In this paper, we present a case study report on how novel robotics technologies like the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and data processing methodologies could be used in order to support the traditional mine action procedures and be directly applied onto the terrain while increasing the operational efficiency, supporting mine action workers and minimizing human suffering in case of natural disaster with impact to mine action. Our case study is focusing on the region Olovo (Central Bosnia and Herzegovina) in response to massive flooding, landslides and sediment torrents in spring-summer of 2014. Such destructive impact of the natural disaster on the mine action situation resulted with a re-localizing of many explosive remnants of war which have been moved due to the flooding and landslides with significant negative environmental and security consequences increasing new potentially suspected hazardous areas. What will be elaborated in this paper is the following: problem definition with a statement of needs, data acquisition procedures with UAS, data processing and quality assessment and usability in further mine action procedures.

Autonomous robotic systems which aspire to navigate through rough unstructured terrain require the capability to reason about the environmental characteristics of their environment. As a first priority, the robotic systems need to assess the degree of traversability of their immediate environment to ensure their mobility while navigating through these rough environments. This paper presents a novel terrain-traversability analyis methodology which is based on processing the full 3D model of the terrain, not on a projected or downscaled version of this model. The approach is validated using field tests using a time-of-flight camera.

This project paper provides a report on a real relief operation mission, jointly conducted by two European research projects, in response to the massive flooding in the Balkan in spring 2014. Un Unmanned Aerial System was deployed on-site in collaboration with traditional relief workers, to support them with damage assessment, area mapping, visual inspection and re-localizing the many explosive remnants of war which have been moved due to the flooding and landslides. Novel robotic technologies and data processing methodologies were brought from the research labs and directly applied onto the terrain in order to support the relief workers and minimize human suffering.

In this paper, we present a ground robotic system which is developed to deal with rough outdoor conditions. The platform is to be used as an environmental monitoring robot for 2 main application areas: - Humanitarian demining: The vehicle is equipped with a specialized multi-channel metal detector array. An unmanned aerial system supports it for locating suspected locations of mines, which can then be confirmed by the ground vehicle. - Search and rescue: The vehicle is equipped with human victim detection sensors and a 3D camera enabling it to assess the traversability of the terrain in front of the robot in order to be able to navigate autonomously. The paper discusses both the mechanical design of these platforms as the autonomous perception capabilities on board of these vehicles.

In this paper, a Training and Support system for Search and Rescue operations is described. The system is a component of the ICARUS project (http://www.fp7-icarus.eu) which has a goal to develop sensor, robotic and communication technologies for Human Search And Rescue teams. The support system for planning and managing complex SAR operations is implemented as a command and control component that integrates different sources of spatial information, such as maps of the affected area, satellite images and sensor data coming from the unmanned robots, in order to provide a situation snapshot to the rescue team who will make the necessary decisions. Support issues will include planning of frequency resources needed for given areas, prediction of coverage conditions, location of fixed communication relays, etc. The training system is developed for the ICARUS operators controlling UGVs (Unmanned Ground Vehicles), UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and USVs (Unmanned Surface Vehicles) from a unified Remote Control Station (RC2). The Training and Support system is implemented in SaaS model (Software as a Service). Therefore, its functionality is available over the Ethernet. SAR ICARUS teams from different countries can be trained simultaneously on a shared virtual stage. In this paper we will show the multi-robot 3D mapping component (aerial vehicle and ground vehicles). We will demonstrate that these 3D maps can be used for Training purpose. Finally we demonstrate current approach for ICARUS Urban SAR (USAR) and Marine SAR (MSAR) operation training.

In this paper, we discuss the integration process of a mobile robot and multi-channel metal detector system intended for humanitarian demining applications within the EU FP7 TIRAMISU project. The paper describes how a standard tele-operated Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) robot was upgraded with electronics, sensors, computing power, motor control units and power sources, such that it becomes able to execute humanitarian demining tasks. To be able to detect land mines we have integrated with the mobile robot platform a multi-channel metal detector system which is a specialized sensor system for demining platforms developed by Vallon GmbH. In order to evaluate the proposed system integration we have performed first test and validation activities done at the SEDEE-DOVO test field (dummy minefield and UXO test site) of the Belgium Defense. Our first data acquisition results obtained during test and validation activities with the systems are reported. Lessons learned during the work conclude this paper.

The main focus of the work presented in this paper is to investigate the application of certain biologically-inspired control strategies in the field of autonomous mobile robots, with particular emphasis on multi-robot navigation systems. The control architecture used in this work is based on the behavior-based approach. The main argument in favor of this approach is its impressive and rapid practical success. This powerful methodology has demonstrated simplicity, parallelism, perception-action mapping and real implementation. When a group of autonomous mobile robots needs to achieve a goal operating in complex dynamic environments, such a task involves high computational complexity and a large volume of data needed for continuous monitoring of internal states and the external environment. Most autonomous mobile robots have limited capabilities in computation power or energy sources with limited capability, such as batteries. Therefore, it becomes necessary to build additional mechanisms on top of the control architecture able to efficiently allocate resources for enhancing the performance of an autonomous mobile robot. For this purpose, it is necessary to build an adaptive behavior-based control system focused on sensory adaptation. This adaptive property will assure efficient use of robot's limited sensorial and cognitive resources. The proposed adaptive behavior-based control system is then validated through simulation in a multi-robot environment with a task of prey/predator scenario.

Traversability estimation is a challenging problem, as in a non-structured environment one should consider both the terrain characteristics, such as slopes, vegetation, rocks, soils, etc. and the robot mobility characteristics, i.e. locomotion method, wheels, etc [9,10]. It is thus required to analyse, in real-time, the 3D characteristics of the terrain and pair this data to the robot capabilities.

During the Non-Technical Survey, information on a Suspected Hazardous Area (SHA) is collected and analysed for assessment and reduction/ inclusion purposes. This phase focuses on a scale that is more local than the Advanced General Survey (WP210). Unlike the Technical Survey, the Non-Technical Survey does not involve entering the SHA physically. This deliverable includes a description of the advancement in the development of the tools, an outline of guidelines for using them and a framework for evaluating their performance

In this paper, we discuss the development process of a mobile robot intended for environmental observation applications. The paper describes how a standard tele-operated Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) robot was upgraded with electronics, sensors, computing power and autonomous capabilities, such that it becomes able to execute semi-autonomous missions, e.g. for search & rescue or humanitarian demining tasks. The aim of this paper is not to discuss the details of the navigation algorithms (as these are often task-dependent), but more to concentrate on the development of the platform and its control architecture as a whole.

Abstract This paper describes how LEGO kits can be used to teach design and building of the complex robot system composed of the mobile robot platform and the robot arm. Both parts of proposed system are equipped with appropriate microcontrollers, sensors and actuators. All mechanical and electrical components are parts of Lego NXT Mindstroms™ Educational Robotic Kit. The control and communication software supports were building using Java programming language. This system could be controlled in two different modes, direct and Bluetooth controls. The effectiveness of the proposed complex system is demonstrated through several experiments, which provide an innovative use of the LEGO kits in robotics courses.