Disaster and hazardous environment response robotic arm

HERA

(Hazardous Environment Robotic Arm)

(Hazardous Environment Response Robotic Arm)

This project aims to implement a robotic arm system to assist workers in disaster environments such as fires, structural collapses, and chemical substance leaks.

In particular, emphasis was placed on reducing physical damage that can occur from direct contact with hazardous chemicals.

At disaster sites, workers often need to approach dangerous areas directly, and in this process there is a possibility of additional casualties.

Accordingly, we sought to develop a robotic arm system that can approach and move hazardous materials without direct human access.

This system was constructed using Arduino and multiple servo motors.

Each servo motor is responsible for the joints of the robotic arm and was designed to be controlled independently.

A gripper was mounted at the end of the robotic arm to enable grasping and moving hazardous materials or obstacles.

In the current system, the user inputs target values for each joint in the Arduino serial monitor.

The input values are processed by the Arduino and then transmitted as target angles to the corresponding servo motors.

As each servo motor rotates by the specified angle, the overall posture of the robotic arm changes.

By combining the movements of multiple joints, it is possible to position the gripper at a desired location.

Subsequently, by operating the gripper, tasks such as grasping objects and moving them to different locations can be performed.

Through this, the basic principle of a robotic system that approaches and manipulates hazardous materials without requiring humans to enter dangerous areas was implemented.

The WMR team's initial project was originally to develop an environment-adaptive exploration robot.

However, due to errors during the manufacturing process, short circuits occurred in the DC motors, major drive systems, and some sensors.

This necessitated the purchase of additional components, and it became difficult to complete the existing project within the limited manufacturing timeframe.

Accordingly, the project direction was reoriented to maximize the utilization of existing components and technology.

Instead of implementing an entire exploration robot, the focus was concentrated on a robotic arm system that could be utilized in hazardous environments.

This project considers potential applications not only in dangerous disaster situations but also in protecting workers in chemically hazardous environments.

In particular, minimizing direct contact with arms and hands, which frequently come into contact with external objects during work, was set as an important goal.

By having the robotic arm handle hazardous or contaminated materials in place of human arms, worker exposure risk can be reduced.

Additionally, it can be utilized for tasks such as removing obstacles or moving objects to safe locations.

The currently implemented system uses manual control where users directly input angles for each joint.

This method has the advantage of simple structure and clear verification of each joint's movement.

Moreover, since each joint is controlled independently, it is well-suited for verifying the basic operating principles of the robotic arm.

When applied to actual field conditions, a joystick or dedicated controller can be used instead of the serial monitor.

Using a joystick allows users to intuitively manipulate the robotic arm's movements.

This has the advantage that workers can directly correct recognition errors that may occur in sensor-based automatic control.

Therefore, it was determined that semi-automatic or remote operation methods reflecting human judgment, in addition to fully autonomous systems, possess sufficient practical utility.

Although not implemented by this team, adding various sensors could further expand the system's range of applications.

With camera implementation, operators can control the robotic arm while confirming the site conditions from a safe location.

Using distance sensors, the distance between objects and the robotic arm can be measured to implement collision prevention functions.

By applying force sensors, the force required for the gripper to grasp objects can be adjusted to reduce object damage.

Adding gas sensors can be utilized to detect environments containing hazardous gases or specific chemicals.

Additionally, by combining cameras with image recognition technology, the system can be advanced to one that automatically recognizes specific objects.

Through this, a semi-autonomous system that automatically detects hazardous materials and directs the robotic arm to approach those locations can also be implemented.

By combining with a mobile platform, the limitations of a robotic arm that operates only in fixed positions can be overcome.

When mounted on wheeled or tracked platforms, it can move to the interior of disaster sites that are difficult for humans to access and perform work.

Practically, it can be utilized for hazardous substance recovery and leak accident response in chemical plants.

In nuclear and radiation facilities, it can be applied to manipulate objects while reducing worker radiation exposure.

At fire and rescue sites, it can assist in tasks such as obstacle removal, hazardous material relocation, and rescue equipment transfer.

Additionally, there is potential application in tasks involving confirming or moving explosives or suspicious objects without direct human contact.

However, to apply this to actual disaster sites, motors with higher driving force than the current system and robust structural design are required.

Safety elements such as dust-proof and water-resistant construction, heat resistance, precise position control, and emergency stop functions must also be added.

Force control, communication stability, sensor fusion, and autonomy are also necessary elements for developing this into an actual system.

Future project development aims to implement cameras, joysticks, wireless communication, distance sensors, force sensors, gas sensors, and mobile platforms.

Therefore, the significance of this project lies in implementing a fundamental Robotic Arm Control System for future actual system development, rather than a complete disaster response robot itself.

재난 및 유해 환경에서 작업자가 위험물질에 직접 접촉하는 상황을 줄이기 위해, 사람이 수행하던 물체 파지 및 이동 작업을 대신할 수 있는 로봇 팔 시스템을 구현하고자 하였다.

본 프로젝트의 핵심 아이디어는 아두이노와 다수의 서보모터를 이용하여 각 관절을 독립적으로 제어하고, 로봇 팔 끝단의 그리퍼를 통해 위험물이나 장애물을 집어 이동시키는 것이다.

특히 화학물질 유출, 방사선 노출 지역, 화재 및 붕괴 현장과 같이 사람이 직접 접근하기 어려운 환경에서 활용할 수 있는 기초적인 재난 대응형 로봇 팔을 컨셉으로 설정하였다.

현재는 사용자가 시리얼 모니터에 각 관절의 목표값을 입력하여 로봇 팔을 제어하는 방식이지만, 향후 조이스틱, 카메라, 거리 센서, 힘 센서, 가스 센서 등을 적용하여 보다 직관적이고 안전한 반자동 또는 원격 제어 시스템으로 확장하는 것을 목표로 한다.