Development of a Mobile Robot “Phoenix-L” for Decommissioning Tasks

Abstract

This paper reports an overview of a mobile robot “Phoenix-L” for decommissioning tasks and its evaluation tests. Phoenix-L consists of a vehicle mechanism “PHexa-L” and an arm mechanism “PArm-L”. PHexa-L is a six-wheeled vehicle that can control ground pressure by pneumatic control, and is easy to decontaminate and turn in a small space. The proposed differential wheel mechanism also enables to run over rough terrain. PArm-L has a coupled-drive structure in which all of the motor and sensors to control both the arm and the gripper are arranged in the base, and the entire structure is composed of only mechanical elements. Thus, it has high radiation resistance. Various tests using the prototype have confirmed the effectiveness of contact pressure control of the wheels, the ability to run over rough terrain, and the feasibility of light tasks.