Carnegie Mellon University

Other

John E Bares

Christopher Chandler Fromme

Anthony Joseph Stentz

Herman Herman

William Payne Ross

William L Whittaker

Mark Ollis

Mark DeLouis

Bryan G Campbell

James F Hoburg

Frank Higgins

David K Herdle

Sanjiv Singh

Patrick S Rowe

Alonzo James Kelly

Timothy Ennis Hegadorn

Patrick C Leger

Steven John Scheding

Jorgen Pederson

Norman Keith Lay

Richard McCargo Moore, Jr

A mobile device for traversing a ferromagnetic surface. The device includes a frame and at least one surface contacting device attached to the frame. The device also includes a Halbach magnet array attached to the frame, wherein the Halbach magnet array provides a magnetic force to maintain the surface contacting device substantially into contact with the ferromagnetic surface.

Robotic apparatuses, systems and methods

In accordance with the present invention, a system to organize and coordinate components associated with earthmoving machinery capable of performing excavating and loading tasks autonomously is disclosed. The system comprises an earthmoving machine equipped with a scanning sensor system operable to provide data regarding regions within an earthmoving environment including an excavation region and a loading region and a planning and control module operable to receive data from the scanning sensor system to plan a task associated with the control of the earthmoving machine while concurrently performing another task associated with control of the earthmoving machine. Any number and type of sensor systems, such as a laser rangefinder or a radar rangefinder, may be incorporated in the system depending on requirements and the capabilities of the system. The sensor systems have independently controllable fields of view, with each sensor system being capable of providing data pertaining to a different portion of the earthmoving environment.

System for autonomous excavation and truck loading

A mining machine having a position sensing and control apparatus is claimed. The mining machine has a vehicle body having forward and rearward ends and movable along a mine floor. A cutter head is mounted on the forward end of the mining machine for upward and downward movement relative to the vehicle body. A conveyor mounted on the vehicle body conveys material cut by the cutter head. The position sensing and control apparatus has at least one light source and at least one imaging device mounted on the machine. The position sensing and control apparatus captures images of natural features of an interior surface of a mine, digitizes the images and determines the distance between the imaging device and the natural feature to determine positional change of the machine.

Vision-based motion sensor for mining machine control

A mining machine comprising a vehicle body having forward and rearward ends, the vehicle body being movable along a mine floor, a cutter head mounted on the forward end of the vehicle body, and a position sensing and control apparatus including first and second generally vertical, generally parallel surfaces on the vehicle body, an off-board light source emitting a light beam that strikes the surfaces, an imaging device for imaging both of the plates in a single image, and a computer receiving the single image from the camera, the computer using the single image to determine at least one of the roll, yaw and lateral offset of the machine.

Miner guidance using laser and image analysis

The present invention pertains to a robot for moving along uneven terrain. The robot comprises a body having an opening through which a leg can pass. There is also a device for moving the body. The moving device includes at least 3 legs, at least one of which can exhibit an overlapping gait with respect to another leg. The robot is also comprised of a device for controlling the moving device such that the body moves along the terrain in a desired path. In an alternative embodiment, the moving device includes legs, each of which can exhibit an overlapping gait with respect to another leg while moving the body. In a preferred embodiment, each leg is comprised of a shoulder that is rotatable in a .theta. direction. Each leg is also comprised of a pedestal which has an axis that is disposed in essentially a z direction, where the z direction is perpendicular to the .theta. direction. There is also a device for linking the shoulder and the pedestal such that the pedestal can be moved in an r direction to a desired r position with respect to the shoulder, where the r direction is perpendicular to the z and the .theta. directions. The robot moves along the terrain which it defines with the defining device by positioning each leg in a desired place determined by the controlling device and then moving the body forward to resituate itself.

Orthogonal legged walking robot

The present invention pertains to a robot for moving along uneven terrain. The robot comprises a body having an exterior surface and a device for defining the terrain around the body. There is also a device for moving the body. The moving device includes legs, at least one of which are capable of being independently positioned adjacent to any portion of the exterior surface of the body. The robot is also comprised of a device for controlling the moving device. The controlling device is connected to the defining device such that the body moves along the terrain in a desired path. In an alternative embodiment, the moving device includes legs, each of which can exhibit an overlapping gait with respect to another leg while moving the body. In a preferred embodiment, each leg is comprised of a shoulder that is rotatable in a angular direction. Each leg is also comprised of a pedestal which has an axis that is disposed in essentially a z direction, where the z direction is perpendicular to the angular direction. There is also a device for linking the shoulder and the pedestal such that the pedestal can be moved in an r direction to a desired r position with respect to the shoulder, where the r direction is perpendicular to the z and the angular directions. The robot moves along the terrain which it defines with the defining device by positioning each leg in a desired place determined by the controlling device and then moving the body forward to reposition itself.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

John E Bares