Using Robots in Hazardous Environments: Landmine Detection, De-mining and Other Applications

Published in association with the Climbing and Walking Robots and Associated Technologies (CLAWAR) Association (www.clawar.org), this book reviews the development of robotic systems for de-mining and other risky activities such as fire-fighting. Part one provides an overview of the use of robots for humanitarian de-mining work. Part two discusses the development of sensors for mine detection whilst Part thee reviews developments in both teleoperated and autonomous robots. Building on the latter, Part four concentrates on robot autonomous navigation. The final part of the book reviews research on multi-agent-systems (MAS) and the multi-robotics-systems (MRS), promising tools that take into account modular design of mobile robots and the use of several robots in multi-task missions. With its distinguished editors and international team of contributors, Using Robots in Hazardous Environments: Landmine Detection, De-Mining and other Applications will prove to be a valuable reference for those researching the use of robots in hazardous environments as well as government and other agencies wishing to use robots for dangerous tasks such as landmine detection and disposal.

Table of Contents:
HUMANITARIAN DEMINING: THE EVOLUTION OF ROBOTS AND THE CHALLENGES Introduction: Mobile robotics systems for humanitarian de-mining and risky interventions; Y Baudoin, Royal Military Academy, Belgium, M K Habib, The American University in Cairo and I Doroftei, "Gh. Asachi" Technical University of Lasi, Romania Robot for non-conventional demining process: from remote control to autonomy; C Parra, C Otalora and A Forero, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia and M Devy, CNRS, France Locomotion and localisation of humanitarian demining robots; P Santana, L Correia and J Barata, University of Lisbon, Portugal Sustainable and appropriate technologies for humanitarian demining: E E Cepolina, Snail Aid – Technology for Development and M Zoppi, University of Genova, Italy Some problems of robotic humanitarian demining evolution; V G Gradetsky, Institute for the Problems in Mechanics, Russia SENSORS FOR MINE DETECTION AND ROBOTICS Sensing capabilities for mobile robotics; L Nomdedeu, J Sales, R Marín and E Cervera, University Jaume I, Spain and J Saez, Sheffield Hallam University, UK Sensor fusion for automated landmine detection on a mobile robot; S Larionova, PromAutomation Ltd., Russia and A T de Almeida and L Marques, University of Coimbra, Portugal Relating soil properties to performance of metal detectors and ground penetrating radars; P Druyts, Y Yvinec and M Acheroy, Royal Military Academy, Belgium Contribution of geophysics for landmines and UXO detection: Case study in the Egyptian environment; G El-Qady, A Mohamed, M Metwaly and M Atya, National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Egypt Detecting landmine fields from low-resolution aerial infrared images; I Y-H Gu and T Wang, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden and T Tjahjadi, University of Warwick, UK GPS data correction using encoders and INS sensors; S A Berrabah and Y Baudoin, Royal Military School, Belgium AUTONOMOUS AND TELEOPERATED ROBOTS FOR HUMANITARIAN DEMINING Environment-adaptive antipersonnel mine detection system: Advanced mine sweeper; T Fukuda, Nagoya University, Y Hasegawa, University of Tsukuba, K Kosuge, Tohoku University, K Komoriya, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan, F Kitagawa, Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Singapore and T Ikegami, TADANO Ltd., Japan Mechanical mine clearance: Development, applicability and difficulties; M K Habib The American University in Cairo, Egypt and Y Baudoin, Royal Military Academy, Belgium Robotic tools for demining and risky operations; Š Havlik, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia RAVON — The robust autonomous vehicle for off-road navigation; C Armbrust, T Braun, T Föhst, M Proetzsch, A Renner, B H Schäfer and K Berns, University of Kaiserslautern, Germany Aid of computer training in handling with ground teleoperated robots for demining; G Kowalski, J Będkowski, P Kowalski and A Masłowski, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland ROBOT AUTONOMOUS NAVIGATION AND SENSORS A fuzzy-genetic algorithm and obstacle path generation for walking robot with manipulator; A Pajaziti, I Gojani, S Buza and A Shala, University of Prishtina, Kosova Synthesis of a sagittal gate for a biped robot during single support phase; A Pajaziti, I Gojani, A Shala and S Buza, University of Prishtina, Kosova and G Capi, Fukuoka Institute of Technology Japan Fuzzy logic control in support of autonomous navigation of humanitarian demining robots; A Abbas, British University in Egypt, Egypt Human victim detection and stereo-based terrain traversability analysis for behavior-based robot navigation; G De Cubber and D Doroftei, Royal Military Academy, Belgium Simulation of a mobile multilink robot with vision virtual reality system; V G Gradetsky, V B Veshnikov and V G Chashchukin, Ishlinksky’s Institute for Problems in Mechanics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IPMech RAS), Russia Estimation of the distance by using the signal strength for localization of networked mobile sensors and actuators; J Sales, R Marín, L Nomdedeu and E Cervera, University Jaume I, Spain MULTI ROBOTICS SYSTEMS: NAVIGATION AND COOPERATION Experimental study on the effects of communication on cooperative search in complex environments; O Çayirpunar, V Gazi and B Tavli, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Turkey, E Cervera, Jaume I University, Spain, U Withowski, University of Paderborn, Germany and J Penders, Sheffield Hallam University, UK Mobile ad-hoc networking supporting multi-hop connections in multi-robot scenarios; U Witkowski, S Herbrechtsmeier and M El-Habbal, University of Paderborn, Germany NVIDIA CUDA application in the cognitive supervision and control of the multi robot system methodology for the supervision and control of the multi robotic system with CUDA application; J Bedkowski and A Maslowski, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland Laser based cooperative multi-robot map building for indoor environments; Y Atas, O Cayirpunar, S Burak Akat and V Gazi, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Turkey and L Albou, Sheffield Hallam University, UK Heterogeneous multi-agent system behaviour patterns for robotics applications; L Alboul, J Penders and J Saez-Pons, Sheffield Hallam University, UK A light-weight communication protocol for tele-operated Robots in risky emergency operations; U Delprato, MCristaldi and G Tusa, Intelligence for Environment and Security – IES Solutions s.r.l, Italy

About the Author :
Professor Yvan Baudoin is Head of the Department of Mechanics at the Royal Military Academy, Belgium. Professor Baudoin is also Chair of the HUDEM (Robotics Assistance in Mine Clearing) and RISE (Risky Intervention and Surveillance of the Environment) Working Groups within the International Advanced Robotics Progam (IARP). Dr Maki K. Habib is Professor of Robotics and Mechatronics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The American University in Cairo, Egypt. Professor Habib is also a member of various Working Groups within IARP.