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Saferdrill: Control Architecture of a Walking and Climbing Robot

Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

Giorgio Pezzuto D’Appolonia Spa (Italy)

Jeremi Gancet Space Applications Services N.V. (Belgium)

Samir Nabulsi IAI-CSIC (Spain)

http://www.dappolonia-research.com/saferdrill

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RISE’08 Workshop

SAFERDRILL is a EU funded project where cooperated the following partners...

Roberto Zannini Consolidamento

Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008

A few words of acknowledgment…

SAFERDRILL is the evolution of EU Roboclimber project, developed also with the support of ESA TTP programme

Outline

1. Introduction and context of Saferdrill

2. Control architecture: big picture

3. Onboard control and gait strategies

4. Remote control

5. Conclusion and perspectives

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

1. Introduction and context of Saferdrill

Saferdrill motivations:• Aim: cliffs consolidation

• Assets:

– Reduces human exposition to danger

– Reduces environmental impact

– Reduces cost and time to perform operations (to be confirmed!)

Saferdrill in a few numbers: • 4 legs, 2 ropes walking & climbing robot

• 3 tons, car size

• 20 meters deep holes drilling

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

2. Control architecture: big picture

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

Robotic Unit

Remote Control

Onboard Electric Panel

Single Control Unit

Navigation

Engine/pumps

Valves/sensors

Wifi access point

Ground Electric Panel

Rucksack with power

cells

Control board

Tablet-PC Wifi antenna

Control panel

Power generator

TM/TC

380 V

220 V

12 V

3. Onboard control and gait strategies

Control unit

=> starts / stops engines, pumps and hydraulic valves

=> read and format signal from sensors and video camera

=> implements a server for TM production and TC requests reception

=> PID control

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

3. Onboard control and gait strategies

Gait strategies

=> Walking gait:

=> Climbing gait:

=> Coordinated with ropes tensioning

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

Always at least 3 legs in contact with the ground

Sometimes, 2 legs only in contact with the cliff

4. Remote control

Remote control components:

=> Hard case

=> Control panel and electronics

=> Tablet-PC

=> Power cells (rucksack)

Control board (RCU):

=> EEPROM based

=> 32 channels for digital OUT

=> 80 channels for digital IN

=> serial connection to the tablet-PC

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

4. Remote control

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

Tablet-PC software:

4. Remote control

Tablet-PC GUI prototype:

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

Moving mode Drilling mode

4. Remote control

Tablet-PC commands and LED activation tuning:

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

Command edition

LED activation edition

5. Conclusion and perspectives

Conclusion

=> Remote monitoring and control approach offers a flexible way to define and tune control elements’ behaviors

=> First laboratory and field tests show a ~20% reduction in the time needed for operations, compared to non-robotic operations

=> Field tests confirmed the feasibility of remotely control and monitor the cliff consolidation process with Saferdrill

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

5. Conclusions and perspectives

Perspectives=> Navigation module: 3D stereo bench development, integration

and testing in progress

=> Geological interpretation module

=> Further pre-industrialization of the Saferdrill prototype is ongoing

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop

Thanks for your attention!

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Benicassim, 7-8 January, 2008RISE’08 Workshop