Service robots

Definition

A robot which operates semi or fully autonomously to perform services useful to the well being of humans and equipment, excluding manufacturing operations.

Classification

Servicing humans (personal safeguarding, entertainment etc.)

Servicing equipment (maintenance, repair, cleaning etc.)

Other performing an autonomous function (surveillance, transport, data acquisition, etc.) and/or service robots that can not be classified in the above two groups.

Servicing humans

"Care-O-Bot" (Fraunhofer IPA, Germany) helps achieve greater independence for elderly or mobility impaired persons from outside help, and therefore contributes to longer remaining at home. "Care-O-Bot" offers multimedia communication, operation of home electronics, active guiding or support of persons, fetching and carrying everyday's objects such as meals or books.>

The MANUS-arm of Exact Dynamics, the Netherlands, is a wheelchair mountable 6 DOF lightweight manipulator, meant for persons with severe disabilities. The combination wheelchair with manipulator helps in executing simple tasts such as opening doors, preparing coffe, etc. While not in use, the arm folds discreetly. The man-machine-interface for motion command should be individually adjusted to the user's abilities and can be a mouth whistle, voice, joystick or any other adequate device.

CASPAR (Computer Assisted Surgical Planning And Robotics, by ortoMAQUET, Germany), consists of an industrial robot, mounted on a mobile base, a milling tool and a calibration unit. The systems assists the surgeon effectively in carrying out orthopaedic interventions such as hip surgery. On the basis of patient data, the placement of a hip prosthesis is simulated. All contours for a perfect fit are milled in unreached precision under surgical supervision.

This medical manipulator (MKM) produced by CARL ZEISS, Germany, consists of a weight balanced servocontrolled 6 DOF-arm, a computer control and a graphical workstation for visualisation and programming. In the shown version it carries a surgical microscope. Movements follow either pre-programmed paths or are generated manually by a 6 DOF input device ('space-mouse') or even voice.

Servicing equipment

Filling up your car should be as simple and convenient as entering a car park using this refilling robot (Reis Robotics, Germany).
The customer inserts a card, enters a PIN-code and the refilling order. The robot locates the car, opens the tank flap and docks onto the tank cap. Once it is open, the robot selects the right octane number and quantity of fuel.

"Skywash" (Putzmeister Werke, Germany) can more than halve the time it takes to wash an aircraft. Skywash integrates all features of an advanced robot system: pre-generation of motion programs by CAD-aircraft models, object location by 3D-sensors, tactile sensors controlled motion, redundant arm kinematics (11 DOF) installed on a mobile base and full safety features for maximum reliability. From a rough placement relative to the aircraft, Skywash operates under human supervision.

Rosy (Robot System) of Yberle, Germany, climbs surfaces on suction cups for cleaning, inspection, painting and assembly tasks. Tools can be mounted on the upper transversal axis. Navigation facilities allow accurate and controlled movements.

"Mighty Hand" (Kajima, Japan) lifts heavy elements in construction as concrete walls etc. The robot operates under human supervision.

This seawater cleaning and inspection robot (Kansai electric Power Company and Toshiba Corporation, Japan), is used for inspection and cleaning of inner surfaces of sea water pipes in a nuclear power station.
The robot cleans the inner walls of pipes using high pressure jet water. It inspects the lining of the pipe, looking for peeled or damaged sections, with a camera.

Other service robots, performing an autonomous function

The HelpMate of HelpMate Robotics, USA, is a mobile robot for courier services in hospitals, introduced in 1993. It transports meals, pharmaceuticals, documents etc. to wards along normal corridors. Clear and simple user-interfaces, a robust robot navigation, and its ability to open doors or to operate elevators by remote control, make it a pioneering system in terms of both technology and user benefit.

Cleaning robots have entered the market. Larger surfaces as railway stations, airports, malls etc. can already be cleaned automatically with full autonomous navigation capability. (HACOmatic, Hako-Werke, Germany)

Electrolux, Sweden, introduced the first lawnmower to be powered by solar cells. Some 43 solar cells transform sunlight into electrical energy. The Solar Mower is fully automatic and eliminates emissions into air and makes almost no noise.

CyberGuard of Cybermotion Inc., USA, is a powerful tool that provides security, fire detection, environmental monitoring and building management technology. The autonomous mobile robotic system features a rugged self-guided vehible, autocharger docking station, an array of survey instrumentation and dispatcher software that allows the system control over a secure digital spread-spectrum link.

Copyright IFR 2003 & Fraunhofer IPA.