The Design of a Mobile Robot for Instrument Network Deployment in Antarctica *
Abstract- This paper describes the design and fabrication of a low cost, solar powered mobile robot to support a variety of scientific missions on the Antarctic plateau during the austral summer. Key to the overall design is maintaining a lightweight vehicle by using a high strength and stiffness ho...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.90.4695 http://engineering.dartmouth.edu/crobots/papers/Crobots_ICRA2005_A4.pdf |
| Summary: | Abstract- This paper describes the design and fabrication of a low cost, solar powered mobile robot to support a variety of scientific missions on the Antarctic plateau during the austral summer. Key to the overall design is maintaining a lightweight vehicle by using a high strength and stiffness honeycomb-fiberglass composite chassis, custom wheels and drivetrain mounting components, and high efficiency, low cost solar cells. A solar power availability analysis is detailed, demonstrating that in the low elevation of the summer sun and high albedo of pristine snow, a robot with panels on all sides exposed to direct and reflected sunlight provides ample power, even under worst-case insolation conditions. A relatively simple navigation and control algorithm provides low-bandwidth path planning and course correction. A description of potential instruments to be deployed and scientific studies aided by networks of such autonomous solar robots is provided. Index Terms – Mobile Robot, Solar Power, Antarctica. I. |
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