Engineers at Lancaster University are developing computer systems for robots handling hazardous nuclear waste. The software will make the robots semi-autonomous - simplifying human control, which has to be done remotely due to the highly radioactive environments in which the robots operate. 

蘭開(kāi)斯特大學(xué)的工程師們正在開(kāi)發(fā)機(jī)器人處理危險(xiǎn)核廢料的計(jì)算機(jī)系統(tǒng)。該軟件將使機(jī)器人實(shí)現(xiàn)半自主——簡(jiǎn)化人類(lèi)的控制，由于機(jī)器人所處的環(huán)境具有高放射性，人類(lèi)必須遠(yuǎn)程控制機(jī)器人。

Robot with two manipulating arms grasping a pipe (Image: Lancaster University)

兩臂機(jī)械手抓取管道的機(jī)器人(圖片:蘭卡斯特大學(xué))

Making use of novel imaging software and a Microsoft Kinect camera added to a mobile robot with two manipulating arms, the system makes it easier to identify, grasp and cut objects - such as metal pipes, which are a common material found in nuclear decommissioning sites.

該系統(tǒng)利用新穎的成像軟件和微軟Kinect攝像頭，將其添加到一個(gè)擁有兩只操縱手臂的移動(dòng)機(jī)器人上，使其更容易識(shí)別、抓取和切割物體，比如金屬管道，這是在核退役地點(diǎn)常見(jiàn)的材料。

The university said the software has the potential to significantly speed-up decommissioningoperations, while also retaining human oversight of the robot.

該大學(xué)表示，該軟件有潛力顯著加快退役操作，同時(shí)還能保持人類(lèi)對(duì)機(jī)器人的監(jiān)督。

"The standard within nuclear decommissioning is for direct human-controlled remote tele-operation of robots, which is extremely difficult for the operators particularly given the complexity of nuclear decommissioning tasks," said James Taylor, professor of control engineering at Lancaster University's Department of Engineering. "Fully autonomous solutions are unlikely to be deemed safe in the near future and so we have explored creating a semi-autonomous solution that sits between the two.

蘭開(kāi)斯特大學(xué)(Lancaster University)工程系控制工程學(xué)教授詹姆斯?泰勒(James Taylor)表示:“核設(shè)施退役的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)是由人類(lèi)直接控制的機(jī)器人遠(yuǎn)程操作，考慮到核設(shè)施退役任務(wù)的復(fù)雜性，這對(duì)操作者來(lái)說(shuō)極其困難。”“在不久的將來(lái)，完全自主的解決方案不太可能被認(rèn)為是安全的，所以我們已經(jīng)探索出一種介于兩者之間的半自主解決方案。

"By making use of a single camera mounted on the robot our system focusses on a common task in these harsh environments - the selecting and cutting of pipes. Our system enables an operator to instruct the robot manipulator to perform a pipe grasp and cut action with just four mouse clicks.

“通過(guò)使用安裝在機(jī)器人上的一個(gè)攝像頭，我們的系統(tǒng)在這些惡劣的環(huán)境中專(zhuān)注于一項(xiàng)共同的任務(wù)——管道的選擇和切割。我們的系統(tǒng)使操作人員能夠指導(dǎo)機(jī)器人機(jī)械手執(zhí)行管道抓取和切割操作，只需點(diǎn)擊四下鼠標(biāo)。

"Tests show that operators using this system successfully outperform operators using the current joystick-based standard. It keeps the user in control of the overall robot but significantly reduces user workload and operation time."

測(cè)試表明，使用該系統(tǒng)的運(yùn)營(yíng)商成功地超過(guò)了使用當(dāng)前基于操縱桿的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的運(yùn)營(yíng)商。它讓用戶控制整個(gè)機(jī)器人，但大大減少了用戶的工作量和操作時(shí)間。”

The system has so far been tested in laboratory conditions with a small number of operators. The researchers recognise that further testing is required, and additional measures, such as shielding, would be needed to prepare the system for radioactive environments.

到目前為止，該系統(tǒng)已經(jīng)在實(shí)驗(yàn)室條件下由少數(shù)操作員進(jìn)行了測(cè)試。研究人員認(rèn)識(shí)到，需要進(jìn)行進(jìn)一步的測(cè)試，還需要采取額外的措施，比如屏蔽，來(lái)為該系統(tǒng)應(yīng)對(duì)放射性環(huán)境做好準(zhǔn)備。

The researchers have outlined their work in a paper published by the journal Robotics.

研究人員在《機(jī)器人》雜志上發(fā)表的一篇論文中概述了他們的工作。

The development work was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council - part of UK Research and Innovation - as part of the National Centre for Nuclear Robotics (NCNR). The NCNR aims to develop advanced robotics and AI technologies for nuclear industry applications. The focus of the centre is to develop technology for aiding radioactive waste management. Lancaster University was one of eight universities that founded the NCNR.

這項(xiàng)開(kāi)發(fā)工作由工程和物理科學(xué)研究理事會(huì)資助，該理事會(huì)是英國(guó)研究和創(chuàng)新的一部分，也是國(guó)家核機(jī)器人中心(NCNR)的一部分。NCNR的目標(biāo)是為核工業(yè)應(yīng)用開(kāi)發(fā)先進(jìn)的機(jī)器人和人工智能技術(shù)。該中心的重點(diǎn)是發(fā)展協(xié)助放射性廢物管理的技術(shù)。蘭開(kāi)斯特大學(xué)是建立NCNR的八所大學(xué)之一。

文章來(lái)源：中國(guó)核能

IEEE Spectrum

《科技縱覽》

官方微信公眾平臺(tái)