A modular robotic crawler can be formed by intercoupling a selected plurality of segment modules from a preexisting collection of differing compatible segment modules. The segment modules can have at least one intercoupleable interface. The selection can be based on a planned operational scenario of functions to be performed.

Modular robotic crawler

A serpentine robotic crawler capable of multiple movement moves is disclosed. The serpentine robotic crawler includes a plurality of frame units, coupled together by at least one actuated linkage. Each frame unit includes a continuous track, enabling forward movement of the serpentine robotic crawler. The at least one actuated linkage has at least 7 degrees of movement freedom, enabling the serpentine robotic crawler to adopt a variety of poses.

Serpentine robotic crawler

A remote operator console provides point and go navigation of a robotic vehicle. The remote operator console provides a display for visual representation of the environment in which the robotic vehicle is operating based on sensor information received from the robotic vehicle. An operator may designate a target point on the display. The robotic vehicle is automatically navigated toward a location in the environment corresponding to the designated target point.

Point and go navigation system and method

A tracked robotic crawler capable of multiple movement moves is disclosed. In. one embodiment, the tracked robotic crawler (10) includes at least one frame unit (12), the frame unit having a continuous track (14) rotatably coupled thereto. Disposed on the at least one frame unit is at least one articulated arm (18a, 18b), the arm being movable relative to the frame unit in at least one dimension. The articulated arm helps to improve mobility of the tracked robotic crawler in various environments.

Tracked robotic crawler having a moveable arm

A suspension system for a lightweight robotic crawler is disclosed. The suspension system provides for mounting of a flexible endless track thereon. The suspension system includes a forward guide and a rearward guide around which the endless track can be looped. A deflector positioned between the forward guide and the rearward guide downwardly deflects a ground-engaging portion of the endless track to form a peaked area. The peaked area can support the lightweight robotic vehicle allowing alteration of a distribution of load over the ground-engaging portion of the endless track with respect to a supporting surface.

Conformable Track Assembly For A Robotic Crawler

This paper describes an innovative architecture for a high-level interaction between a human and a robot via a personal digital assistant (PDA). A PDA is a design to provide small and lightweight mobile interaction devices. This interface architecture differs from previous PDA human-robot interfaces in that it uses high-level task decomposition, and an adaptive user interface (UI) rather than teleoperation interfaces. An adaptive user interface typically refers to a flexible interaction strategy between a human and a computer to contribute what is best-suited at the most appropriate time. We extended this concept to human-robot interaction (HRI) and employed the architecture into mobile devices (i.e. PDA and PocketPC). Such devices could provide mobility and durability for robot operations. This work implemented an agent-based high-level human-robot interface on a PDA to provide interactions with robots. Four PDA user interfaces were developed: a map-based robot control screen, a laser range finder screen, a sonar sensor screen, and a camera view with an object selection screen. The proposed framework has been implemented to develop a prototypical PDA-based human-robot interaction system. The initial results are encouraging and demonstrate the capabilities of such a human-robot framework.

T. Sueset

Papers

A PDA-based high-level human-robot interaction