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We are developing new mobile robot platforms to achieve a given mission. The concept of developing robot is high-functional and grouped rescue robots. The robot group consists of two type of robot, one is high functional pioneer type, and the other is relatively small and high mobility semi-automatics surveyor type. The pioneer type equips a manipulator to eliminate light weight obstacles and open doors and also the pioneer type loads adhoc wireless relay devices and its distribution mechanism to expand wireless radio connection area. The surveyor types equip flipper arm to achieve high mobility. To complete the mission, the pioneer type robots expand the area where surveyor robots can move and can connect to a wireless network, and then the surveyor robots search detail of damaged building in the expanded area. Until now, we have developed prototype of each pioneer and surveyor robot platforms. The robots have sensors such as a Web camera, CMOS fish-eye cameras, a LRF, an attitude sensor, IR sensors and rotary encoders. We have also implemented three control methods, and confirmed an effectiveness of each control method. Finally, we conducted two robots at the same time to confirm that it is possible to operate plural robots by using something autonomous control method.
Kamegawa et al. (Fri,) studied this question.