I/UCRC Collaborative Research: Miniature Ground/Water Robot

该提案旨在为明尼苏达大学（牵头）及其在丹佛大学的研究合作伙伴进行的安全，安保和救援研究中心提供资金。基础研究的资助申请由NSF批准的招标（NSF 10-507）授权。征集邀请I/UCRC提交支持行业定义的基础研究的提案。 该提案是关于进一步发展正在进行的机器人设计活动，以确保安全和安保。目前的研究重点是在水下机器人设计领域，它描述了有关防水，浮力控制，摄像机稳定和传感器融合策略的活动。拟议的工作建立在以往良好的业绩记录基础上，而且团队很强大。与大多数现有的方法不同，所提出的努力应该提供具有高机动性的微型机器人。该提案提出了一套机器人系统（包括两栖翻滚机器人）和算法，这些系统和算法利用了工业/大学安全，安保和救援研究合作研究中心早期的相关工作。该提案还为传感器套件提供了创新的稳定算法和硬件，以提高提供给第一响应者的数据质量。此外，创新的传感器融合方案，水下导航提出。拟议工作的更广泛影响范围从计划将本科生纳入研究计划到所描述的工作最终可能产生拯救生命的商业设备的可能性。这项工作与NSF安全，安保和救援研究中心的联系将确保拟议的技术将在拟议的现场试验中暴露给第一反应人员。

This proposal seeks funding for the Center for Safety, Security, and Rescue Research studies conducted by the University of Minnesota (lead) and its research partner at the University of Denver. Funding Requests for Fundamental Research are authorized by an NSF approved solicitation, NSF 10-507. The solicitation invites I/UCRCs to submit proposals for support of industry-defined fundamental research. The proposal is about further developing ongoing robot design activities for safety and security. The presented research focus is in the area of underwater robot design, and it describes activities regarding the waterproofing, buoyancy control, camera stabilization and sensor fusion strategies. The proposed work builds on the strong previous track record, and the team is strong. Unlike most existing approaches, the proposed effort should provide miniature size robots with high mobility. This proposal presents a set of robotic systems (including an amphibious, tumbling robot) and algorithms that capitalize on earlier pertinent work at the Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Safety, Security, and Rescue Research. The proposal also offers innovative stabilization algorithms and hardware for the sensor suite in order to improve the quality of data provided to the first responder. In addition, innovative sensor fusion schemes for underwater navigation are proposed. The broader impacts of the proposed work range from a planned inclusion of undergraduates into the research plan to the possibility that life-saving commercial devices could eventually result from the work described. The connection of this work with the NSF Safety, Security, and Rescue Research Center will ensure that the proposed technologies will be exposed to first responders at the proposed field trials.