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DEMONSTRATION OF AUTONOMOUS AIR MONITORING THROUGH ROBOTICS
Citation:
Rancatore, R. DEMONSTRATION OF AUTONOMOUS AIR MONITORING THROUGH ROBOTICS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/2-89/055.
Description:
This project included modifying an existing teleoperated robot to include autonomous navigation, large object avoidance, and air monitoring and demonstrating that prototype robot system in indoor and outdoor environments. An existing teleoperated "Surveyor" robot developed by ARD Corporation was modified to an autonomously navigated robot. A magnetic pick-up unit was installed on the "Surveyor" so that the unit could respond to and correct its course in relation to a high pressure electric pulse traveling along a wire laid on the ground. The robot was also modified to carry a HNU PI-1O1 Photoionization Detector air monitoring device. A sonar range finder, which already was an integral part of the "Surveyor," was repositioned to the front of the robot chassis to detect large obstacles in the path of the robot. In addition, the software of the onboard computer was also extensively modified to provide: navigation control, dynamic steering to smoothly follow the wire-course without hesitation, obstacle avoidance, autonomous shut down and remote reporting of toxic substance detection.