Robotics And Remote Systems For Hazardous Environments

The first in a series, this book reports on progress in the use of robots and telerobots in hazardous environments. Topics include sensing and sensory fusion, control, intelligence, hot cells applications, mobile robots and environmentally conscious manufacturing.

Robots are used in industry, rescue missions, military operations, and subwater missions. Their use in hazardous environments is crucial in terms of occupational safety of workers and the health of rescue and military operations. This book presents several hazardous environment operations and safe operations of robots interacting with people in the context of occupational health and safety.

There have been major recent advances in robotic systems that can replace humans in undertaking hazardous activities in demanding or dangerous environments. Published in association with the CLAWAR (Climbing and Walking Robots and Associated Technologies Association) (www.clawar.org), this important book reviews the development of robotic systems for de-mining and other risky activities such as fire-fighting. Part one provides an overview of the use of robots for humanitarian de-mining work. Part two discusses the development of sensors for mine detection whilst Part thee reviews developments in both teleoperated and autonomous robots. Building on the latter, Part four concentrates on robot autonomous navigation. The final part of the book reviews research on multi-agent-systems (MAS) and the multi-robotics-systems (MRS), promising tools that take into account modular design of mobile robots and the use of several robots in multi-task missions. With its distinguished editors and international team of contributors, Using robots in hazardous environments: landmine detection, de-mining and other applications is a standard reference for all those researching the use of robots in hazardous environments as well as government and other agencies wishing to use robots for dangerous tasks such as landmine detection and disposal. Reviews the development of robotic systems for de-mining and other risky activities Discusses the development and applications of sensors for mine detection using different robotic systems Examines research on multi-agent-systems and multi-robotics systems

For the past three decades, the author and his colleagues in the MIT Man-Machine Systems Laboratory have been carrying out experimental research in the area of teleoperation, telerobotics, and supervisory control - a new form of technology that allows humans to work through machines in hazardous environments and control complex systems such as aircraft and nuclear power plants. This timely reference brings together a variety of theories and technologies that have emerged in a number of fields of application, describing common themes, presenting experiments and hardware embodiments as examples, and discussing the advantages and the drawbacks of this new form of human-machine interaction. There are many places - such as outer space, the oceans, and nuclear, biologically, and chemically toxic environments - that are; inaccessible or hazardous to humans but in which work needs to be done. Telerobotics - remote supervision by human operators of robotic or semi-automatic devices - is a way to enter these difficult environments. Yet it raises a host of problems, such as the retrieval of sensory information for the human operator and how to control the remote devices with sufficient dexterity. In its complete coverage of the theoretical and technological aspects of telerobotics and human-computer cooperation in the control of complex systems, this book moves beyond the simplistic notion of humans versus automation to provide the necessary background for exploring a new and informed cooperative relationship, between humans and machines.

Microcomputer technology and micromechanical design have contributed to recent rapid advances in Robotics. Particular advances have been made in sensor technology that allow robotic systems to gather data and react "intelligently" in flexible manufacturing systems. The analysis and recording of the data are vital to controlling the robot.In order to solve problems in control and planning for a Robotic system it is necessary to meet the growing need for the integration of sensors in to the system. Control in Robotics and Automation addresses this need. This book covers integration planning and control based on prior knowledge and real-time sensory information. A new task-oriented approach to sensing, planning and control introduces an event-based method for system design together with task planning and three dimensional modeling in the execution of remote operations.Typical remote systems are teleoperated and provide work efficiencies that are on the order of ten times slower than what is directly achievable by humans. Consequently, the effective integration of automation into teleoperated remote systems offers potential to improve remote system work efficiency. The authors introduce visually guided control systems and study the role of computer vision in autonomously guiding a robot system. Sensor-Based Planning and Control in an Event-Based Approach Visually Guided Sensing and Control Multiple Sensor Fuson in Planning and Control System Integration and Implementation Practical Applications