April 6, 2020

FREELANDER Project

Development of Advanced Robot Motion Control for Freelander Inspection ROBOTS

FreeLander is funded by PTTEP and runs from 2020-2021. FreeLander aims to develop robot motion control technology with high computational efficiency, adaptivity, and versatility. It will be based on the functionality of biological brains which combine multiple mechanisms. The mechanisms include neural control, online correlation-based learning, forward model, and artificial hormones. Each of them will be created as a module or a building block which can be integrated as a modular control structure. The resulting control technology (called bio-inspired intelligent motion control) will be able to apply to different limbed robots (e.g., two, six, eight legs) to allow them to perform adaptive, (semi) autonomous, agile, and versatile locomotion for successfully navigating in extreme 3D environments (like, large convex (out pipe), large concave (in pipe), complex curvature, uneven terrain, etc). The success of the project would be a basis for further development of pipe inspection robots towards an intelligent robotic inspection system for complex operations and all PTTEP in-pipe and out-pipe inspection tasks which will be much benefit in the oil and gas industry.

Official website: https://freelander.vistec.ac.th/