SBIR Phase I: Shape-shifting robots for Disaster Rescue, Monitoring, and Education

该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是将以前的张拉整体机器人研究商业化，用于灾难救援，监视，科学监测和STEM（科学，技术，工程和数学）教育的新市场。未来在未知的危险环境中进行灾难救援时，受害者和第一响应者的死亡可以通过利用半自主技术来探索灾难区域，提供监视以通知第一响应者，并协助救援受害者，直到人类第一响应者到达。目前的自动驾驶车辆在导航表面障碍物和爬陡坡以到达感兴趣的区域方面可能是无效的。空中行动可能仅限于空投物资，如果受害者无法移动或失去知觉，这可能是无益的。我们的目标是将拟议中的变形机器人从飞行器上扔下，这样这些移动的机器人就可以到达以前难以到达的地区，进行有效的紧急响应。这项拟议的技术在用于科学监测和监督方面也将产生更广泛的影响。二级市场将面向K-12学生、教师、家长和机器人专家，这些人有可能对STEM教育产生重大影响。 小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将专注于降低先前研究的风险，开发球形张拉整体结构作为拟议目标应用的机器人平台。为了满足市场需求，规范需要包括从飞行器沿着跌落的冲击测试以及坡度、碎石和速度的地面行驶要求。将设计新的硬件和软件以满足这些规格。将针对目标规格开发和评估以下三种控制算法和驱动方案，并在模拟和运动硬件中进行测试（1）倾斜表面上的多缆滚动运动，（2）使用模型预测控制（MPC）的动态滚动，以及（3）深度强化学习。对于已经绘制地形的应用，将开发（4）生成路径规划算法。(5)将开发用于机器人内部球体的控制机构，使得张拉整体机器人将能够操纵和定向感测设备的有效载荷（例如，照相机、超声波、红外线、激光、光谱仪）。(6)将开发相关的传感器验证、融合和估计技术，以满足规格要求。其结果将是一个符合目标规格的概念验证原型。

The broader impact/ commercial potential of this project is to commercialize previous research in tensegrity robots for new markets in disaster rescue, surveillance, scientific monitoring, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. Future deaths by both victims and first responders in disaster rescue in unchartered risky environments could be prevented by utilizing semi-autonomous technology to explore the regions of disasters, provide surveillance to inform first responders, and assist in the rescue of victims until human first responders can arrive. Current autonomous vehicles can be ineffective in navigating surface obstacles and climbing steep slopes to reach areas of interest. Aerial operations may be limited to dropping supplies, which may not be beneficial if victims are immobile or unconscious. The goal is to drop the proposed shape-shifting robots from aerial vehicles, so that these mobile robots can reach previously difficult areas for effective emergency response. This proposed technology will have broader impact in use for scientific monitoring and surveillance as well. A secondary market will be for K-12 students, teachers, parents and roboticists with the potential to have large impact in STEM education. Robot kits will be developed for educational applications that will meet new Next Generation Science Standards.The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will focus on de-risking prior research in the development of spherical tensegrity structures as a robotic platform for the proposed target applications. To meet market needs, the specifications need to include impact testing from a drop from an aerial vehicle along with ground travel requirements of slope, rubble and speed. New hardware and software will be designed to meet these specifications. The following three control algorithms and actuation schemes will be developed and evaluated for target specifications and tested in simulation and in hardware for locomotion (1) Multi-cable rolling motion on inclined surfaces, (2) Dynamic rolling using Model Predictive Control (MPC), and (3) Deep reinforcement learning. For applications where the terrain has been mapped, a (4) Generative path-planning algorithm will be developed. (5) Control mechanisms for the internal sphere of the robot will be developed so that the tensegrity robot will be able to manipulate and orient a payload of sensing equipment (e.g., camera, ultrasound, infrared, laser, spectrometer) while traveling on rough terrain. (6) Associated sensor validation, fusion and estimation techniques will be developed to meet the specifications. The results will be a proof-of-concept prototype that meets the target specifications.