This project will provide robust autonomous stair climbing software capable of being deployed on multiple types of small tracked robots with varying sensor configurations. In particular, the project will field a system that 1) robustly detects and accurately locates stairs and 2) will autonomously navigate up (or down) multiple flights of stairs as commanded by an operator or higher-level control software.
Autonomous stair climbing will enable the robot equipped warfighter to clear and/or secure buildings more safely and quickly. Application areas include:
• As a robotic point man. By enabling a robot to precede war-fighters into a building and up each flight of stairs, the risks associated with the so-called fatal funnels can be dramatically lessened. In addition, the use of a robot to lead initial entry into a building will minimize the need to create alternative entries using explosives.
• To provide long standoff reconnaissance. A robot that can reliably navigate throughout a multi-floor building can potentially both detect the presence of occupants, optionally provide them evacuation instructions, and map the entire building thus providing the war-fighter with the information required for mission planning.
Stair climbing is a particularly compelling element for complete robotic autonomy since teleoperating a small tracked vehicle up stairs even under direct line of sight high bandwidth, low latency communications is challenging. Previous work has demonstrated that computer aided robotic stair climbing can be more reliable and faster.
Michael McHenry - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Defense
