Applications

Tral Patrol Security Robot

A security guard who makes regular patrolling of a specified area can be effectively replaced by a security robot. Unlike a security guard, the security robot is always on duty, needs no breaks for resting or getting warm in winter. It can make longer-distance patrols or take a concealed viewing position. Being highly efficient at tracking intruders, it is unfortunately unable to detain them, this work however can be left for security guards.

Use of new generation security technologies – security robots – together with security guards works well in large areas with many guard houses and patrol routes.

To support security application SRX 1wheeled robot has been equipped with a Tral Patrol system – a solution for panoramic video surveillance and automatic tracking of moving people. The chassis ensures autonomous patrolling and the video surveillance system provides people detection by scanning the surrounding area; when someone is located an alarm signal together with a video image is passed to a guard house. >>>

Unmanned robotic complex

Quadcopter or any other vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of lifting equipment at a height of a few hundred meters. That opens up new possibilities for video surveillance, radio retransmission and lighting. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and the equipment it lifts need electricity that can not be provided in sufficient quantity by onboard rechargeable batteries. At the same time the equipment lifted by a UAV often operates at a fixed height and does not need to be moved. A good solution to the power supply problem in these circumstances is to use a source of electricity on the ground and transmit power to UAV along wires.

In these circumstances a petrol driven generator seems to be a suitable source of electricity. A power generator – total weight with filled fuel tank is a few tens of kilograms –together with a UAV can be transported to a specified position by an unmanned ground vehicle chassis. To fulfill this task an unmanned robotic complex has been developed. The system comprises a vertical takeoff and landing UAV designed by NELK Company and SRX 3 wheeled robot. >>>

Snow-loading and snow-sweeping robots

Nowaday snow cleaning equipment turn to be inefficient in some instances. Self-moving snow-removers work well in large areas. Manually-steered snow blowers are most useful after heavy snowfalls. In our climate zone it is not always reasonable to use a manually-steered snow blower for removing 3-4 cm of snow. It seems more effective and easier to take a snow shovel. But it is better to replace a snow shovel with a specially designed snow-loading robot. Due to the ability to accurately determine its position in a specified area the robot is capable of making regular trips along a preselected route and unload in designated places.

For effective sleet removal it is practical to sweep the surface first and then apply de-icing agents to dissolve ice or anti-skid mixtures that reduce slip ration. A street snow-sweeping robot is ideally suited to performing the above tasks. >>>

Transport robots

Small items are usually moved in wheelbarrows or compact tractor trailers. However it is more convenient to avoid operator’s presence by using SRX wheeled robot. Due to the capability to determine its position in a specified area and pass along a preselected route without operator’s help the robot is well-suited to carrying items in autonomous mode. Modifications of SRX chassis have towing capacity of up to 70 kg and up to 200 kg. Running range - a few tens of kilometres depending on ground conditions and payload weight. Electric drives ensure close to noiseless running and allow operation at any time of the day or night.

Trailer for loose goods is fitted with a tipping gear to allow automatic unloading. For transportation of water or liquid substances such as fertilizer or agent solutions the trailer can be fitted with a tank. >>>

Rubbish collection and separation robot

There are several reasons why collection of scattered rubbish has to be robotized. First of all, public rest areas get littered regularly. In summer previously cleaned areas turn into waste fields every weak-end. Secondly, rubbish collection is a low-paid and low-skilled job which seems to be economically inefficient with the current system of income taxation. Thirdly, rubbish has to be separated as it is collected, which can not be properly done by rubbish collectors. They have to carry several litter bags for different types of litter and often carry three or four full bags while collecting, because their bags get filled unequally.

It is possible to robotize rubbish collection and separation by using a wheeled robot equipped with a manipulating arm with litter classification ability. The rubbish collection technique is as follows. A wheeled robot travels along a specified area following a preselected path. Rotating video camera mounted on a manipulating arm column scans the ground surface in the range of 5-10 mettres. When the video camera detects surface abnormality the travel path is being adjusted to let the robot approach the supposed litter. At the same time the manipulating arm fitted with its own video camera for close distance litter classification is being activated. The manipulating arm moves in such a way that ensures most effective visual recognition of the object as well as material classification by the arm sensors. In case an object has been successfully classified, for example as a plastic or glass bottle, or aluminum can, it is loaded into an appropriate section of a litter trailer attached to the robot. If an object can not be classified it goes to the section for unclassified rubbish. After that the robot returns to its travel path and proceeds with area observation. >>>

Watering robot

Landscaping has become vital for beautifying people’s living environment. But plants need regular watering, which requires time and efforts. Effective watering of plants and trees can be performed by specialized wheeled robots.

Watering robot is well suited for dosed watering of lawns, bushes and trees. Besides, it can do inefficient work instead of humans being available late at night or early in the morning when plants need moisture most of all. Noiseless operation of the electric drive system will not disturb people around. Light weight and specially designed tires allow the robot to move along lawns without making harm to the grass even if lawns are soft and moist. >>>