requires a large number of robots and thus enough room for experimentation. Therefore, to implement such experiments with limited budget, robots should be compact and low cost, which entails the use of microcontroller-based miniature robots. In this context, developing behaviour is challenging, because microcontrollers are not powerful enough to support common high-level development environments such as Java. Furthermore, the development tools for microcontrollers are not able to monitor and debug groups of robots online. In this paper, we present a new event-based control architecture: ASEBA. It solves the problem of developing and testing collective behaviours by running script inside a lightweight virtual machine on each microcontroller and by providing an integrated development environment to program and monitor the whole group of robots from a single application running on any desktop computer. We have validated ASEBA by implementing a dangerous-area avoidance experiment using the e-puck robot. Experiments of this type are common in swarm robotics, but porting them to real robots is often challenging. By easing the development of complex behaviours on real robots, ASEBA both exposes collective robotics programming to a large community and opens new research perspectives for swarm robotics

A multi-robot educational and research framework

Robots have greatly transformed human’s life. Multi-disciplinary research in robotics essentially demands having sophisticated frameworks with diverse range of capabilities ranging from simple tasks like testing of control algorithms to handling complex scenarios like multiple robot coordination. The present research addresses this demand by proposing a reliable, versatile and cheap platform enriched with enormous features. The framework has been conceptualized with three robots having different drive mechanisms, sensing and communication capabilities. The proposed ‘Wanderbot’ family consists of ForkerBot, MasterBot and HexaBot. The ForkerBot is a four-wheeled robot equipped with ultra sonic range finder, wheel encoder, bump sensor, temperature sensor, GSM, GPS and RF communication modules. The robot, having a payload capacity of 8 pounds, supports both Differential and Ackerman drive mechanisms and can be used to validate advanced obstacle avoidance algorithms. The MasterBot is also a wheeled robot with an on-board camera and is skid-steered. The robot finds potential in research on image processing and computer vision and in analysis and validation of algorithms requiring high-level computations like complex path traversal. The third member in the Wander family, HexaBot, is a six-legged robot, which is able to exhibit the movement of tripod gait and can be used for investigating walking and climbing algorithms. The three members of Wander family can communicate with one another, thus making it a good candidate for research on coordinated multi-robots. Additionally, such a prototyped platform with vast attractive features finds potential in an academic and vocational environment

The multi-agent flood algorithm as an autonomous system for search and rescue applications

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Design of a rescue robot for search and mapping operation

Thesis (Master)--Izmir Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Izmir, 2006Includes bibliographical references (leaves: 65-66)Text in English; Abstract: Turkish and Englishx, 76 leavesThe aim of this thesis is to design a mobile robot for rescue operations after an earthquake. The robot is designed to locate injured victims and life triangle in debris, to create a map of the disaster area and to collect the necessary information needed by digging and support robots in order to the database center. This robot enables us to rescue the victim in the shortest time with minimum injury. This will let us risking the lives of the rescue teams much less as well as rescuing much more victim alive.Robot is designed with the longitudinal body design. Shock absorber system gives the damper effect against falls as well as adding advanced equilibrium properties while passing through a rough land. Driving mechanism is a tracked steering system.Front and back arm system is developed to provide high mobility while overtaking the obstacles.Secondly hovercraft type robot, which works with the cushion pressure principle, is designed as a rescue robot. It is thought that if the adequate height is supplied, the robot could manage to overcome obstacles.As a third design, ball robot, which could easily move uphill and has a capability to overrun obstacles, is studied.Jumping mechanism will be working by magnetic piston.In addition robot is equipped with the sensors so that it has capable of the navigation. In order to achieve feasible sensor systems, all electronic components are evaluated and the most effective sensors are chosen

Entwicklungsumgebung für Roboterschwärme

In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden der systematische Entwurf und die Entwicklung einer Entwicklungsumgebung für Roboterschwärme beschrieben, die auf die spezifischen Eigenarten solcher Multi-Roboter-Systeme (MRS) eingeht. Kernstück der Entwicklungsumgebung sind eine interpretierte Steuersprache sowie eine dynamische interaktive Arena für Experimente. Die Entwicklungsumgebung vereinfacht den Entwurf von MRS, was in mehreren Experimenten mit verschiedenen Robotern anschaulich dargelegt wird

Entwicklungsumgebung für Roboterschwärme

In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden der systematische Entwurf und die Entwicklung einer Entwicklungsumgebung für Roboterschwärme beschrieben, die auf die spezifischen Eigenarten solcher Multi-Roboter-Systeme (MRS) eingeht. Kernstück der Entwicklungsumgebung sind eine interpretierte Steuersprache sowie eine dynamische interaktive Arena für Experimente. Die Entwicklungsumgebung vereinfacht den Entwurf von MRS, was in mehreren Experimenten mit verschiedenen Robotern anschaulich dargelegt wird

Fast Robot Prototyping with the CubeSystem

Abstract — The CubeSystem is a collection of hardware- and software-components for fast robot prototyping. The main goal of the CubeSystem project is to provide an open source collection of generic building blocks that can be freely combined into an application. This paper describes the first release of the CubeSystem, that evolved in more than five years of research and development. The benefits of the CubeSystem are illustrated by several applications, ranging from educational activities to industrial projects