Autonomous or tele-operated mobile machines and robots. Development and assessment of technology: Dissertation

Autonomous or tele-operated mobile work machines and robots are a new possibility for automating various tasks both at indoor and outdoor work-sites. This is especially important if the environment is hazardous or unhealthy for a human worker. Development and combination of various techniques is required for realizing overall control systems for autonomous mobile machines. Among these are the localization and navigation techniques, environment perception and modelling, path planning and high level planning and monitoring of the robot mission. This study consists of research and development work on autonomous or tele-operated mobile robots and their technology that has been carried out within the ESPRIT II Panorama project, the national Outdoor Robotics technology program and a few other related projects. The topics range from general system architecture to some specific techniques required and embedded in this kind of a control system. Another viewpoint is the consideration of the technology development, transfer and exploitation aspects of mobile robotics technology, particularly in Finland. The technical contribution is in the development and verification of certain architectural features in the system design, especially the piloting module of the Panorama system. Novel methods for specific techniques have also been developed and verified: video transmission via a narrow bandwidth channel and sonic or ultrasonic localization of a vehicle. The study on technology development, transfer and exploitation contributes to better understanding of how to plan and to realize a strategic approach in research and development work in a new technology field.