Telerobotic Decontamination and Decommissioning with Qrobot, a PC-BASED Robot Control System

• Published in: International journal of computers & applications Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 112 - 121
• Main Authors: Loffler, M.S., Costescu, N.P., Zergeroglu, E., Dawson, D.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Anaheim, CA Taylor & Francis 01.01.2002; Calgary, AB Acta Press; Zürich
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Computer control systems; Computer science; control theory; systems; Control theory. Systems; Cost effectiveness; Decommissioning (nuclear reactors); Decontamination; disassembly; Exact sciences and technology; Graphical user interfaces; Hazards; Personal computers; Real time systems; Real-time; Robotics; Virtual reality; Personal computer; Decommissioning; Decontamination; User interface; Control system; Virtual reality; Desassembly; Real time system; Robotics; Remote control
• ISSN: 1206-212X; 1925-7074
• DOI: 10.1080/1206212X.2002.11441670

Robotic systems are well suited for decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) tasks in hazardous environments. Advanced semi-autonomous telerobotic solutions for D&D tasks go beyond simple video-based interaction and include virtual reality (VR) interfaces and flexible sensor integration. The capability of those systems range from real-time control tasks to graphical user interface components utilizing video and VR. This article describes QRobot, a PC-based system for telerobotic D&D operations. The system integrates hardware interfacing, real-time joint level control, sensors, tool control, networking, and task-level programming as well as video- and VR-based operator interfaces. The system demonstrates that the personal computer, a cost effective and widely used computing plat-form, is well suited to the integration of real-time control tasks and advanced user interfaces. An experimental section demonstrates the system's functionality by using an example workpiece as the subject of a D&D operation.