Toward Autonomous Robots for Demolitions in Unstructured Environments

Title: Toward Autonomous Robots for Demolitions in Unstructured Environments

Authors/ Researchers: Francesco Corucci, Emanuele Ruffaldi

University/ Department:  PERCRO lab of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy

Abstract: This is a pilot project aimed at laying the groundwork for the development of full-size autonomous and semi-autonomous mobile robots for construction-related tasks in unstructured environments. The task consists in demolishing a mock-up wooden brick wall: the robot is capable of autonomously approaching the target, planning and executing the mission. It features enhanced perceptual capabilities, allowing it to identify and avoid obstacles as well as precisely reconstructing the state of the wall, thus estimating the current progress. The same perceptual algorithms were tested in more complex scenarios, and were used to precisely reconstruct and estimate the excavated volume (see the paper). A simple HRI paradigm based on laser designation is also presented.

Video: Toward Autonomous Robots for Demolitions in Unstructured Environments

Paper: F.Corucci et al., “Toward Autonomous Robots for Demolitions in Unstructured Environments”, Intelligent Autonomous Systems 13. Springer, 2014, pp. 1515–1532."

Publications: sssa.bioroboticsinstitute.it