Mobile Autonomous Robots for Transportation and Handling Applications

MARTHA - 6668

Keywords autonomous robots, task-level programming, load transportation

Start Date: 15-JUN-92 / Duration: 36 months

Objectives

The objective of MARTHA is to develop several key methods, software and sensing technologies needed to advance the state of the art for autonomous robots, so as to satisfy the requirements of automated transshipment applications.

After one year of project activity, the following results have been achieved:

system level specification of the two typical applications. The first one, called heavy-load application deals with the automated transportation of large boxes at sea or rail transshipment sites, by means of a large fleet of vehicles. The second one, called medium-load application, deals with the automated transportation of medium-load boxes on combined indoor/outdoor sites as may be found at airports
system level specification of the central computer and of the vehicle control system
definition of the common project standards: software quality plan and computer standards
theoretical studies in order to define or to select the most suitable methods according to the project objectives for several important functions
technological evaluation of appropriate techniques on sensing and communications according to the project objectives
design specifications of the different sub-systems following the breakdown performed during the earlier months of the project

The software developments for the central computer station and for the vehicle control system and the construction of a scanning laser sensor are targeted to be completed by July 1994. The demonstrations are scheduled to take place in June 1995, following a sequence of integration, validation and testing actions.

CONTACT POINT

Dr Omer Mercier
Framatome SA
10 rue Juliette Recamier
F - 69456 LYON CEDEX 06
tel: + 33 / 7274-8925
fax: + 33 / 7274-8008
telex: 370518 F

Participants

FRAMATOME SA - F - C
SOCIETE NATIONALE DES CHEMINS
DE FER FRANCAIS - F - P
INDUMAT GMBH & CO KG - D - P
FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM INFORMATIK
AN DER UNIVERSITÄT KARLSRUHE - D - P
PROMIP - F - P
MANNESMANN DEMAG GOTTWALD Gmbh - D - P
FLUGHAFEN FRANKFURT MAIN AG - D - A
ROL - F - A
IKERLAN - E - A
EUROPE COMBINED TERMINALS BV - NL - A

MARTHA - 6668, December 1993

please address enquiries to the ESPRIT Information Desk

html version of synopsis by Nick Cook