Autonomous Non-wheeled all-Terrain rover (ANT)
Programme
TDE
Programme Reference
T313-603MM
Prime Contractor
DFKI GmbH
Start Date
End Date
Status
Closed
Country
Germany
Objectives
Develop a cluttered-terrain navigation system for non-wheeled, typically legged rovers
Description
Wheeled rovers are the clear choice for large traverse exploration of relatively flat terrains.
ESA has investigated walking rovers for several years (GSP CESAR, TERP ARAMIE and SPACEWALKER, NPI with DLR and ethz).
Recent advances in leg motoring (serial-elastic actuation) make possible to overcome the issues highlighted in previous ESA work.
There is potential of realising a walking rover for space use in short time.
The access to cluttered areas introduces problems of 3D navigation that are still unsolved (definitely in the space context). Every step needs to be carefully thought off in view of the stability, reachability and possibility to carry on.
This activity will develop a software/hardware navigation system that will allow walking robots to safely negotiate cluttered terrains.
The following tasks are envisaged::
The navigation shall be developed according to the AGILE software development paradigm. At least 4 SPRINTS shall be executed:
1- SPRINT1 navigation in mixed-slopes terrain
2- SPRINT2 navigation in flat cluttered terrain
3- SPRINT3 navigation in cluttered terrain with mixed slopes
4- SPRINT4 navigation in cluttered terrain with mixed slopes with load bearing issues.
Application Domain
Exploration
Technology Domain
13 - Automation, Telepresence & Robotics
Competence Domain
6-Life & Physical Science Payloads, Life Support, Robotics & Automation
Keywords
6-Robotics
Initial TRL
TRL 2
Target TRL
TRL 3
Achieved TRL
TRL 4
Public Document
Executive Summary