Robots can be used in many applications
in industries, military, domestic. One of the major uses of Robots is an
asset to human beings. Whether it is any kind of hazardous situations
like a fire breaking out or a place full of landmines, Robots can easily
work out a way out of these problems. So let us see these two types of
Robots – A Land mine sensing Robot and a Fire Fighting Robot
Land Mine Sensing Robot
How to Sense Land Mine with Robots?
One of the most important applications
of Robotics is in defense. A robot in military is actually a remote
controlled vehicle with many unique features. It can be a robotic
vehicle with a camera to spy, a robotic vehicle with a LASER gun to
detect and destroy targets or a robot with a metal detector to detect the presence of land mines.
One of the traditional and conventional
ways of mine detection is the use of trained personals that manually
search for metals or mines using a metal detector. However this is
unsafe and expensive and also slow.
To overcome this problem a far more advanced system is preferred.
A Couple of ways to Detect Landmines:
- Using a robot which can insert a probe into the ground which can detect the objects beneath the soil and determine the type of material.
- Using a robot with a metal detector which can sense the presence of conductive elements like land mines and alarm the user.
Before going further into details about
the second type – i.e. the robot with metal detector, let us have a
brief recall of the two important terms – Land Mines and Metal Detector.
A Land mine is an explosive
device placed deliberately beneath the ground which explodes when
triggered by pressure. According to a statistical report there are about
100 million landmines in 70 countries across the world. A landmine once
placed can work upto 50 years. Isn’t it dangerous!!
A basic metal detector works on the
principle of faraday’s law of induction. It basically consists of a coil
which is energized to develop pulsating magnetic field around it. When
the coil comes in vicinity of a conductive element like a metal (a
mine), an electric current (eddy current) is induced in it. The induced
eddy current causes development of electromagnetic field around the
metal, which is retransmitted to the coil which develops an electric
signal that is analyzed. Greater is the distance between the coil and
the metal, weaker is the magnetic field.
A Simple Prototype:
A Simple Prototype of Robotic Vehicle with Metal Detector
Designing the Robot:
The robotic vehicle consists of the following units:
- A rectangular base to support the whole robot structure, attached with two wheels for motion.
- A couple of DC motors to provide required motion to the robot.
- A control unit consisting of a RF receiver which receives command signals from a transmitter unit to control the motor driver and control the motors accordingly.
- A metal detector circuit along with a buzzer alarm which is triggered once the metal is detected.
How does the Robot Works:
The metal detector circuit embedded on
the robot control circuitry consists of a transistor which is driven by a
tuned oscillator circuit consisting of the coil. When a metal is
detected and the electric current is retransmitted through the coil, the
transistor1 is in on condition and drives another transistor2 to off
condition. This transistor3 in turn drives another transistor to off
condition. This particular transistor 3is connected to another
transistor4 which is connected such that it in on condition when its
driver transistor3 is in off condition. The transistor 4 is connected
such that in on condition, the buzzer and the LED are given proper bias
and start conducting.
Block Diagram of Metal Detector Unit
The LED starts glowing and the buzzer
starts ringing. Thus when a metal is detected, the buzzer alarm will
start ringing and the LED will glow.
Controlling the Robot:
The simple prototype can be controlled
using RF communication, which is a short range communication system. The
commands are transmitted using a transmitter and received by a receiver
embedded on the robot circuit to control the robot motion.
Block Diagram of the Transmitter Section
The transmitter consists of a set of
push buttons like forward, back, stop, left and right which are pressed
to provide motion of the robot in any desired direction. The push
buttons are connected to input port of the microcontroller. The
microcontroller on receiving these signals develops a corresponding 4
bit signal in parallel form across another I/O port, to which an encoder
IC is connected. The encoder converts these signals to a serial form of
data. The RF transmitter modulates this serial data, which is
transmitted through the antenna.
Block Diagram of Receiver Section
The receiver section mounted on the
robot consists of the RF receiver which demodulates this signal. The
decoder IC receives this signal in serial form and develops a
corresponding 4 bit parallel data at its output. The microcontroller
receives this data and accordingly provides control signal to the motor
driver IC LM293D, which drives both the motors.
Fire Fighting Robotic Vehicle:
The concept of fire fighting robotic vehicle
is fighting in a fire. In recent years there have been number of
serious accidents including fire and bomb blasts. We have been know
about major fire accidents like nuclear power plants, petroleum, gas
tank and chemical factories, large scale fire industrial companies in
this places once started fire, can result is very serious. The thousands
of peoples have been died in this incidence. That is fire fighting robotic vehicle technology. This robotic vehicle used to find the fire and fight for the fires.
Fire Fighting Robotic Vehicle
Working Principle of Fire Fighting Robotic Vehicle:
The robot vehicle loaded with water
tanker. The pump is controlled by wireless communication (RF and Mobile
communication). The transmitter end connected to the push buttons. Using
this pushbutton commands are send to the receiver and control moment of
the robot like forward, backward, left, right. The receiving end three
motors are connected to the microcontroller.
Transmitter Block Diagram
Receiver Block Diagram
RF transmitter acts as RF remote control
where range is 200 meters. In the home, offices and industries the fire
sensors are kept in certain places, when fire occurs near a fire
sensor. The sensors are sense that corresponding bit is transmitted to
RF receiver. The RF receiver is integrated with microcontroller. When
the RF receiver receives the signals that information is passing to the
microcontroller the robot is moves towards fire sensors. The sensors
locations are stored in the microcontroller. Once the robot reaches to
the desired location then the robot stops and activates the sprayer to
that fire. After firing the robot goes to initial position. The whole
circuit is controlled by the microcontroller.
Types of Fire Fighting Robotic Vehicles:
Home Fire Fighting Robotic Vehicle:
The field action is constrained on the
current Flore of house. This robot is using many house hold items catch
fire when some one is sleep or away. This robot is used to secure the
home and using this application all doors are opened in the Flore
because this vehicle is moving one place to another place in the home.
The fire fighting area is must be safe not to cause a new accident. The
additional feature of this robot is to operate at long distance.
Industrial Fire Fighting:
Most of industries are faced a fire
accidents problems like gas, petrol, nuclear power plants, chemical
industries huge amount of damage and more number of peoples is dead near
surrounding areas. This robot has the strength to carry a fire around
inside burning area to supply unlimited water. Fire causes lowered
visibility, extreme heat and many more situations that can be lead to
injuries.
Forest Fire Fighting:
Forest Fires is very dangers. It can be
short time burning large amount of forest area. Even city fire
departments have to deals with forest fires in the area surrounding
city. Some years back about 152 fire fighters were killed in 1990s. The
forest fire robotics are using to catch the fire and fighting on fire.
This robot uses an external control device for wireless communication
purpose. The module is connected with the ouput end of which is used for
the forest fire extinguishing of the robot. The applications like
pressure sensor, temperature sensor, smog sensor, infrared sensor, are
used for controlling the forest fire fighting robot.
A la prompt!
While I have given a basic idea of the
robot with a metal detector, a major question still exists- How to guide
the robot on uneven terrains which are actually unknown, especially in
environments subjected to heavy rains, dust and hot temperature range.
So find an answer and do post your comments.
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