Equipment System for the Development of Bio-inspired Inspection Robots

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The RTI grant is requested to purchase a testing system that integrates Vicon motion capture and Omega.7 haptic devices for the Robotic Mechanical and Control Laboratory at Memorial University. The requested system can robustly integrate motion capture with real-time force and torque feedback thus providing an ideal testing platform for autonomous robotic systems for the study of kinematic and dynamic behaviors and human-machine interaction. The significant growth in robotics programs at the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial University calls for the state-of-the-art equipment that has access to more researchers to advance their research. The proposed equipment is critical for the applicant to conduct high quality research and HQP training programs.******The research program of the applicant mainly focuses on the development of bio-inspired robots for inspection and maintenance. The robots under investigation are integrated systems composed of bio-inspired underwater, aerial and soft continuum robots. This program covers a wide variety of research realms, including mechanism design, control, dynamic analysis and system integration. The research provides significant benefits to several activities, including oil pipelines, underwater survey, airframe, infrastructure, mining, underground survey, among many others. Bio-inspired robots possess distinct advantages over their bulky traditional counterparts for high maneuverability, efficiency, flexibility and adaptivity to environments and has become a trend in worldwide robotics research. Outcomes of the research will have high industrial relevance and benefits to the economy of Newfoundland and Canada. The research outcomes will significantly benefit for the underwater ecosystem monitoring by using specifically designed robots to address the environmental challenges due to the expansion of oil and gas industry in Newfoundland.******By providing the state-of-the-art testing platform for our bio-inspired robots, the requested system accounts for a substantial portion of the research and is inevitable to achieve the essential objectives. If the equipment is not acquired, the experimental methodology and model validation will become incomplete and need to be altered, the quality of research thus being reduced and the relevance with industry being limited. Memorial is poised to take a leading role in the research of the next-generation robots, with an expansion of robotics and mechatronics programs in the faculty, the system will play a significant role in advancing our research level, facilitating access to the state-of-the-art equipment to more researchers, and fostering close collaboration with industry. The system is also critical to HQP training in expertise of software development, remote control, human-machine interaction and system integration as well as presentation skills, which are great merits that can help HQP trainees for their future career in the robotic industry.