Autonomous mobile robot research using the HERMIES-III robot

Conference · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5883896

Pin, F G; Beckerman, M; Spelt, P F; Robinson, J T; Weisbin, C R

This paper reports on the status and future directions in the research, development and experimental validation of intelligent control techniques for autonomous mobile robots using the HERMIES-III robot at the Center for Engineering Systems Advanced research (CESAR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). HERMIES-III is the fourth robot in a series of increasingly more sophisticated and capable experimental test beds developed at CESAR. HERMIES-III is comprised of a battery powered, onmi-directional wheeled platform with a seven degree-of-freedom manipulator arm, video cameras, sonar range sensors, laser imaging scanner and a dual computer system containing up to 128 NCUBE nodes in hypercube configuration. All electronics, sensors, computers, and communication equipment required for autonomous operation of HERMIES-III are located on board along with sufficient battery power for three to four hours of operation. The paper first provides a more detailed description of the HERMIES-III characteristics, focussing on the new areas of research and demonstration now possible at CESAR with this new test-bed. The initial experimental program is then described with emphasis placed on autonomous performance of human-scale tasks (e.g., valve manipulation, use of tools), integration of a dexterous manipulator and platform motion in geometrically complex environments, and effective use of multiple cooperating robots (HERMIES-IIB and HERMIES- III). The paper concludes with a discussion of the integration problems and safety considerations necessarily arising from the set-up of an experimental program involving human-scale, multi-autonomous mobile robots performance. 10 refs., 3 figs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5883896
• Report Number(s): CONF-8909167-2; ON: DE89015916
• Resource Relation: Conference: IROS '89: international workshop on intelligent robots and systems: the autonomous robot and its application, Tsukuba, Japan, 4-6 Sep 1989; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
ROBOTS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
AUTOMATION
CAMERAS
COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
FLOWSHEETS
MANIPULATORS
SAFETY
SONAR
DIAGRAMS
EQUIPMENT
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
RANGE FINDERS
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420000* - Engineering
990210 - Supercomputers- (1987-1989)