Development of a Prototype Telerobotic System for Debris Vacuum Positioning

摘要

The Advanced Highway Maintenance and Construction Technology (AHMCT) Research Center has been developing robotic equipment and machinery for highway maintenance and construction operations. It is a cooperative venture between the University of California at Davis and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The research and development projects have the goal of increasing safety and efficiency of roadwork operations through the appropriate application of automation solutions. This report describes the development of a telerobotic system for debris vacuum positioning. The center has developed a prototype of a remotely controlled articulated vacuum nozzle that is designed to permit an operator to collect litter while seated in a vehicle cab. Before and during conceptualization of this proposed solution, a thorough search of the industry was performed to find any existing machines that could be applied to the problem of collecting trash from alongside the highways.