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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
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