SGER: Cool Robots: Scalable Mobile Robots for Instrument Network Deployment in Polar Climates

Dartmouth College, Hanover NH

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of the proposed SGER effort is to explore, develop, and evaluate concepts for mobile robots with mobility, power, navigation, and communication capabilities that enable deployment of mobile instrument networks on the Antarctic plateau and that can be used in Arctic regions comprised of similar terrain. The proposed research focuses on the design of robots that can deploy such networks economically, with high reliability, and with minimal environmental impact. Tasks target mobile robots designed for year-round operation, with network deployment occurring during summer months, data collection initiated after deployment and through winter months, and the network returning to base or redeployed to new locations during the following summer. The designs will be scalable for deployment of small (up to five kg) instruments to large (greater than 25 kg) sets of instrumentation. A single robot will be constructed and evaluated for mobile robot-based fluxgate magnetometer deployment. Mobile robots capable of reliable, long-term operation on the Antarctic plateau have the potential to enhance scientific research in Antarctica through instrument deployment, mapping, and providing portable, mobile power to field scientists. This research offers training opportunities for students at all levels in the design, construction, and evaluation of robot platforms suitable for operation on the Antarctic plateau