Report on the DeTec-2 Testing in Cambodia November 18-21, 1997

The 2-year DeTec-2 project started at the end of 1995 as a continuation of our 1994-95 work on the Pemex demining robot to evaluate an antipersonnel mine sensor that is based on a combination of a metal detector (MD) and a ground-penetrating radar (GPR). The ERA radar was selected in early 1996, and we used the Schiebel, Förster and Ebinger metal detectors. We built a laboratory sandbox to evaluate the sensors under controlled conditions with the ultimate objective of conducting tests on a real minefield before the end of the project

Toward Indoor Flying Robots

Developing a research autonomous plane for flying in a laboratory space is a challenge that forces one to understand the specific aerodynamic, power and construction constraints. In order to obtain a very slow flight while maintaining a high maneuverability, ultra-light structures and adequate components are required. In this paper we analyze the wing, propeller and motor characteristics and propose a methodology to optimize the motor/gear/propeller system. The C4 model plane (50g, 1.5m/s) demonstrates the feasibility of such a laboratory flying test-bed

A Visualization Tool for the Mini-Robot Khepera: Behaviour Analysis and Optimization

Löffler A, Klahold J, Hußmann M, Rückert U. A Visualization Tool for the Mini-Robot Khepera: Behaviour Analysis and Optimization. In: Floreano D, Nicoud J-D, Mondada F, eds. Proceedings of the 5th International European Conference on Artificial Life (ECAL99). Vol 1674. Lausanne, Switzerland: Springer-Verlag; 1999: 329-333.The design of behavior generating control structures for real robots acting autonomously in a real and changing environment is a complex task. This is in particular true with respect to the debugging process, the documentation of the encountered behavior, its quantitative analysis and the final evaluation. To successfully implement such a behavior, it is vital to couple the synthesis on a simulator and the experiment on a real robot with a thorough analysis. The available simulator tools in general only allow behavioral snapshots and do not provide the option of online interference. In order to cure these shortcomings, a visualization tool for aposteriori graphical analysis of recorded data sets which gives access to all relevant internal states and parameters of the system is presented. The mini-robot Khepera has been chosen as experimentatory platform

A 10-gram Vision-based Flying Robot

We aim at developing ultralight autonomous microflyers capable of freely flying within houses or small built environments while avoiding collisions. Our latest prototype is a fixed-wing aircraft weighing a mere 10 g, flying around 1.5 m/s and carrying the necessary electronics for airspeed regulation and lateral collision avoidance. This microflyer is equipped with two tiny camera modules, two rate gyroscopes, an anemometer, a small microcontroller, and a Bluetooth radio module. Inflight tests are carried out in a new experimentation room specifically designed for easy changing of surrounding textures

A 1.5g SMA-actuated Microglider looking for the Light

Unpowered flight can be used in microrobotics to overcome ground obstacles and to increase the traveling distance per energy unit. In order to explore the potential of goal-directed gliding in the domain of miniature robotics, we developed a 22cm microglider weighing a mere 1.5g and flying at around 1.5m/s. It is equipped with sensors and electronics to achieve phototaxis, which can be seen as a minimal level of control autonomy. A novel 0.2g Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuator for steering control has been specifically designed and integrated to keep the overall weight as low as possible. In order to characterize autonomous operation of this robot, we developed an experimental setup consisting of a launching device and a light source positioned 1m below and 4m away with varying angles with respect to the launching direction. Statistical analysis of 36 autonomous flights demonstrate its flight and phototaxis efficiency

A 1.5g SMA-actuated Microglider looking for the Light

Unpowered flight can be used in microrobotics to overcome ground obstacles and to increase the traveling distance per energy unit. In order to explore the potential of goal-directed gliding in the domain of miniature robotics, we developed a 22cm microglider weighing a mere 1.5g and flying at around 1.5m/s. It is equipped with sensors and electronics to achieve phototaxis, which can be seen as a minimal level of control autonomy. A novel 0.2g Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuator for steering control has been specifically designed and integrated to keep the overall weight as low as possible. In order to characterize autonomous operation of this robot, we developed an experimental setup consisting of a launching device and a light source positioned 1m below and 4m away with varying angles with respect to the launching direction. Statistical analysis of 36 autonomous flights demonstrate its flight and phototaxis efficiency