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ABSTRACT
Since the creation of the first robot ( in 1961 ) technology is becoming more robust, more capable; the next generation of robots will be able to autonomously traverse rough terrain.
The aim of this project is to study a robot that is able to navigate rough terrains.What is the best design for a moving robot? This problem is not easy; William Whittaker, a Dante II principal investigator, suggests: “One of the reasons we haven’t solved the best means of mobility is that there may be not one. Look at the diversity of the nature, from snake locomotion and insects to the bi-pedal type of motion humans use to get around. Those are not minor variations. It’s a very diverse world out there. My sense is that there is probably a robotic counterpart for every physical entity in the biological kingdom.” For this reason, before starting the robot design phase, it is important to define the kingdom in which the robot has to move. The project rover environment is Mars surface. Wednesday December 4, 1996, NASA launched Pathfinder. Pathfinder is the first mission to Mars in which rovers are used; an ambitious USA project foresees a series of planetary, low cost vehicles to be launched on Mars by 2005. The great concern and commitment of the technologically evolved nations on this subject underlines the importance of the problem tackled in this project.
1. INTRODUCTION
Robots that can competently, effeciently and autonomously operate in extreme terrain do not yet exist.
A few rovers have already been in Mars: on 27 American and Russian missions only 9 have been
successful.
Space exploration poses special problems for robotics; in general it is possible to outline that:
• planetary rovers need walking mechanisms suited to traversing extreme terrain : steep slopes, steps and ditches with materials ranging from hard rock to sand and dust;
• planetary rovers need different kinds of sensors:
• sensors for perception and motion control;
• sensors and experimental equipment to solve on-board interpretation and exploration tasks;
• very often full size rovers are outfitted with robot arms for handling objects;
• planetary rovers need on-board power source and actuation facilities;
• rovers have to drive on rough terrain with high stability and performance to safely carry the
• instrumentation;
• mechanical structure and locomotion control have to be robust and safe to fulfill the mission;
Now a days there are two different rover locomotion tendencies: robot rovers similar to cars with good
suspension that roll (A) or robots with legs that walk (B) .
LITERATURE SURVEY
ROBOTICS
The most exciting and interesting field now a days is obliviously robotics. It is most emerging and developing field where everyday a new innovation is out there in the market. So many kinds of robots like robotic arm, humanoids, steady robots, moving robots, car robots etc.
Basically robot is an electromechanical device means it is a combination of electronics and mechanics. It is flexible mechanism which can be moved to different positions using different motors (AC, DC, Stepper etc.). Different movements are actuated by controlling signals that are generated by electronic circuit. The circuit generates different signals to control the motion of mechanism depending upon the requirements.
The operation can be divided into three categories
1. manual
2. semi automatic
3. fully automatic
• In manual operation the controlling signals are generated depending upon user command like move up, move down, rotate, pick, place etc.
• In semi automatic operation some action does not require any user command they operated automatically
• in fully automatic operation there is not a single user command full operation operates in a pre determined sequence
Robot
A robot is an electro-mechanical device.
A robot is a virtual or mechanical artificial agent. In practice, it is usually an electro-mechanical system
The International Organization for Standardization gives a definition of robot in ISO 8373:
"An automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose, manipulator programmable in three or more axes, which may be either, fixed in place or mobile for use in industrial automation applications."
This definition is used by the International Federation of Robotics, the European Robotics Research Network (EURON), and many national standards committees.
The Robotics Institute of America (RIA) uses a broader definition: a robot is a "Re-programmable multi-functional manipulator designed to move materials, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks".