IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2011 - 14

(a)

(b)

(c)

Figure 2. Fields for mobility test. (a) Pipe step, (b) inclined plane, and (c) step field.

intelligibility in identifying rhyming words
8) decontamination tests.
The input for developing the standardized tests was provided by technical search specialists from the Federal
Emergency Management Agency with
100 items in 13 categories on the requirements for robots. These were analyzed and narrowed down, and standard
test methods were developed to have
repeatability for testing and use in field
production. These methods were improved by intensive experiments using
the RoboCup Rescue Robot League.
The methods were verified by the first
responders' evaluation of existing
l

Competitions

vering capability, including rollover
stability and detracking prevention on
high-friction surfaces, is tested by using
the inclined plane (b). Figure 2(c)
shows a step field made of square
wood posts for traversal testing.
Three standards have been approved
by the committee and are active. Additionally, 19 methods for testing will
soon become new standards, with more
items being prepared for submission to
the committee. Four test courses will be
ready for testing worldwide in Gaithersburg (NIST), San Antonio (Southwest
Research Institute), Kobe (International
Rescue System Institute), and Koblenz
(University of Koblenz-Landau).

*
(continued from page 11)

Order-of-magnitude increases in
performance will only be achieved by
new generations of motivated, innovative system engineers. A significant source of such engineers will
continue to be the future AUV student
competitions. In SAUC-E 11, NURC
will pioneer the first step toward cooperative behavior by actively involving
NURC's autonomous surface vehicle
(ASV) in the mission profile. For one

robots using training facilities such as
Disaster City. Finally, the standards
were proposed to the committee of
ASTM International.
Figure 1(a) shows a field for the
endurance test proposed. A robot traverses the number eight path on the
ramp terrain. Distance and time per
charge of battery are tested by the repetitive traverses under light and dark
conditions. The test data are written in
the form shown in Figure 1(b).
Figure 2 shows the test fields for
mobility. In (a), a robot surmounts
the step made of pipes that simulate a
slippery condition by rotating, and
the elapsed time is measured. Maneu-

IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

of the tasks, the competing AUV is
required to track the moving ASV by
searching for the signal of an acoustic
pinger attached to the ASV. NURC
will host the SAUC-E events for the
next two years, which will provide continuity and allow organizers to make
improvements each year. The NURC
competition will continue to be distinguished by a real-world ocean environment and missions with cooperative

SEPTEMBER 2011

vehicles. Competitions with common
educational goals and a maritime focus
have been fielded in the United States
for a number of years and are being
initiated in Singapore. The long-term
vision includes a periodic World Cup
that would bring together the top
regional competitors. Potential sponsors of the regional or global events are
encouraged to contact the author by
e-mail at djapic@nurc.nato.int.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2011