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Penguins in Space
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Title: Penguins in Space
Author: Randall Goguen (aka Ranman)
E-Mail: ranman@nbnet.nb.ca
Date: Aug 18, 1999
Artical: 190801
Table of Contents
1. Nomad
1.1 Definition
1.2 What is Nomad?
2. Nomad Robot Description
2.1 Physical Description
2.2 Locomotion
2.3 Imaging
2.4 Communication
2.5 Navigation
2.6 Computing
2.7 Science
3. Miscellaneous
3.1 Download images used in this artical
3.2 Closing
3.3 Copyright
1. Nomad

1.1 Definition
Nomad (noh'-mad) n. 1. A member of a race or tribe that
has no fixed abode but moves about from place to place. 2. A wanderer.
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1.2 What is Nomad?
Nomad, a planetary-relevant mobile robot, is chartered to
traverse 200 kilometers across the Atacama Desert in Chile, exploring
a landscape analogous to the surface of the Moon and Mars.
Operating both autonomously and under the control of operators
thousands of kilometers away, Nomad and the Desert Trek address issues of
robotic configuration, communications, position estimation and navigation
in rugged, natural terrain.
The field experiment also serves as a testing ground for remote
geological investigation, paving the way for new exploration with onboard
panoramic visualization and a novel user interface, the Atacama Desert
Trek provides the general public an unforgettable interactive experience
and its first opportunity to remotely drive an exploratory robot.
An unprecedented demonstration, the Atacama Desert Trek sets a new
benchmark in high performance robotics operations relevant to terrestrial
and planetary exploration.
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2. Nomad Robot Description
2.1 Physical Description
1.8m x 1.8m x 2.4m high, stowed for transport
2.4m x 2.4m x 2.4m, deployed
550 kg
2.4 kW
0.5m/s maximum, 0.3m/s average
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2.2 Locomotion
4 wheel drive, 4 wheel steer
Wheel size 76.2cm diameter
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2.3 Imaging
360 degree color panoramic camera
800,000 pixels
6 Hz acquisition rate
Color stereo science cameras (25cm baseline)
640x480 pixels on 3 CCD chips
24 bit color (8 bits per red, green, blue)
8.2 x 11.0 degree full field-of-view or 0.3 mrad/pixel
Monochrome stereo science cameras (10cm baseline)
640x480 pixels
24.6 x32.8 degree full field-of-view or 0.9 mrad/pixel
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2.4 Communication
1.54 Mbps continuous
Active antenna pointing for high bandwidth link
Low bandwidth radio for status/command/control
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2.5 Navigation
Position estimation: Inertial Measurement Unit, Gyrocompass Global
Positioning System
4 camera stereo & Laser scanner
Real-time obstacle detection and avoidance
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2.6 Computing

Complete onboard processing
50 MHz 68040 & 40 MHz 68030 running VxWorks
200 MHz dual Pentium Pro running NT 4.0
133 MHz Pentium running Linux
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2.7 Science
Color stereo cameras (25cm baseline)
Monochrome stereo cameras (10cm baseline)
Weather sensor for temperature, humidity, wind velocity
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3. Miscellaneous
3.1 Download images used in this artical
nomad.tar.gz
3.2 Closing
Anyone who wishes to make additions or changes to this artical
email them to webmaster@linuxguruz.org
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3.3 Copyright
This document is Copyright (c) 1999 by LinuxGuruz
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