Date of Award
5-2017
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Legacy Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Committee Member
Dr. Ian Walker, Committee Chair
Committee Member
Dr. Robert Schalkoff
Committee Member
Dr. Adam Hoover
Committee Member
Dr. Paul Yanik
Abstract
Traditional robots are constructed from rigid links which facilitate both stiffness and accuracy. However, these systems operate best in open, highly structured spaces, and environments traversable by this technology are inherently restricted to scales and geometries which match the size and shape of the links. Conversely, continuous backbone continuum robots have enormous potential for adaptive exploration of unstructured environments. However, to date there has been very little research on algorithms for learning and adapting to changes in environmental conditions with continuum robots. In this research, we introduce new results in learning policies for novel long, thin, continuously bending continuum tendril robots aimed toward applications such as remote inspection and sensor mobility for improved sample acquisition. The results could also have potential applica tions in defense and security, search and rescue in hazardous environmental conditions, and as an innovative option for sensor placement in environmental monitoring. Using a prototype continuum tendril robot previously developed at Clemson University, we demonstrate the new learning policy for the tendrils adaptive sensor placement and remote inspection within an environment seeded with numerous disparate and slowly (over a matter of hours) time-varying sources, and discuss the potential for use of such robot tendrils in environmental monitoring applications. The learning algorithm implemented in real-time is shown to help the tendril to adapt its sensor placement to changing environmental sources.
Recommended Citation
Nahar, Dixit Sohanraj, "Dynamic Environmental Monitoring using Intelligent Tendril Robots" (2017). All Theses. 2661.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/2661