Dylan Dauz, Sameeh Olipani, Kenna Chase, Samantha Buckle, Sara Centeno, Hugo Quintero, Andrew Herding and Dr. Jason Isaacs
Abstract
The United States Navy is exploring the potential of autonomous robotic solutions onboard its ships to reduce the risk towards sailors and cut back on costs. In order to accomplish such autonomy, robots will need to be able to autonomously navigate the complex environment of the naval ships to complete their tasks. These ships have multiple obstacles that make navigation difficult, such as narrow passages, steep staircases, and heavy doors with lips that need to be scaled. One particularly difficult component is climbing up the stairs and overcoming a horizontal hatch at the top. These stairs are at a 60° incline with a sizeable hatch lip that the robot will need to be able to climb over. Not only is navigating up the stairs at such a steep angle a challenge but the length of the hatch lid significantly restricts the size of the robot. Our approach to aid in climbing the stairs is to develop a robot base with a movable center of mass. The center of mass will be maintained by moving heavier components relative to the frame of the robot as it ascends the stairs in order to maintain the center of mass within the robot’s support polygon. Thus, preventing the robot from tipping over and down the stairs.
Presentation
Session 2 – 3:00p.m. – 4:15p.m.
Room B – Sierra 1422
