RoboCupRescue 2010 - Robot League Team: Red Knight RoboRescue Squad

Robert Duffy, Jon Cotter, Marty Schmidt, Patrick Black, Alesandro Cecere, Matt Best, Cody Lynne, Kelsey Hennen, Allie Fan, Andy Kalb, Ryan Quinlivan, Rankin Ahlm, Joe Kramer, Katherine Silikowski, Jordan LaPointe, Claire Leiter, Timothy Jump

Benilde-St. Margaret's School

www.bsm-online.org

Abstract High school engineering class designing and fabricating robots for use in urban search and rescue with an emphasis on generating robots that can be considered disposable.

1. Team Members and Their Contributions

Team members contributed to the following areas:

• Map Generation
• Navigation and Localization
• Victim Identification
• Robot Locomotion (Control)
• Robot Locomotion (Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical)
• Robotic Arm

Advisor: Timothy Jump

**Additional Recognition goes to the BSM-ACS classes of 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009

2. Operator Station Set-up and Break-Down (3 minutes)

Set-Up

• Connect Regulated Power Supply to AC outlet (AC 110 volt wall outlet/US)
• Erect and connect to regulated power supply
  • Control Station w/integrated
    • Control Station Laptop
    • Additional Monitor(s)
    • Radio Modem w/antenna
    • mouse
    • headphones
• Boot Command Computer
  • Communication and application programs start automatically upon boot

Break-Down

• Shut down and Disconnect
  • Control Station
  • Regulated Power Supply

3. Communications

Radios (Operator Station and Robot)

• AvaLan AW900mSPI
  • Wireless mini-PCI Radio
  • 900 MHz
    • http://www.avalanwireless.com/assets_v3/design_docs/AW900 mSPI.pdf

Antenna

• Robot (Custom Design)
  • Marconi Antenna Works
    • http://www.marconiantennas.com/
• Operator Station
  • 900MHz 9db Yagi
    • http://www.titanwirelessonline.com/ProductDetails.asp?Product Code=AT%2D9YA%2D900

4. Control Method and Human-Robot Interface

Control Method

• Tele-operation
  • Operator interface-robot bidirectional wireless connection
• Autonomy
  • Bounded
    • Retraction routine
      • With communication loss, return to previous point of known connectivity
      • Wait for prompt to proceed autonomously
  • Un-Bounded
    • Wall Follow, Collision Detection, Obstruction Avoidance
    • Victim Identification (under development)
      • Motion Detection
      • Thermal Values
      • CO2 Values
      • Sound

Human-Robot Interface

• Operator/Human Control
  • Keyboard/Mouse/Joystick
    • Robot Motion
    • Sensor Head/Arm Motion
• Robot Control
  • SRV-1 Blackfin Processor/Camera w/Radio (3 Units – Front, Rear, Arm Head)
    • http://www.surveyor.com/blackfin/
  • SRV-1-RCM Robot Control Module
    • http://surveyorcorporation.stores.yahoo.net/srrcmexbo.html
    • Motion
      • Robot Motion
      • Sensor Head/Arm Motion
    • Victim Identification
      • Thermal Detection
      • CO2 Detection
      • Motion Detection
      • Sound Detection

5. Map Generation

Data Collection and Interpretation

• ACS IR Scanner (under development)
  • 360º sweep upon query
  • Relays readings to the onboard microcontroller
  • Extraneous readings outside the sensor's range are omitted
• Honeywell HMC6343 Digital Compass
  • Three-axis, tilt-compensated digital compass provides threedimensional absolute magnetic field measurement and full 360º tilt compensated bearing, pitch, and roll.
  • Returns readings to onboard microcontroller
    • http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?product s_id=8656

A single set of readings from range finder and magnetometer analyzed, converted into (x, y) coordinates and plotted as a single map. Map sections are manually aligned by drag and drop.

Victim Placement

• Manual drag and drop markers for victim location and state

Map Printing

• GEOTIFF file delivered on jump flash drive
  • Manifold System Release 8 GIS software
    • http://www.manifold.net/index.shtml

6. Sensors for Navigation and Localization

Visual and Control

• SRV-1 Blackfin w/Omni Vision OV9655 Color CMOS Image Sensor
  • 3 Units
    • Front
    • Rear
    • Arm Head
  • http://www.surveyor.com/blackfin/

Ultrasonic

• XL-MaxSonar-EZ MB 1340 Ultrasonic Range Finder
  • Wall Follow
  • Collision Detection/Obstruction Avoidance
  • http://maxbotix.com/uploads/MB1240- MB1340_Datasheet.pdf

7. Sensors for Victim Identification

Form/Victim State/Victim Tags

• Omni Vision OV9655 Color CMOS Image Sensor
  • http://www.surveyor.com/blackfin/
  • Image processing under development (LabVIEW Robotics)

Motion

• Omni Vision OV9655 Color CMOS Image Sensor
  • http://www.surveyor.com/blackfin/
  • Motion processing under development (LabVIEW Robotics)

Auditory

• Audio-Technica ATR35s Lavalier Microphone
  • http://www.audiotechnica.com/cms/wired_mics/742fb06dd066b3ec/index.html
  • Audio processing under development (LabVIEW Robotics)

CO2

• Heimann CO2 Gas Sensor
  • http://www.heimannsensor.com/Datasheet%20HIS%20A21%20F4. 26%204PIN_r01.pdf

Thermal

• PerkinElmer A2TPMI334-L5.5 OAA060 Single Pixel Thermal Sensor
  • http://www.perkinelmer.com/search/Search.aspx?Ntt=a2tpmi

8. Robot Locomotion

Mechanical

Main Drive Blocks

• Laser Cut Parts
  • Acetyl side plates
  • Acetyl motor mount plates
• 3D Printed Parts
  • Main Axle Center Support
  • Side Assembly Brackets
• Machined Parts
  • Pulleys
    • Drive Pulleys/Motors
    • Drive Pulleys/Axles
    • Drive Pulleys/Belts
    • Pulley Blanks purchased from Custom Machine and Tool
      • http://cmtco.com/
  • Axles
• Purchased Parts
  • Motors/Motor Parts
    • Main Drive Motors (MP-36064-545, 64:1 motors)
    • Motor Bearing Blocks
    • http://banebots.com/
  • Belts
    • XL Drive Belts
    • H Tread Belts
    • http://fnsheppard.com/
  • SAE-841 Bronze Bushings
    • http://www.mcmaster.com
  • Screws

Arm Motor Drive Blocks

• Laser Cut Parts
  • Acetyl Mounting Plates
• 3D Printed Parts
  • Encoder Mounting Blocks
  • CPC Connector Housings
• Machined Parts
  • Pulleys
    • Drive Pulleys/Arm Motors
    • Drive Pulleys/Axles
    • Pulley Blanks purchased from Custom Machine and Tool
      • http://cmtco.com/
  • Axles
• Purchased Parts
  • Motor/Motor Parts
    • Arm Drive Motors (AME 236 Series motors)
    • http://www.amequipment.com/PDFFiles/801-1069.pdf
  • Belts
    • XL Drive Belts
    • http://fnsheppard.com/
  • Screws

Arms

• Laser Cut Parts
  • Acetyl Side Plates
• 3D Printed Parts
  • Hubs
• Machined Parts
  • Pulleys
    • Drive Pulleys/Arm Belts
    • Idler Pulleys/Arm Belts
    • Pulley Blanks purchased from Custom Machine and Tool
      • http://cmtco.com/
  • Axles
  • UHMW Belt Blocks
  • Arm Sleeves
• Purchased Parts
  • Belts
    • H Tread Belts
    • http://fnsheppard.com/
  • SAE-841 Bronze Bushings
    • http://www.mcmaster.com
  • Screws

Control

Motor Control

• SRV-1 Blackfin microcontroller
  • http://www.surveyor.com/blackfin/
• Dimension Engineering Sabertooth 2x10
  • http://dimensionengineering.com/Sabertooth2X10RC.htm

Arm Positioning

• US Digital E5S Optical Quadrature Shaft Encoders
  • http://www.usdigital.com/products/e5/
• Modes
  • Rough Terrain
    • Arms set at 135º extended from body, 45º to ground
  • Flat Terrain
    • Arms set at 0º folded in, parallel to ground
  • Stairs
    • Front Arms set at 135º extended from body, 45º to ground
    • Rear Arms set at 180º extended from body, parallel to ground
  • Leveling
    • Honeywell HMC6343 Digital Compass
      • http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php ?products_id=8656

9. Other Mechanisms

Robotic Arm

• Laser Cut Parts
  • Acetyl side plates
  • Acetyl motor mount plates
• 3D Printed Parts
  • Servo Mounts
• Machined Parts
• Purchased Parts
  • Servo Motors/Motor Parts
    • HSR-5980SG
    • http://www.lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx?productID=574 &CategoryID=38
  • Linear Actuators
    • Firgelli L-12
    • http://firgelli.com/products.php
  • Screws

Illuminators

• LXHL-LW6C White V Portable Star white LED
  • Lambertian lens
  • 5 Watt, 120 Lumen
  • http://www.luxeonstar.com/luxeon-v-portable-star-led-whitelambertian-120-lm-700ma-p-250.php
• Fraen Medium Beam Low Profile Lens
  • http://www.luxeonstar.com/item.php?id=749&link_str=121::12 3&partno=FLP-HMB3-LL01-0
• ACS Illumination Control
  • LuxDrive BuckPuck 700mA Dimmable DC LED Driver
    • http://www.luxeonstar.com/buckpuck-700ma-dimmable-dc-led-driver-pcb-mount-p-31.php
  • Analog Devices AD5241 digital potentiometer
    • http://www.analog.com/en/digital-to-analog-converters/digitalpotentiometers/AD5241/products/product.html

10. Team Training for Operation (Human Factors)

Practice

• Locomotion Controls
• Visual Interpretation/Through Camera
• Mapping operations
• Victim Identification

*All training occurs on full RescueRobotLeague testing arena

11. Possibility for Practical Application to Real Disaster Site

Advanced mobility platform

• Low Cost
• Stable, robust
• Easily portable/deployable
• USB interface and driver software
  • allows robot control from any user-supplied computer
• Short Operator Learning Curve

12. System Cost

The following is a detailed breakdown of the system cost:

System Cost Breakdown - Part 1

System Cost Breakdown - Part 2: Robot Locomotion and Other Components

System Cost Breakdown - Part 3: Electrical and Additional Components

System Cost Summary

Totals

• Operator Station: $3000
• Communications: $360
• Mapping Navigation: $375
• Navigation: $150
• Victim Identification: $510
• Robot Locomotion: $1550
• Mobile platform for future distribution
• Other Mechanisms: $1188
• Cost of lead screw assembly estimated

Combined System: $7,133

13. Lessons Learned/Areas in Need of Improvement

• Eliminate vulnerability to water
• $4000 robot price still too high for disposability