shipboard fire robotics consortium - spectra 2014

8/9/2019 Shipboard Fire Robotics Consortium - Spectra 2014

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The U.S. Naval Research Labo-

ratory (NRL) Laboratory forAutonomous Systems Research(LASR), a partner in the Navy’sDamage Control for the 21stCentury project (DC-21), re-

cently hosted robotics researchteams from the Virginia Poly-technic Institute and State

University (Virginia Tech) andthe University of Pennsylvania(Penn) to demonstrate themost current developments

of advanced autonomoussystems to assist in discovery,control, and damage controlof incipient res.

Fighting res can at times prove chal-

lenging to even the most seasoned

reghting veteran — a reghter must

deal with extreme unpredictability, high

temperatures, and rapid decline of

environmental and structural integri-

ties. Add to this scenario a cloistered

platform, say many levels down inside

a seagoing ship, and the challenge is

exponentially increased, resulting in

extreme risks to human life. Despite

these risks, a shipboard re must be

contained and extinguished for the

safety of the crew and continued mis-

sion readiness of the ship.

To mitigate these risks, NRL research-

ers at LASR and NRL’s Navy Center

for Applied Research in Articial Intel-

ligence (NCARAI), under direction and

funding from the Oce of Naval Re-search (ONR), are working with univer-

sity researchers to develop advanced

reghting technologies for shipboard

res using humanoid robots, an eort

led by the NRL Chemistry Division.

“As part of the Navy’s ‘leap ahead’

initiative, this research focuses on the

integration of spatial orientation and

the shipboard mobility capabilities

of future shipboard robots,” said Dr.

Thomas McKenna, managing program

ocer of ONR’s Computational Neuro-

science and Biorobotics programs. “Th

goal of this research is to develop the

mutual interaction between a humanoid

robotic reghter and the rest of the

reghting team.”

This highly specialized research, to pro

mote advanced reghting techniques,

includes development of a novel roboti

platform and re-hardened materials

(Virginia Tech), algorithms for percep-

tion and navigation autonomy (Penn),

human–robot interaction technology,and computational cognitive models

that will allow the robotic reghter to

work shoulder-to-shoulder and interact

naturally with naval reghters (NCARA

“These advancements complement

highly specialized NRL research that

focuses specically on the human–robo

interaction technology and shipboard-

based spatial interrogation technology,

said Alan C. Schultz, director of LASR


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and the NCARAI. “Developments

made from this research will allow a

Navy reghter to interact peer-to-peer,

shoulder-to-shoulder with a humanoid

robotic reghter.”

The NRL LASR, where the articialintelligence portion of the research is

performed, hosted the consortium of

university researchers to demonstrate

their most current developments.

The LASR facility allows the research-

ers from Virginia Tech and Penn to

demonstrate, in a controlled environ-

ment, progress in the critical steps

necessary for shipboard re suppres-

sion using variants of their Shipboard

Autonomous Fireghting Robot,

or SAFFiR. In 2013, human–robotinteraction technology and cognitive

models developed by NRL were also

demonstrated at the laboratory.

“The LASR facility, with its unique

simulated multi-environments and

state-of-the-art labs allows us to ‘test

out’ our ideas before we go to the

eld,” Schultz said. “In essence, our

facility gives us a cost-saving method

for testing concepts and ideas before

we go to the expense of eld trials.”

While at LASR, the researchers dem-

onstrated the complex motion, agility,

and walking algorithms of the robots

over natural and manmade terrain and

simulated shipboard sea state (pitch

and roll) conditions. Also demonstrated

were “seek-and-nd” algorithms for

locating a re emergency, in this case

an open ame, and the use of “articial

muscle” for the lifting and activation

of re suppression equipment, such

as opening a water valve, lifting andwalking with a re hose, and activating

a nozzle.

“SAFFiR is being designed to move

autonomously throughout a ship to

learn ship layout, interact with people,

patrol for structural anomalies, and

handle many of the dangerous reght-

ing tasks that are normally performed

by humans,” McKenna said. The robot

is designed with enhanced multimodalSAFFiR — the Shipboard Autonomous Fireghting Robot.


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Researchers demonstrated the complex

motion, agility, and walking algorithms of the

robots over natural and manmade terrain

and simulated shipboard sea state (pitch

and roll) conditions. Also demonstrated were

“seek-and-nd” algorithms for locating a reemergency, in this case an open ame, and

the use of “articial muscle” for the lifting and

activation of re suppression equipment, such

as opening a water valve, lifting and walking

with a re hose, and activating a nozzle.


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NRL FEATURES

sensor technology for advanced navigation and

a sensor suite that includes a camera, gas sen-

sor, and stereo infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV)

cameras to enable it to see through smoke and

detect sources of excess heat. SAFFiR is also

capable of walking in all directions, balancing in

sea state conditions, and traversing obstacles

such as “knee-knocker” bulkhead openings.

“Today’s display demonstrates the integration of

perception through multiple sensors, and of lo-

comotion through biped walking,” said Dr. Daniel

Lee, director of the General Robotics Automa-

tion, Sensing, Perception Lab and professor at

the University of Pennsylvania. Tasks as humans

we take for granted, such as standing and

remaining upright, become increasingly complex

with the addition of full body mobility required for

walking and lifting. Dr. Brian Lattimer, associate

professor at Virginia Tech’s Department of Me-

chanical Engineering, additionally commentedthat what we are now seeing is the result of a

multidisciplinary project combined to perform all

the critical tasks necessary for re suppression

by a humanoid robot.

“In dark or smoke-occluded and noisy environ-

ments found in shipboard reghting conditions,

tactile feedback — touch — is an important form

of communication between human reghters,”

said John Farley, project ocer of the re test

ship ex-USS Shadwell , NRL Chemistry Division.

“Moving forward, the team will integrate NRL’s

human–robot interaction technology with the

SAFFiR platform so that there is a greater focus

on natural interaction with naval reghters.”

In the short term, however, to protect

robotic mechanisms and electronics from

intense heat, researchers in the Advanced

Materials Section of the NRL Chemistry Division

have developed a class of lightweight, high-

temperature polyetheretherketone (PEEK)-like

phthalonitrile resin that can be molded to any

shape and remain strong at temperatures up to

500 degrees Celsius. The robotic teams are ex-pecting to soon conduct shipboard trials aboard

Shadwell , the Navy’s only full-scale re test ship,

moored in Mobile, Alabama.

SAFFiR is being designed to move autonomously

throughout a ship to learn ship layout, interact with

people, patrol for structural anomalies, and handle

many of the dangerous reghting tasks that are

normally performed by humans.

SAFFiR taking a break after a hard day at work.

By Daniel Parry

NRL Public Affairs Ofce

shipboard fire robotics consortium - spectra 2014

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