Development of a high mobility wheeled rescue robot with a 1-DOF arm

Abstract

Human rescuers, who carry out urban search and rescue (USAR) missions, frequently enter dangerous zones to search for survivors. In these zones, rescuer's life may be threatened. For this reason, rescue robots are expected to become useful work partner for urban search and rescue missions. This paper presents platform design of FUMA, which is a four-wheeled rescue robot with a 1-DOF arm for environment information gathering. Only one arm of FUMA has two benefits for both mobility and teleoperation. Using this arm, FUMA can climb higher obstacles than simple four-wheeled robot. Human rescuers can operate FUMA at a safe distance while the missions are carried out. To teleoperate robot systems efficiently, the key is the interface between the robot systems and operators. During rescue operation, an operator of FUMA usually relies on the images from two fish-eye cameras installed at the top of the arm, as they provide wide images of the environment with the robot included in those views.