Robust Navigation System based on Stress Measurements for Lunar and Planetary Rovers

• Project/Area Number: 25880035
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Intelligent robotics
• Research Institution: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
• Principal Investigator: SUTOH MASATAKU 独立行政法人宇宙航空研究開発機構, 月・惑星探査プログラムグループ, 宇宙航空プロジェクト研究員 (80712851)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-08-30 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,730,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥630,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
• Keywords: 月惑星ローバ / テラメカニクス / 航法誘導

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For a development of a slip-robust navigation system for lunar and planetary rovers, a wheel model was first constructed by measuring stress acting on a wheel. Along with a stress measurement system, this model makes it possible to estimate a wheel slippage. Subsequently, localization and path plan systems were developed based on this slippage estimation method. These systems have been verified through various experiments using a rover testbed. In the future, with some modifications/updates, the proposed navigation system is expected to be widely applicable to not only lunar and planetary rovers but also to various field robots.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] The Right Path: Comprehensive path planning for lunar exploration rovers (2015)
  • Author(s): Masataku Sutoh, Masatsugu Otsuki, Sachiko Wakabayashi, Takeshi Hoshino, Tatsuaki Hashimoto
  • Journal Title: IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine Volume: 22 Issue: 1 Pages: 22-33
  • DOI: 10.1109/mra.2014.2381359
  • Peer Reviewed / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] Current Status and Prospects of Terramechanics-based Simulation Techniques for Planetary Rover Locomotion (2014)
  • Author(s): Taizo Kobayashi, Genya Ishigami, Shingo Ozaki, Masataku Sutoh
  • Organizer: 12th International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation in Space (i-SAIRAS 2014)
  • Place of Presentation: Quebec, Canada
• [Presentation] 月探査ローバの移動機構に基づいた走行経路計画 (2013)
  • Author(s): 須藤真琢、大槻真嗣、若林幸子、成田伸一郎、星野健、橋本樹明、西田信一郎
  • Organizer: 第57回宇宙科学技術連合会
  • Place of Presentation: 米子、鳥取