Experimental Characterization of a Binary Actuated Parallel Manipulator

This paper describes the BAPAMAN (Binary Actuated Parallel MANipulator) series of parallel manipulators that has been conceived at LARM. Basic common characteristics of BAPAMAN series are described. In particular, it is outlined the use of a reduced number of active degrees of freedom, the use of design solutions with flexural joints and Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators for achieving miniaturization, cost reduction and easy operation features. Given the peculiarities of BAPAMAN architecture, specific experimental tests have been proposed and carried out with the aim to validate the proposed design and to evaluate the practical operation performance and the characteristics of a built prototype, in particular, in terms of operation and workspace characteristics

RoboCup rescue robot league

The RoboCup Rescue Robot League (RRL) aims to foster the development of rescue robots that can be used after disasters such as earthquakes. These robots help to discover victims in the collapsed structure without endanger the rescue personnel. The RRL has been held since 2000. The experience gained during these competitions has increased the level of maturity of the field, which allowed to deploy robots after real disasters, e.g. at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. This article provides an overview on the competition and its history. It also highlights the current state of the art, the current challenges and the way ahead

Advancing the state of urban search and rescue robotics through the RoboCupRescue Robot League competition

The RoboCupRescue Robot League is an international competition that has grown to be an effective driver for the dissemination of solutions to the challenges posed by Urban Search and Rescue Robotics and accelerated the development of the performance standards that are crucial to widespread effective deployment of robotic systems for these applications. In this paper, we will discuss how this competition has come to be more than simply a venue where teams compete to find a champion and is now “A League of Teams with one goal: to Develop and Demonstrate Advanced Robotic Capabilities for Emergency Responders.

A Review of Robot Rescue Simulation Platforms for Robotics Education

This review explores a natural learning curve which gives an appropriate RoboCup Rescue challenge at the right age. Children who got involved in the age group 14+ should continue their learning experience until they reach graduate level. To reduce the cost of such a learning experience, simulation is an attractive option in a large part of the world. The realism of the simulations and challenges should increase step-by-step, which are supported by more powerful but also more complex interfaces at each level/age-group. The result is a natural learning curve which allows for life-long learning. In this paper, we detail the requirements for such a platform and review a number of different simulation platforms and accompanying interfaces focusing on suitability for use for education rescue robotics. Resulting from this review of simulation platforms, a case-study of an example ‘game field’ rescue simulation platform suitable for students at different points along the learning curve

Using competitions to advance the development of standard test methods for response robots

Competitions are an effective aid to the development and dissemination of standard test methods, especially in rapidly developing, fields with a wide variety of requirements and capabilities such as Urban Search and Rescue robotics. By exposing the development process to highly developmental systems that push the boundaries of current capabilities, it is possible to gain an insight into how the test methods will respond to the robots of the future. The competition setting also allows for the rapid iterative refinement of the test methods and apparatuses in response to new developments. For the research community, introducing the concepts behind the test methods at the research and development stage can also help to guide their work towards the operationally relevant requirements embodied by the test methods and apparatuses. This also aids in the dissemination of the test methods themselves as teams fabricate them in their own laboratories and re-use them in work outside the competition. In this paper, we discuss how international competitions, and in particular the RoboCupRescue Robot League competition, have played a crucial role in the development of standard test metrics for response robots as part of the ASTM International Committee of Homeland Security Applications; Operational Equipment; Robots (E54.08.01). We will also discuss how the competition has helped to drive a vibrant robot developer community towards solutions that are relevant to first responders. Copyright © 2012

Comparison of ROS-Based Monocular Visual SLAM Methods: DSO, LDSO, ORB-SLAM2 and DynaSLAM

© 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Stable and robust path planning of a ground mobile robot requires a combination of accuracy and low latency in its state estimation. Yet, state estimation algorithms should provide these under computational and power constraints of a robot embedded hardware. The presented study offers a comparative analysis of four cutting edge publicly available within robot operating system (ROS) monocular simultaneous localization and mapping methods: DSO, LDSO, ORB-SLAM2, and DynaSLAM. The analysis considers pose estimation accuracy (alignment, absolute trajectory, and relative pose root mean square error) and trajectory precision of the four methods at TUM-Mono and EuRoC datasets

Artificial intelligence based framework for robotic search and rescue operations conducted jointly by international teams

© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd 2020. Many countries suffer from various natural disasters, including heavy rains, that are associated with further flood and landslide disasters. Based on our experiences of different disasters response, we develop a joint international operation framework for a disaster site management with distributed heterogeneous robotic teams that consist of unmanned aerial, ground, surface, and underwater vehicles. The artificial intelligence-based information collection system, which is targeting to become a worldwide standard, contains interaction protocols, thematic mapping approaches, and map fusion processes. The project provides a new working framework and control strategies for heterogeneous robotic teams’ cooperative behavior in sensing, monitoring, and mapping of flood and landslide disaster areas. In this paper, we present an overview of the system and a first stage toward robot interaction protocols development and the system modeling within robot operating system’s Gazebo environment