Experimental application of an autonomous mobile robot for gas leak detection in indoor environments

Abstract

This paper presents the experimental application of an autonomous mobile robot for gas leak detection in indoor environments. The application is focused to automatize a human-risky operation in indoor areas. The goal of the autonomous mobile robot is the localization of a toxic gas leak source. So, the mobile robot has to explore the whole area and perform an auto-localization procedure based on a SLAM method and a LIDAR sensor. The mobile robot measures gas concentration by using a photoionization detector. The experimentation was realized in a large indoor environment in a university facility with a simulated gas leak source. The combination of the results from the auto-localization procedure with the information of the sensors allows the estimation of the gas leak source location.