Collaborative mapping of an earthquake‐damaged building via ground and aerial robots

TLDR

The experiments were conducted on the top three floors of a Tohoku University building damaged in the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. The study aimed to generate 3‑D maps of a multi‑floor environment. Ground and aerial robots collaborated to produce maps individually and jointly, using a shared mapping approach. The experiments produced 3‑D maps of the damaged building, demonstrating the feasibility of collaborative mapping by ground and aerial robots, and highlighted observations and future research directions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Abstract

Abstract We report recent results from field experiments conducted with a team of ground and aerial robots engaged in the collaborative mapping of an earthquake‐damaged building. The goal of the experimental exercise is the generation of three‐dimensional maps that capture the layout of a multifloor environment. The experiments took place in the top three floors of a structurally compromised building at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan that was damaged during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. We provide details of the approach to the collaborative mapping and report results from the experiments in the form of maps generated by the individual robots and as a team. We conclude by discussing observations from the experiments and future research topics. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.