This paper deals with a stability evaluation method based on reaction from terrain for a rubble removing rescue robot. We construct a rescue robot to remove rubble lying on injured victims under broken houses. In rescue fields, shape of terrain and mass of rubble are unknown. Then, the previous stability evaluation method namely ZMP is not satisfactory because the method needs model parameters of the robot, shape of terrain and mass of payload. In this paper, we propose a stability evaluation method based on reaction from terrain and a stability margin time based on time in which reaction reaches zero. We perform experiments and show that the proposed method can evaluate stability for the robot not concerning model parameters, terrain shape and mass of rubble.

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Recently, various robots have been developed and they are applied to various tasks. A remote controlled robot for collecting information in disasters, which are earthquakes and so on, is one of most effective application. For this reason, various rescue robots have been developed. However, previous rescue systems that use robots have significant problem. That is shortage of operators. In our previous works, to solve the problem we focused on volunteer staffs, and proposed a concept of rescue system in which professional rescue staffs and volunteer staffs work together for handling of catastrophic disaster, and developed a prototype of rescue robot for non-professional operator. An autonomous detection system of survivors using thermography is one of the functions of the prototype system. In this paper, we obtain various thermal image of human body by experiments, and enhance the detection system of survivors using thermography by the analysis of the obtained thermal images.

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Multi-agent techniques are expected to develop flexible systems forr utilization in environmental situations, which change complicatedly and continuously-especially, rescue systems in large-scale disasters enabling reductions of damage and preventing many deaths. The RoboCupRescue project was started in Japan in 1999. The project is one of international research to develop rescue systems for large-scale disasters. The project uses the multi-agent approach to realize its aims. In this paper, we deal with the RoboCupRescue simulation project.
One of areas of interest in multi-agent techniques is the realization of efficient cooperative behavior design of multi-agent systems. The problems of large-scale disasters can not be solved utilizing these traditional frameworks because rescue agents have mobility and can get only restricted information (just a part of the information). So, in the traditional frameworks, agents cannot communicate with each other and form short time suitable groups. Besides, agents need to behave in a real-time environment that is changing complicatedly and continuously.
In this paper, we propose a cooperative model of rescue agents by a group forming algorithm behavior of rescue agents. We define group as a set of agents that solve a same problem cooperatively. By using this model, agent can form a group whenever it is required to solve the problem. We implemented our rescue agent and confirmed efficiency of our model and algorithm through some simulations.

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This paper presents a transmission course expansion method for disaster prevention's information. And also describes operations for normal-emergency situation about information transmission. This system transmits disaster prevention's information for small mobile appliances. These appliance are non wireless electronic items such as music player, move player, USB memory type music player and so on. This method and a system aim at effective distribution of protection against disasters information with imminent information machinery.

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This paper describes phased earthquake data collection system by cooperation of mobile robots and the Temporal Spatial GIS. This proposed method features three phased data update and the change region modeling as KIWI+ building object data. The first stage sends the robot position and the omni-directional images as soon as possible. On the second stage, 3D environmental data with image texture which is obtained by omni-directional motion stereo augmented by the RTK-GPS/INS, is sent as the VRML format. Finally, “change region”, which is recognized by difference operation between the obtained 3D environmental data and the GIS database, can be recognized as new KIWI+ object data. Field experiments and analyses have proved that the proposed system can provide sufficient data collection/update performance under complicated outdoor environment.

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This paper proposes real time 3D modeling of environment for a mobile robot by aligning range images. 3D modeling by mobile robot needs Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM). In disaster rescue and relief, for reducing the risk of secondary disaster, it is desirable that remote-controlled mobile robot gathers the information about afflicted areas in advance. In this paper, we tackled 3D modeling for environment recognition by mobile robot. We obtain range images by a real time laser range finder mounted on the robot. And we then align them in real time for SLAM. Our method sequentially aligns range images by a variant of Iterative Closest Point (ICP) method, therefore estimates the self-position of the robot without any external devices. We also propose a new weighting scheme for an ICP method. In the experiment, we analyze the precision of the real time laser range finder and evaluate the accuracy of the estimation of robot's position. Finally we show the result of modeling and localization by the robot which mounts the real time range finder.

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Mobile robots are expected to support relief activities, after a great scale disaster. These robots need ability to move on/in rubble in order to collect information related to victims and the conditions. In order to attain this purpose, we proposed a transformational mobile robot (CUBIC-R), which can traverse rubbles omnidirectionaly. The robot's shape is hexahedron and each surface has a crawler unit with a couple of crawlers. As each surface is united by transformational mechanism which has 1DOF, it can overcome rough terrains (step, stairs, gap and so on) using transformation. Additionally, it can traverse terrains in the direction of the front, back, left or right without rotating the platform, because its shape is cross-shape. As the robot can traverse terrains in the left or right direction if it can not overcome obstacles in the front or back directions, stuck possibility of the robot may be small. Therefore we consider that CUBIC-R can be operated widely in the stricken-area. However, we found that there were several problems in CUBIC-R, such as the heavy weight, the complexity of the mechanism, the stability of the robot and the difficult robot operation. In this paper, we improve the robot mechanism and develop a fundamental robot/human interface in order to solve the above-mentioned problems.

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Interest has grown in the potential application of robot technology at accident and disaster sites where there exists the possibility of secondary disasters, and much effort is being channeled into research in this area. Yet, much of this effort has been directed at advanced, expensive robot technologies. We have been looking at ways of realizing a readily applicable robot technology for such disaster sites, and propose a relatively low-cost rescue robot with simple, intuitive operation, that does not require power supply lines. We report on a simple search device based on a human-powered generator, an improved version of an earlier device using a direct mechanical drive for mobility.

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At present, there are various kinds of locomotion mechanisms of robots such as bipedal locomotion, locomotion on wheels, and meandering. All of these mechanisms need a lot of space. But the locomotion mechanism which needs only a slight amount of space is the peristaltic crawling of earthworms. Moreover, this is more stable than any other locomotion mechanisms. Therefore, we pay attention to the peristaltic crawling of earthworms, which will replace the mechanisms of locomotion on wheels or on foot, aiming to develop an earthworm type robot mobile on unleveled ground, narrow roads, in a heap of rubble, or inside the tubes of nuclear power plants. This paper reports on the characters of pneumatic artificial muscle actuator suggested by us, the design of an experimental peristaltic crawling type robot using the actuators, and their evaluation results.

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In this paper, we introduce an immersive teleoperating system for an unmanned helicopter and an AR-based assistance system for searching disaster victims. In this system, an operator carries a backpack with a laptop PC and controls the helicopter remotely while watching a surrounding view of the helicopter through a head mounted display (HMD). Virtual buildings and textual annotations assist the search operation of disaster victims indicating the position to search rapidly and intensively. The position and the attitude of the helicopter is measured by a GPS and a gyroscope, and transmitted to the operator's PC via a wireless LAN. Using this system, we conducted experiments to find persons and verified the feasibility.

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To generate a wide dynamic range image (WDRI), a system which consists of a camera and a liquid crystal filter has been proposed. The system can adaptively control scene radiance using the liquid crystal filter placed in front of the camera. Although the masking effect of the filter blurs, the blurring function was not strictly analyzed. In this paper, the blurring function is estimated using an experimental system. We have confirmed that WDRIs are clearly generated using the blurring function.

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In this paper we propose an innovative view synthesis method for vehicle teleoperation, a synthesized scene recollection method, which provides the operator with a bird's-eye view image of the vehicle in an environment which is generated by using position and orientation information of the vehicle, stored image history data captured by a camera mounted on the vehicle, and the CG model of the vehicle. This method helps the operator to easily recognize the situation of the vehicle even in unknown surroundings and enables the remote operation ability of a vehicle to be improved. We also propose the different ways of presenting the synthesized bird's-eye view images to an operator. This method is mainly based on two technologies, vehicle positioning and image synthesis. To realize self-contained system of the proposed method we use scan matching of the scan data of a laser rangefinder for vehicle positioning. Experimental results for a robot in 2D horizontal plane are shown.

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Recently, the rescue robot contest has been carried out in order to improve the rescue technology and to enlighten the rescue activity. Moreover, an approach on the rescue robot contest Jr. (Rescon Jr.) has already tried for junior high schools, which is based on the relationship of technology education.
In this paper, a simple vibration sensor for the rescue dummy which has utilized in the Rescon Jr. is introduced. The main feature of the proposed sensor is that one can product it easily and cheaply.

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