Mobile speleological parallel robot with a spatial tactile system for identification of the contact surface

Abstract

The paper considers the problem of conducting speleological studies of natural and artificial caves, including channels of the underground rivers, as well as various mine workings in dangerous or inaccessible conditions for a speleologist. In this case, external environment of the objects under study could turn out to be opaque for optical, radio, ultrasonic and other physical methods of monitoring the inner surface, for example, due to partial or complete flooding of the object with water with inhomogeneous suspensions. A solution to the problem is proposed by robotizing the research using a mobile speleological parallel robot (MSPR) with a spatial tactile system for identification of the contact surface. MSPR is created in the form of an active octahedral structure, which edges are rods with linear drives. The rod ends are pivotally connected to the corresponding vertices of the active octahedral structure ensuring its geometric invariability when the linear drives are turned off. As a result, MSPR is able to carry out contact (tactile) mapping of the inner surface under study regardless of the external environment transparency and its geodetic binding to the base coordinate system with visualization in the form of histograms. At the same time, MSPR is able to self-move along the internal surfaces regardless of their spatial orientation. MSPR and its functionalities are described, one of which is the ability to build the 3D histograms of the surrounding space bind to the base (inertial) coordinate system through the mechanical contact. The tactile system of identifying the contact surface makes it possible not only to move the MSPR, but also to tactilely monitor in the external environment that is opaque for optical, radio, ultrasonic and other physical control methods. MSPR allows robotizing speleological research in dangerous, hard-to-reach and inaccessible places for a speleologist, as well as to carry out rescue operations and ensure delivery of the required cargo.