This CMU system can turn any robot into an autonomous explorer

-

A research group at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute has developed a suite of robotic systems and planners that enable robots to explore unknown and treacherous and unknown environments more quickly and create more accurate and detailed maps. The Autonomous Exploration Research Team’s systems allow robots to explore completely autonomously, finding their way and creating a map without human intervention. 

The CMU research team combined a 3D scanning lidar sensor, forward-looking camera, and inertial measurement unit sensors with an exploration algorithm to enable the robot to determine where it is now, where it has been, and where it should go next. These sensors can be attached to nearly any robotic platform. Right now, CMU’s group is using a motorized wheelchair and drones for much of its testing. 

“You can set it in any environment, like a department store or a residential building after a disaster, and off it goes,” Ji Zhang, a systems scientist at the Robotics Institute, said in a release. “It builds the map in real-time, and while it explores, it figures out where it wants to go next. You can see everything on the map. You don’t even have to step into the space. Just let the robots explore and map the environment.”

The system allows robots to explore in three different modes. In the first mode, a person can control the robot’s movement and direction while autonomous systems keep it from crashing into walls, ceilings, or other objects. In mode two, a person can select a point on a map and the robot will navigate to that point. In the final mode, the robot sets off on its own and investigates the entire space to create a map. 

CMU’s researchers have been working on exploration systems like this one for over three years. So far, the system has explored and mapped several underground mines, a parking garage, the Cohon University Center, and several other indoor and outdoor locations on the CMU campus. 

The system is more efficient than previous approaches to robotic navigation and mapping. It can create more complete maps while reducing the run time in half. It’s flexible enough to work in low-light and treacherous conditions where communication is spotty, like caves, tunnels, and abandoned structures. 

The group’s most recent work appeared in Science Robotics, which recently published “Representation Granularity Enables Time-Efficient Autonomous Exploration in Large, Complex Worlds” online.

The post This CMU system can turn any robot into an autonomous explorer appeared first on The Robot Report.



from The Robot Report - Robotics News, Analysis & Research https://ift.tt/D0HmQPd
via artificialconference

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chipotle testing avocado processing robot in test kitchen

-
Image
Chipotle Mexican Grill announced Autocado, an avocado processing cobotic prototype that cuts, cores, and peels avocados before they are hand mashed to create the restaurant’s famous guacamole. The prototype, developed in collaboration with Vebu , is currently being tested at the Chipotle Cultivate Center in Irvine , California.  How Autocado works  A team member loads Autocado with a full case of ripe avocados and selects the size setting. Autocado can hold up to 25 lbs. of avocados at once. One at a time, avocados are vertically oriented, then transferred to the processing device. The avocados are sliced in half. Their cores and skin are automatically removed, and the waste is discarded.  The fruit is safely collected in a stainless-steel bowl at the bottom of the device.  A team member removes the bowl of avocado fruit and moves it to the counter where they add additional ingredients and hand mash the avocados to make Chipotle’s signature guacamole.  How the Autocado idea s
Read more

Inside Comaus testing of Intrinsic Flowstate

-
Image
Intrinsic tested its latest platform and Flowstate with Comau , an Italian-based robot manufacturer and global systems integrator. Comau has been working with Intrinsic for several years now to validate Intrinsic’s platform technology and developer product, Flowstate, through real-world use cases.  Flowstate, announced earlier this year in May , is a robotic software development platform. It’s Intrinsic’s first developer product built on the Intrinsic platform. Comau was also introduced as the company’s first industry partner in May.  The Intrinsic Flowstate software  adds a layer of abstraction to traditional robotic software tools with the goal of reducing the development skillset required while making it easier than ever before to program a robot in simulation. “Partnering with Comau over the years has brought our team a tremendous amount of expertise, knowledge, and real-world use cases to focus our efforts on. We’re excited for what’s next and what it will mean to the solutio
Read more

ABB launches Flexley mobile robots, completing rebranding of ASTI AMRs

-
Image
Rebranded ABB Flexley autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) completes the integration of ASTI into ABB Robotics business. | Credit: ABB ABB launched its first range of rebranded Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) following its acquisition of mobile robot leader ASTI Mobile Robotics in 2021 for $190M . ASTI Mobile Robotics’ solutions are now rebranded and integrated into ABB’s portfolio, grouped under the Flexley name, indicating the flexibility of operations that the AMRs offer. The first rebranded models to be released, Flexley Tug and Flexley Mover, cover applications including towing, trolley transportation up to 5,350 lbs (2000 kg), as well as lifting and transporting racks, containers and pallets of 4,000 lbs (1,500 kg). The ABB Flexley Mover (l) and ABB Flexley Tug (r) become the first rebranded ABB AMRs to be released. | Credit: ABB ABB joins OMRON corporation as the second automation solutions company to offer a complete lineup of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), industrial robo
Read more