Simplified Robotics Framework for Bomb Disposal

A team of students at the ANU have developed a Linux Robotics Framework to simplify development of robotics applications. This should be particularly useful for bomb disposal robots, where the requirement change rapidly due to changes in the threat.

As noted in Bomb Squad Diary (Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, October 2008), the threat from Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) is changing rapidly and equipment needs to be constantly modified to adapt to the changes in the tatitics and techniques of the bomb makers. Being able to rapidly modify the software and the hardware of the robots would be an advantage.

The team's demonstration robot is called Buzz , controlled by a NGW100 network gateway low-powered development board with a Atmel AVR32 processor. This could allow for the development of disposable military robots. Currently each military robot used by the US DoD and the Australian Department of Defence costs more than $100,000.

Australian Robotic Weapon Platform

Metal Storm have displayed their high speed mortar on a military PacBot robot from an iRobot. The Metal Storm gun is electrically fired, with a minimum of moving parts, making it a good match for a robot. However, a cluster of off the shelf single shot, electrically primed mortars would be almost as effective, a lot cheaper and able to be fielded without years of development.

MetalStorm's FireStorm four barrel 40mm system has four rounds in each barrel , giving 14 shots total. The platform has electric motors to rotated and elevate the system. However, the iRobot itself can rotate using differential steering of the tracks and and elevate using a scissor action of the “flippers” (axillary tracks). So a much simpler arrangement would be possible using sixteen one shot 40mm grenade barrels fixed on the robot platform, using ammunition of the M203, or similar and aimed using the tracks.

Also the MetalStorm people need to keep in mind that they are just a programing change away from breaching the land mine treaty. A robotic mortar which fires automatically, without human intervention, would technically be a land mine and so illegal.

Payload weight, reliability and the ability to render the weapon harmless are critical requirements when arming unmanned robotic platforms and systems. In addition to meeting weight restrictions, the weapon system cannot be permitted to jam or need manual intervention or the mission may be jeopardised. Also if the weapon is captured it should not be capable of being fired back at friendly forces.

Metal Storm has unique characteristics that make it ideally suited to unmanned air or ground robotic platforms. In particular it has the following features:

• Extremely lightweight
• No moving parts (no jamming)
• Precision firing rates - single shot to rapid burst automatic
• Selectable munitions; lethal, non lethal, marker rounds
• Low velocity or medium velocity mitigating recoil for smaller lightweight UAVs or platforms
• High velocity for larger UAVs or robotic platforms
• Electronic fire control and sighting integrates with UAV or robotic platform electronics
• Weapon is rendered harmless if captured as fire control system is locked out.

Small robotic platforms can carry single or multi-barrel Metal Storm weapons that can be attached to existing structures (such as a robotic arm or wing), or can be integrated with specialised mounts that can target independently of the movement and direction of travel of the robotic platform.

Metal Storm has already conducted live firings from several robotic platforms including the Dragonfly rotary wing UAV, the iRobot Warrior UGV and the Talon UGV. ...

From: Unmanned Systems/Robotic Platforms, Metal Storm

FireStorm is a lightweight multi barrel 40mm electronic weapon system that brings cutting edge solutions to the Defence, Security and Law Enforcement communities.

The system can be mounted to fixed or mobile platforms to provide mission support for operations to include:

• Military Operations on Urban Terrain (MOUT)
• Reconnaissance Patrol
• Border Patrol
• Critical Infrastructure Protection
• Crowd Control

FireStorm has successfully demonstrated its capabilities under separate contracts for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army. Recent demonstrations have proven the system capable of delivering High Explosive (HE) and a range of less lethal munitions. FireStorm brings the operational community a total force continuum application.

• No Moving Parts - All Metal Storm guns have no moving parts for high reliability.
• Safe Operation - FireStorm features a number of mechanical and electrical interlocks making it one of the safest guns to operate.
• Cost Effective - FireStorm is inexpensive to acquire, use and maintain.
• Plug & Play Operation - FireStorm requires only DC power and an ethernet connection for operations.
• Unattended All Weather Operation - FireStorm is environmentally sealed allowing for all-weather operations for extended periods without continuing maintenance requirements.

From: FireStorm, Metal Storm

From robot vision to Solar Energy in Australia in NZ

Chris Johnson from ANU will be talking next week about solar energy and robot research in an attempt to get New Zealand students to come and study at the Australian National University.

I suggested he simply point out that several ANU students and graduates have got research jobs at Microsoft and Google. ;-)

Also ANU has run an innovation course to teach researchers how to commercialize their discoveries. Also people turn up at ANU and ask for help getting things to work, such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Building the Future: from robot vision to Solar Energy

Associate Professor Chris Johnson, from the ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science, spins a vision of the future that is now in view, from automated high speed parking of cars, pervasive computing in the home of the future, Big Dish solar power, and affordable, efficient Small Trough photovoltaics. Chris will also give an overview of the world class research fields available to PhD students and undergraduates in the ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science.

where and when:
all sessions are 4-7pm for the whole ANU event - I am on at various times in this slot as noted, 45 minute subslots

Mon 21 July 4pm Christchurch Hotel Grand Chancellor, Cashel St
Tue 22 July 5.30pm Dunedin Otago Museum
Wed 23 July 4pm Auckland The Langham hotel, 83 Symonds St
Thu 24 July 5.30pm Wellington Wellington Convention Centre, 111 Wakefield St

Associate Professor Chris W. Johnson, PhD, MIEEE, MACS
Acting Deputy Dean (Education)
ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science
R205 Ian Ross Building, North Rd
The Australian National University
Canberra ACT 0200 Australia

Gutter Cleaning Robot

iRobot is a US company which makes small household appliance robots. Unlike Robbie the robot, these are each designed to do one specific task, such Vacuuming, Floor Washing, or Pool Cleaning. The iRobot Looj Gutter Cleaning Robot is the latest (September 2007) and appears to be one of their less successful products and the least "robotic". Essentially it is a radio control tiny tractor which drives along the gutter with a flail at the front to throw the leaves out.

In 2006 I attended a talk by Professor Rodney Brooks, Director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, at the ANU in Canberra. He argues that low cost flexible robots which can be easily set up by workers (not robot experts) are becoming feasible. Robots need not be able to do everything a human can do to be useful, they can do the easy (for them) more repetitive tasks.

However, it is difficult to see the difference between the iRobot Verro 300 Pool-Cleaning Robot, for example and previous automatic pool cleaners.

Driverless Electric Taxi and Parcel Van?

I have finally found something useful to do with a Segway personal transporter. Here is a half serious proposal for an university research project:

Driverless Electric Taxi and Parcel Van

A Segway personal transporter, or similar small electric vehicle, would be equipped for autonomous operation around a campus. The unit could be used a one person driver-less taxi and equipped with a lockable box for the unattended delivery of packages.

A minimum of mechanical changes would be made to the vehicle. A GPS receiver, small computer and wireless communications would be added to allow the vehicle to automatically steer a set course around the campus and into buildings. A GPS equipped smartphone might provide sufficient computing power. The vehicle could open power operated doors and use lifts. The unit could be summoned from a mobile phone or computer web page.

As the vehicle would be relatively light weight and low speed, there would be limited risk from collisions. Its two wheel format would allow access to narrow corridors. Equipped with bright lights it could be safely used at night.

This would not be the first robot based on a Segway. MIT's Cardea is designed to be able to open ordinary doors:

Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology have crossed a robotic arm with the bottom half of a Segway to make a robot named Cardea that can traverse hallways and open doors.

Cardea, named after the Roman goddess of thresholds and door pivots, is the one-armed first prototype of a robot designed to have three arms and the ability to safely interact with humans at eye level. ...
From:Segway robot opens doors, By Eric Smalley and Kimberly Patch, Technology Research News, November 19/26, 2003

The Cardera is built on the Segway RMP (Robotic Mobility Platform). This is a family of specially made Segways designed carry cargo:

The Segway RMP (Robotic Mobility Platform) is a new mobile platform based on a Segway Human Transporter (HT). It is faster, cheaper, and can carry a greater payload than existing comparable robotic platforms. DARPA IPTO initiated this effort, with SSC San Diego serving as the technical agent. We provided technical oversight, coordination, and tracking of the conversion by Segway, LLC, of fifteen Segway HT I-series machines into RMPs.
From: Segway RMP, SPAWAR, USN, 29 December 2004.

However, a much simpler approach is possible. The standard model Segway has optional lights and panniers for carrying cargo. This could be equipped with a very modest computer and navigation system to allow it to travel around a defined track on a campus. The vehicle could be restricted to defined bicycle paths and particular corridors in buildings. GPS would be sufficient for outdoor navigation and could be supplemented fort indoor use. Simple sensors designed for burglar alarms could be used to detect a person or object in the path, with the vehicle simply stopping. The vehicle could operate automatic doors by simply moving slowly in sensor range. Lifts could be operated by an interface to the lift computer.

Ethics of Killer Robots

Philip Argy, president of the Australian Computer Society, wrote a thought provoking article "Dilemma in Killer Bots" (The Australian, January 16, 2007):

'WHEN science fiction writer Isaac Asimov developed his Three Laws of Robotics back in 1940, the first law was: "A robot may not harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm." ... reports out of Korea of newly developed guard robots capable of firing autonomously on human targets are raising concerns about their potential uses. ...'.

Roger Clarke wrote an article "Asimov's Laws of Robotics - Implications for Information Technology" for IEEE Computer Magazine in 1993.

There are already some domestic robots available which could raise safety concerns, even if not designed to deliberately harm people. Professor Rodney Brooks, Director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, gave a talk in Canberra last year about the potential for low cost robots.

The Roomba robot vacuum cleaner he talked about and the Lego robot kit are examples of low cost robots and kits available.

Hacking Robot Vacuum Cleaners and Lego Robots

Back in August I attended a lecture by Professor Rodney Brooks, Director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, on Robotics. He used the example of the iRobot Roomba robot vacuum cleaner. There has been research about the vacuum cleaners (they can run the Linux operating system).

Amazon sell remanufactured models of the Roomba and books on reprogramming them.

Hacking Roomba: ExtremeTech, Tod E. Kurt, 2006:

A gizmo as cool as Roomba just begs to be hacked. Now, with this book and the official ROI specification furnished by iRobot®, you can become the robotic engineer you've always dreamed of being. Build a Bluetooth interface for your Roomba. Turn it into an artist. Install Linux on it and give it a new brain. Some hacks are functional, others are purely fun. ...

The new LEGO Mindstorms NXT robot kit with a 32 bit processor is also available. These are popular at universities as well as for hobbyists.

LEGO Mindstorms NXT robot kit:

Set includes: NXT programmable LEGO brick, ultrasonic sensor, sound sensor, light sensor, touch sensor, 3 interactive servo motors, USB cable, 7 6-wire cables, building instructions, user guide, Quickstart guide, easy to use software and test panel. 6 AA batteries not included.

LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Hacker's Guide, Dave Prochnow, 2006:

• Your First Robot • Stupid RCX Tricks • Save Your RIS • As Smart as a Brick • MOVE IT! With Servo Motors • Hmm, I Sense Something • Yes, But I Don't Know How to Program • Testing, Testing; Oh, Trouble Shoot • Katherine's Best Hacking Projects • Katherine's Design Fun House • NXT Programming Language Guide • NXT Elements • NXT Resources

See also: Robot store, with kits, books and videos.