TY - JOUR
T1 - Robust Autonomous Mobile Manipulation for Substation Inspection
AU - Pearson, Erik
AU - Mirisola, Benjamin
AU - Murphy, Cameron
AU - Huang, Christine
AU - O’Leary, Connor
AU - Wong, Franklin
AU - Meyerson, Julia
AU - Bonfim, Luisa
AU - Zecca, Matthew
AU - Spina, Noah
AU - Szenher, Paul
AU - Katari, Shalemuraju
AU - Bhatt, Shiv
AU - Dohi, Takumasa
AU - Colarusso, Thomas
AU - Gana, Thomas
AU - Englot, Brendan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2024 by ASME.
PY - 2024/11/1
Y1 - 2024/11/1
N2 - The need for autonomous infrastructure inspections performed by mobile robots is becoming increasingly prevalent, to mitigate human error and inspect critical infrastructure with increased frequency, while reducing costs. Electric distribution substations contain a variety of high-power equipment that may occasionally fail, and we focus on inspecting pothead compartments as a representative test case. Frequent measurements of acoustic and transient earth voltage data can indicate degradation before failures occur. Handheld partial discharge (PD) sensors can gather these types of data. Measurements using PD sensors can be automated using a mobile manipulation platform with a custom end-effector. Accurate mapping, localization, and navigation are required to perform autonomous inspection tasks in indoor environments with unmanned ground vehicles. Computer vision and precise manipulator control are necessary for successful handheld sensor interactions. In this paper, we present and analyze a custom-integrated mobile manipulation system capable of performing these functions, which achieves a tradeoff between the small size needed to navigate through low-clearance areas, and the reach capabilities needed to collect the required measurements from pothead compartments. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4065613]
AB - The need for autonomous infrastructure inspections performed by mobile robots is becoming increasingly prevalent, to mitigate human error and inspect critical infrastructure with increased frequency, while reducing costs. Electric distribution substations contain a variety of high-power equipment that may occasionally fail, and we focus on inspecting pothead compartments as a representative test case. Frequent measurements of acoustic and transient earth voltage data can indicate degradation before failures occur. Handheld partial discharge (PD) sensors can gather these types of data. Measurements using PD sensors can be automated using a mobile manipulation platform with a custom end-effector. Accurate mapping, localization, and navigation are required to perform autonomous inspection tasks in indoor environments with unmanned ground vehicles. Computer vision and precise manipulator control are necessary for successful handheld sensor interactions. In this paper, we present and analyze a custom-integrated mobile manipulation system capable of performing these functions, which achieves a tradeoff between the small size needed to navigate through low-clearance areas, and the reach capabilities needed to collect the required measurements from pothead compartments. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4065613]
KW - data-enabled analysis of mechanical systems and robots
KW - dynamics and control of mechanical systems
KW - fixturing and multi-finger hands
KW - grasping
KW - kinematics
KW - manipulation planning
KW - mobile robots
KW - mobile robots in highly challenging environments
KW - motion
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U2 - 10.1115/1.4065613
DO - 10.1115/1.4065613
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85197350903
SN - 1942-4302
VL - 16
JO - Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics
JF - Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics
IS - 11
M1 - 115001
ER -