High Dexterity Robotics for Safety and Emergency Response - 17104
- Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (United States)
- US Department of Energy (United States)
Recently, significant advances in robotics have led to increased use in industrial and military applications. For example, the military has used explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) robots to enable responders to remotely investigate hazardous environments. While EOD robots have saved many lives, their utility is hampered by: 1) limited ability to manipulate complex objects and mechanisms (e.g. open a car door, operate power tools or turn valves), and 2) the requirement for significant operator training using joystick-type interfaces. Most robots today have simplistic manipulators and cannot easily operate in environments designed for humans as evidenced by the recent Amazon Picking Challenge and the DARPA Robotics Challenge. Simple tasks that humans perform easily, such as picking up objects or operating a cutting tool, require customized rigs that are expensive and time-consuming to use. The specialized nature of these robots limits their utility in highly unstructured environments, for example during emergency situations where a robot may need to be rapidly re-purposed for an unanticipated situation (i.e. the Fukushima nuclear disaster). Robots are needed that can perform complex human-like tasks and are easy to use for everyday and emergency tasks. In 2005 the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) initiated the Revolutionizing Prosthetics (RP) Program with the goal of creating prosthetics as capable as the human arm and a human-machine interface enabling highly intuitive operation. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) created the Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL), originally developed for amputees and paralyzed individuals as part of the RP Program, to replicate the capability of the human hand and arm to the extent technologically possible. With 26 joints and over 180 sensors, it is one of the most sophisticated and fully integrated robotic arms in the world. We have also demonstrated human-machine interface techniques that are highly intuitive requiring minimal training. While the MPL was originally designed as a prosthetic, it has also been incorporated into mobile robotic systems to project human capability. Using tele-operation, we have demonstrated the ability to perform dual-arm remote operations in complex environments. For nuclear facilities, high dexterity robots combined with tele-operation offer the potential to enhance worker safety, productivity and quality. Safety enhancements include enabling remote operation in hazardous environments, remote handling of heavy or dangerous materials, and elimination of injury due to repetitive motions. Because the MPL is designed to function like a human limb, the robot can work in environments designed for humans with limited need for specialized tools. When used for routine operations, it can also maintain a level of familiarity and confidence that effectively accomplishes reinforcement training for use in emergency situations, unlike a specialized robot that might sit unused for months or years at a time. In August 2016 we demonstrated the use of the MPL at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, Ohio. Two robotic platform technologies were demonstrated to familiarize the DOE Emergency Management's (EM) workforce on the potential benefits of this technology. Here we present the results of those efforts, highlight the lessons learned during 'EM Week,' and outline potential future developments that could further advance application of these technologies to enhance worker safety. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, Inc., PO Box 27646, 85285-7646 Tempe, AZ (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 22794515
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-19-WM-17104; TRN: US19V0192038734
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM2017 Conference: 43. Annual Waste Management Symposium, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 5-9 Mar 2017; Other Information: Country of input: France; 6 refs.; available online at: http://archive.wmsym.org/2017/index.html
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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