Multi-robot collaborative operation system for nuclear accident site

Abstract

The invention relates to a multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site. The multi-robot collaborative operation system comprises at least one probing robot, at least one disassembling robot, at least one carrying robot and a server, the exploring robot explores and checks an accident scene, and establishes a temporary network at the accident scene for communication between the exploring, disassembling and carrying robot and the server; the server receives probing data of the probing robot, obtains obstacle data of the nuclear accident site according to the probing data, and generates a carrying task or a disassembling task according to the obstacle data; the disassembling robot is used for disassembling the obstacle according to the disassembling task; and the carrying robot carries and removes the obstacles according to the carrying task. According to the invention, temporary networking is established on site, and communication with the outside can be realized; and moreover, obstacles are found on an accident scene, and then the obstacles are disassembled, carried and cleaned through the disassembling robot and the carrying robot, so that other rescue equipment or personnel can arrive at an operation area as early as possible subsequently.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of nuclear power emergency rescue, and in particular to a multi-robot collaborative operation system at a nuclear accident site. Background Art

[0002] Compared with other types of accidents, nuclear accidents have many differences, which determine the particularity of their accident sites. One of the biggest differences is that the nuclear accident site has high radioactivity, and personnel cannot reach the accident center site area. Taking the nuclear accident site of a nuclear power plant as an example, the building collapsed and the on-site equipment was seriously damaged. Large-load rescue equipment is needed to break and move the collapsed concrete, fallen pipes and other obstacles so that other rescue equipment or personnel can reach the operating area as soon as possible to avoid the continued spread of the harm of the nuclear accident. In addition, there are the following problems at the nuclear accident site: due to the collapse of the building, the original architectural design route has changed, and it is difficult for rescue equipment to follow the original route at the accident site; the original network facilities cannot be used, and the rescue equipment cannot communicate with the outside world at the accident site. Summary of the invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a multi-robot collaborative operation system at a nuclear accident site.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the technical problem is: to provide a multi-robot collaborative operation system at a nuclear accident site, including: at least one exploration robot, at least one disassembly robot, at least one transport robot and a server;

[0005] The exploration robot is used to explore the nuclear accident site, and to establish a temporary network at the nuclear accident site for communication between the exploration robot, the disassembly robot, the transport robot and the server;

[0006] The server is used to receive the exploration data of the exploration robot, obtain obstacle data of the nuclear accident site according to the exploration data, and generate a handling task or a disassembly task according to the obstacle data;

[0007] The disassembly robot is used to disassemble the obstacle according to the disassembly task;

[0008] The transport robot is used to transport and remove obstacles according to the transport task.

[0009] Preferably, the exploration data also includes on-site topographic data and radiation intensity data, and the server is further used to establish a three-dimensional on-site map of the nuclear accident site based on the exploration data.

[0010] Preferably, the exploration robot is also used to explore the on-site area after the object is transported and cleared of obstacles, and send the obtained new exploration data to the server;

[0011] The server is also used to update the three-dimensional site map according to new exploration data.

[0012] Preferably, the server is also used to obtain current status information of the exploration robot, the disassembly robot or the transport robot, and perform path planning respectively based on the three-dimensional site map, wherein the current status information includes the current position.

[0013] Preferably, the server is used to determine whether to dismantle the obstacle according to the obstacle data, and if so, generate the dismantling task, and if not, generate the transport task.

[0014] Preferably, the server is used to generate a transport task after the dismantling robot dismantles the obstacle, and send the transport task to the transport robot;

[0015] The transport robot transports the disassembled fragments to remove obstacles according to the transport task.

[0016] Preferably, the detection robot is also used to determine whether to transport and remove the obstacle based on the obstacle data obtained from the detection. If so, the transport task is generated and sent to the transport robot; if not, the obstacle data is sent to the server.

[0017] Preferably, when the number of disassembly robots is greater than one, the server is further used to determine the disassembly robot that performs the disassembly task according to current status information of all disassembly robots.

[0018] Preferably, when the number of the transport robots is greater than one, the server is further used to determine the transport robot that performs the transport task according to current status information of all the transport robots.

[0019] Preferably, when the number of the exploration robots is greater than one, the server is further configured to determine the exploration robot that executes the generated exploration task according to current status information of all the exploration robots.

[0020] Preferably, the current status information includes at least one of the following: working status, current location, and radiation exposure.

[0021] Preferably, the transport robot is further used to adjust the angle of the obstacle according to the received assistance task, so as to assist the disassembly robot in disassembling the obstacle.

[0022] Preferably, the multi-robot collaborative operation system further includes a remote operation console, and a staff member sends the assistance task to the transport robot through the remote operation console.

[0023] Preferably, the exploration robot places a plurality of wireless node devices at the nuclear accident site, and the wireless node devices communicate with each other to form the temporary network;

[0024] Each wireless node device is a relay node in a temporary network.

[0025] Preferably, the exploration robot places a plurality of wireless node devices at the nuclear accident site, and the wireless node devices, the exploration robot, the disassembly robot and the handling robot are connected to each other in communication to form the temporary network;

[0026] Each wireless node device, each exploration robot, each disassembly robot and each transport robot is a relay node of the temporary network.

[0027] The multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site implemented in the present invention has the following beneficial effects: a temporary network is established on site by the exploration robot, so that the rescue equipment can communicate with the outside world; and by exploring the nuclear accident site through the exploration robot, the situation of the nuclear accident site can be understood, and obstacles on the site can be easily discovered, so that the obstacles can be dismantled and transported and cleared by rescue equipment such as disassembly robots and transport robots, so that other subsequent rescue equipment or personnel can reach the operating area as soon as possible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, in which:

[0029] Figure 1 This is a temporary networking diagram of an embodiment of a multi-robot collaborative operation system of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 It is a temporary networking diagram of an embodiment of a multi-robot collaborative operation system of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] In order to have a clearer understanding of the technical features, purposes and effects of the present invention, specific embodiments of the present invention are now described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] In one embodiment of the multi-robot collaborative operation system at a nuclear accident site of the present invention, the system includes: at least one exploration robot, at least one disassembly robot, at least one transport robot and a server.

[0033] The exploration robot is used to explore the nuclear accident site, and a temporary network is established at the nuclear accident site for communication between the exploration robot, disassembly robot, handling robot and server. The server is used to receive the exploration data of the exploration robot, obtain the obstacle data of the nuclear accident site according to the exploration data, and generate a handling task or a disassembly task according to the obstacle data. The disassembly robot is used to disassemble the obstacles according to the disassembly task. The handling robot is used to carry and remove the obstacles according to the handling task.

[0034] Specifically, the exploration robot first enters the nuclear accident site, traverses the site environment as much as possible, and obtains exploration data of the nuclear accident site, which includes but is not limited to site terrain data (including obstacle data) and radiation intensity data. The exploration robot uses a radiation detector to collect radiation intensity data of each area during walking, takes pictures of the site environment, explores the terrain of the accident site, and collects obstacle data when obstacles are detected, including obstacle pictures and obstacle locations. The exploration robot sets up communication relay nodes at a certain density to establish a temporary network. After the communication network is built, the exploration robot communicates with the server to send the collected obstacle data, radiation intensity data, site environment pictures, videos, etc. to the server outside the site.

[0035] The server analyzes and evaluates the obstacles on site and generates a handling task or a disassembly task, wherein the disassembly task includes but is not limited to the location of the obstacle and the disassembly plan of the obstacle, and the handling task includes but is not limited to the location of the obstacle and the handling plan of the obstacle. The server sends the disassembly task to the disassembly robot through temporary networking, and the disassembly robot arrives at the location of the obstacle to execute the disassembly plan of the obstacle. The server sends the handling task to the handling robot through temporary networking, and the handling robot arrives at the location of the obstacle to execute the handling plan of the obstacle.

[0036] Understandably, if the accident site is small or the traffic is relatively smooth, the server can start assigning tasks to the handling robot and the disassembly robot only after the exploration robot has traversed the entire nuclear accident site. If the accident site is large or the traffic is inconvenient, the server can start assigning tasks to the handling robot and the disassembly robot after the exploration robot has completed the exploration of part of the area. After the handling robot and the disassembly robot have finished their work, the exploration robot continues to explore according to the exploration tasks sent by the server. This solution can shorten the overall operation time of the multi-robot collaborative operation system and pave the way for the exploration robot. Among them, the exploration tasks include but are not limited to the target exploration area.

[0037] Furthermore, the server generates a handling task or a disassembly task based on the obstacle data, as follows:

[0038] The server is used to determine whether to dismantle the obstacle based on the obstacle data. If so, a dismantling task is generated; if not, a handling task is generated. Specifically, the server analyzes information such as the size and weight of the obstacle based on the image of the obstacle to be cleared. If the obstacle exceeds the preset volume threshold and / or weight threshold, it means that it is too large and / or too heavy to be handled. If the dismantling requirement is met, the server generates a dismantling task and sends the dismantling task to the dismantling robot; if the dismantling requirement is not met, a handling task is generated and sent to the handling robot to directly clear the obstacle.

[0039] The server is used to generate a handling task after the disassembly robot disassembles the obstacle, and sends the handling task to the handling robot; the handling robot handles the disassembled fragments of the obstacle according to the handling task. Specifically, the disassembly robot notifies the server after disassembling all the obstacles into carryable fragments, and the server generates a handling task and notifies the handling robot to handle the disassembled fragments of the obstacle. Of course, the disassembly robot may also notify the server after disassembling part of the obstacle into carryable fragments, and the server generates a handling task and notifies the handling robot to handle the part of the disassembled fragments obtained. In other embodiments, since the disassembled fragments may roll or splash, after the disassembly robot disassembles the obstacle, the server may also generate an exploration task to notify the exploration robot to explore the disassembled fragments of the obstacle, and after obtaining the distribution of the disassembled fragments, a handling task is generated.

[0040] It is understandable that the robot that undertakes the networking and exploration functions must first enter the scene in the accident environment that is difficult to pass. Small-sized, flexible and easy-to-pass robots are preferred. Such robots are obviously unable to undertake the tasks of disassembly and transportation. And robots with large size and heavy weight are often required for functions such as disassembly and transportation. Such robots are obviously not suitable for entering the complex accident scene at the beginning of the task. It can be seen that a single type of robot cannot complete the above-mentioned complex operations, and it is necessary to provide a variety of robots to perform different tasks respectively. In this embodiment, the exploration robot establishes a temporary network on site, so that rescue equipment such as disassembly robots and handling robots can communicate with the outside world, and by exploring the nuclear accident site with the exploration robot, the situation of the nuclear accident site can be understood, which is convenient for discovering obstacles on the site, so that the obstacles can be disassembled and transported and cleared by rescue equipment such as disassembly robots and handling robots. In addition, the disassembly robot disassembles the obstacles, which is convenient for the handling robot to carry and remove large obstacles. Through the collaborative operation of the detection robot, disassembly robot and handling robot, obstacles at the nuclear accident site can be removed efficiently and safely so that other subsequent rescue equipment or personnel can reach the operating area at the nuclear accident site as soon as possible.

[0041] In another embodiment, the detection robot is also used to determine whether to transport and clear the obstacle based on the obstacle data obtained through detection. If so, a transport task is generated and sent to the transport robot; if not, the obstacle data is sent to the server.

[0042] Specifically, when the exploration robot detects an obstacle, it can analyze the size and weight of the obstacle and make a preliminary judgment on the obstacle first. If the obstacle is smaller than the preset volume threshold and / or weight threshold, the exploration robot generates a handling task and sends it to the handling robot to directly carry and remove the obstacle. If the obstacle exceeds the preset volume threshold and / or weight threshold, it means that the obstacle needs to be disassembled, and the exploration robot sends the obstacle data to the server so that the server generates a disassembly task. In this embodiment, the exploration robot first makes a preliminary judgment on the obstacle, directly carries simple and easy-to-clean obstacles, and generates a processing solution for obstacles that are too large and heavy, which can reduce the workload of the server. In addition, the exploration robot needs to report the generated handling task to the server, and the server can record the working conditions of the handling robot and related information of the obstacle to facilitate subsequent task allocation.

[0043] In another embodiment, when the number of disassembly robots is greater than one, the server is further used to determine the disassembly robot that performs the disassembly task according to the current state information of all disassembly robots. When the number of transport robots is greater than one, the server is further used to determine the transport robot that performs the transport task according to the current state information of all transport robots. When the number of exploration robots is greater than one, the server is further used to determine the exploration robot that performs the generated exploration task according to the current state information of all exploration robots.

[0044] When the number of a certain robot at a nuclear accident site is greater than one, it is necessary to determine the execution object of the task. This embodiment determines which robot executes the generated task through the current state information of the robot. The following is an example of a disassembly robot. The handling robot and the exploration robot can refer to the solution of the disassembly robot.

[0045] Each disassembly robot sends its current state information to the server, wherein the current state information includes at least one of the following: working state, current position, and irradiation condition. When the current state information only includes the working state, the server randomly selects a disassembly robot from the disassembly robots that have not performed the task to perform the disassembly task. If all the disassembly robots are performing the task, the disassembly robot that completes its current task the fastest is selected to perform the disassembly task. When the current state information only includes the current position, the disassembly robot closest to the obstacle is selected to perform the disassembly task. When the current state information only includes the irradiation condition, the disassembly robot with the least irradiation is selected to perform the disassembly task. When the current state information includes more than two types of information, the disassembly robot that performs the disassembly task is determined by combining various information. For example, the cost function is used to calculate the route length cost, irradiation cost, etc. of each robot, and the comprehensive cost is calculated to obtain the comprehensive cost, and the disassembly robot with the smallest comprehensive cost is selected to perform the disassembly task. Then the server sends the selected disassembly robot information and the disassembly task to the target disassembly robot at the same time. Of course, the method for selecting a disassembly robot is not limited to the above scheme, as long as a suitable robot can be selected.

[0046] In another embodiment, the handling robot is also used to adjust the angle of the obstacle according to the received assistance task to assist the disassembly robot in disassembling the obstacle. If the current angle of the obstacle is not convenient for the disassembly robot to operate, an assistance task can be generated to notify the handling robot to adjust the angle of the obstacle before decomposing it. The assistance task can be generated by the server. When the multi-robot collaborative operation system also includes a remote operation console, the staff sends the assistance task to the handling robot through the remote operation console to control the assistance operation of the handling robot to move, support or fix the obstacle. In addition, the remote operation console can also be connected to the disassembly robot and the exploration robot in communication so that they can accept the control of the staff and allow the staff to monitor the on-site operation of the robot in real time.

[0047] In another embodiment, the exploration data includes on-site topographic data and radiation intensity data, and the server is further used to establish a three-dimensional on-site map of the nuclear accident site based on the exploration data. Specifically, the server creates a three-dimensional model of the site based on the on-site topographic data of the nuclear accident site, establishes a radiation field model based on the collected radiation intensity data, and fuses the radiation field model with the three-dimensional scene model to construct a three-dimensional on-site map of the accident site.

[0048] The server is also used to obtain the current state information of the exploration robot, disassembly robot or handling robot, and perform path planning based on the three-dimensional site map, wherein the current state information includes the current position. Specifically, when assigning tasks, the server performs path planning based on the three-dimensional site map according to the current position of the robot assigned the task and the target position of the task, so that the robot can move forward according to the planned path and reach the target position to perform the task. In the three-dimensional site map, the traffic conditions of the site can be intuitively known, which is conducive to path planning. The radiation distribution of the site can also be known. Therefore, high radiation areas can be avoided during path planning to prevent the robot from suffering serious radiation damage and causing potential equipment failure or data loss. In addition, when determining which robot performs the generated task through the current state information of the robot, the use of the three-dimensional site map is conducive to selecting a suitable robot according to the actual situation on the site. For example, the length of the route for each robot to reach the destination can be accurately calculated in the map.

[0049] Furthermore, the exploration robot is also used to explore the site area after the obstacles are removed, and send the new exploration data to the server; the server is also used to update the three-dimensional site map according to the new exploration data. Specifically, after the disassembly robot and the transport robot clear the obstacles, the terrain and the passable state of the site change, and the server sends an exploration instruction to the exploration robot, and the exploration robot re-surveys the site area after the obstacles are removed, so that the server can update the three-dimensional site map.

[0050] In another embodiment, the exploration robot places multiple wireless node devices at the nuclear accident site, and the wireless node devices, the exploration robot, the disassembly robot and the transport robot communicate with each other to form a temporary network; each wireless node device, each exploration robot, each disassembly robot and each transport robot is a relay node of the temporary network.

[0051] The exploration robot carries multiple wireless node devices and enters the nuclear accident site area. The wireless node devices are placed at a certain density. The wireless node devices can be wireless repeaters or other wireless communication AP node devices. Figure 1 As shown, each robot entering the on-site area and each placed wireless node device acts as a relay node. Each relay node automatically selects the adjacent node with the strongest signal to connect to establish a temporary network in the form of a dynamic self-organizing network (MANET), so that the various data, information, tasks, etc. that need to be transmitted in the above embodiments can be transmitted in sequence to the external server, remote operation console, or transmitted from the server, remote operation console to the robot in sequence.

[0052] A dynamic ad hoc network is a temporary network composed of mobile nodes without the support of fixed infrastructure. It can adapt to nuclear accident sites where network facilities are damaged. The relay nodes can move freely, and the network topology will change dynamically with the movement of the relay nodes. It can also flexibly adapt to the impact of clearing obstacles on the network. In this embodiment, since each robot may not be able to connect directly to the server after entering the shielded environment, the robot also acts as a relay node. The network topology of the temporary network can be dynamically adjusted as the robot moves to ensure the success rate of communication as much as possible.

[0053] Optionally, the exploration robot places multiple wireless node devices at the nuclear accident site, and the wireless node devices communicate with each other to form a temporary network; each wireless node device is a relay node of the temporary network. When the number of placed wireless node devices is large, or the placement density exceeds a threshold, it is only necessary to establish a dynamic self-organizing network between the wireless node devices to meet the communication needs. Therefore, there is no need to use the robot as a relay node in the network, which can greatly reduce the communication load of each robot. Figure 2 As shown, the robot is connected to the server or remote control console through a temporary network.

[0054] Furthermore, when placing the wireless node device, the exploration robot reports the location information of the wireless node device to the server. Before assigning a disassembly task or a transportation task, the server analyzes the distance between the obstacle to be cleared and the nearby wireless node device. If the distance is less than a preset range, the exploration robot is notified to move the wireless node device to a suitable area to avoid damage to the wireless node device during disassembly or transportation.

[0055] In this specification, each embodiment is described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments, and the same and similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other. Professionals can also further realize that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented with electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of the two. In order to clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the composition and steps of each example have been generally described in the above description according to the function. Whether these functions are executed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of the present invention.

[0056] It can be understood that the above embodiments only express the preferred implementation modes of the present invention, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be understood as limiting the patent scope of the present invention. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this field, the above technical features can be freely combined without departing from the concept of the present invention, and several deformations and improvements can be made, which all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent changes and modifications made to the scope of the claims of the present invention should belong to the coverage of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-robot collaborative operation system at a nuclear accident site, characterized in that: include: at least one exploration robot, at least one disassembly robot, at least one transport robot and a server; The exploration robot is used to explore the nuclear accident site, and to establish a temporary network at the nuclear accident site for communication between the exploration robot, the disassembly robot, the transport robot and the server; The server is used to receive the exploration data of the exploration robot, obtain obstacle data of the nuclear accident site according to the exploration data, and generate a handling task or a disassembly task according to the obstacle data; The disassembly robot is used to disassemble the obstacle according to the disassembly task; The transport robot is used to transport and remove obstacles according to the transport task.

2. The multi-robot collaborative operation system at a nuclear accident site according to claim 1, characterized in that: The exploration data also includes on-site topographic data and radiation intensity data. The server is also used to establish a three-dimensional on-site map of the nuclear accident site based on the exploration data.

3. The multi-robot collaborative operation system at a nuclear accident site according to claim 2, characterized in that: The exploration robot is also used to explore the on-site area after the object is transported and cleared of obstacles, and send the obtained new exploration data to the server; The server is also used to update the three-dimensional site map according to new exploration data.

4. The multi-robot collaborative operation system at a nuclear accident site according to claim 2, characterized in that: The server is also used to obtain current status information of the exploration robot, the disassembly robot or the transport robot, and perform path planning respectively based on the three-dimensional site map, wherein the current status information includes a current position.

5. The multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site according to claim 1, characterized in that: The server is used to determine whether to dismantle the obstacle according to the obstacle data, and if so, generate the dismantling task; if not, generate the transport task.

6. The multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site according to claim 1, characterized in that: The server is used for generating a transport task after the dismantling robot dismantles the obstacle, and sending the transport task to the transport robot; The transport robot transports the disassembled fragments to remove obstacles according to the transport task.

7. The multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site according to claim 1, characterized in that: The detection robot is also used to determine whether to transport and remove the obstacle based on the obstacle data obtained through the detection. If so, the transport task is generated and sent to the transport robot. If not, the obstacle data is sent to the server.

8. The multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the number of disassembly robots is greater than one, the server is further used to determine the disassembly robot that performs the disassembly task according to current status information of all disassembly robots.

9. The multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the number of the transport robots is greater than one, the server is further configured to determine the transport robot that performs the transport task according to current status information of all the transport robots.

10. The multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the number of the exploration robots is greater than one, the server is further configured to determine the exploration robot that executes the generated exploration task according to current status information of all the exploration robots.

11. The multi-robot collaborative operation system at a nuclear accident site according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that: The current status information includes at least one of the following: working status, current location, and radiation exposure.

12. The multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transport robot is further used to adjust the angle of the obstacle according to the received assistance task to assist the disassembly robot in disassembling the obstacle.

13. The multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site according to claim 12, characterized in that: The multi-robot collaborative operation system also includes a remote operation console, through which a staff member sends the assistance task to the transport robot.

14. The multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site according to claim 1, characterized in that: The exploration robot places a plurality of wireless node devices at the nuclear accident site, and the wireless node devices communicate with each other to form the temporary network; Each wireless node device is a relay node in a temporary network.

15. The multi-robot collaborative operation system for a nuclear accident site according to claim 1, characterized in that: The exploration robot places a plurality of wireless node devices at the nuclear accident site, and the wireless node devices, the exploration robot, the disassembly robot and the handling robot communicate with each other to form the temporary network; Each wireless node device, each exploration robot, each disassembly robot and each transport robot is a relay node of the temporary network.

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