MobileRobots Inc. Seekur All-Weather Robot Gets a Hand With Remote Tele-Operations
MobileRobots Inc and Oceaneering Space Systems Partner to offer TerabotTM Arm on the Indoor-Outdoor Programmable Robotic Platform
MobileRobots Inc and Oceaneering Space Systems announced their partnering to offer MobileRobots’ SeekurTM all-weather robotic platform with up to two Oceaneering’s Terabot manipulators. The partnership makes outdoor sample collection, path clearing, hazard destruction and other tasks possible. Seekur, a programmable indoor-outdoor robot, was demonstrated with a Terabot arm at the AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America (August 29-31, 2006 in the Gaylord Palms Resort &
Convention Center).
Seekur is the first robotic platform designed to patrol inside and outside storage facilities and outbuildings, able to climb ramps and small steps. Its unique omnidirectional wheels turn sideways in place, allowing Seekur to maneuver with ease within tight spaces, such as parking garages. The robot is built to weather extremes such as snow, sand, cold, and heat.
Oceaneering’s Terabot Arm allows Seekur operators to pick up interesting or dangerous objects with precision. Terabot is a 5 degree-of-freedom, all-electric manipulator fashioned with a pneumatic gripper (or optional electric gripper). Like Seekur, the Terabot manipulator is designed to be used in harsh environments; its static and dynamic seals make it water- and dust-resistant, even capable of withstanding an all-day tropical downpour and heavy dust. The Terabot has a 25-pound lift capacity. “We can easily tailor the arm’s design to meet customer performance, mass, and cost constraints,” said Jud Hedgecock, Senior Engineer at Oceaneering Space Systems.
MobileRobots designed Seekur to carry DGPS sensors, as well as special cameras for detecting intruders at long range and sensors to detect hazardous conditions. While Seekur will rely primarily on DGPS signals for outdoor navigation, users can deploy MobileRobots’ powerful ARCSinside™ indoor mapping and navigation components, allowing for inside autonomous navigation. “Seekur is a sturdy, all-weather platform that can handle everything from open fields to fire roads,” states Jeanne Dietsch, CEO and co-founder of MobileRobots Inc. “Seekur’s unique shape and steering ability make it an ideal research and prototyping base for intelligent navigation, urban reconnaissance, and other autonomous functions.”
The research version of Seekur is packaged with software development libraries and is expandable to 5 PCs, to handle massive sensor information used to develop intelligent transport robots, intelligent passenger vehicles, intelligent security robots, planetary rovers, military robots, and mobile industrial robotics.
About Oceaneering Space Systems
Oceaneering is an advanced applied technology company that provides engineered services and hardware to Customers who operate in marine, space, and other harsh environments. Oceaneering’s services and products are marketed worldwide to oil and gas companies, government agencies, and firms in the aerospace and marine engineering and construction industries. Oceaneering International, Inc. is based in Houston, Texas. http://www.oceaneering.com.
About MobileRobots Inc
MobileRobots Inc, is a global leader in design and manufacture of intelligent mobile robots, sensing, and controls. Established in 1995, the company has sold thousands of robots to organizations including Intel, Amgen, Carnegie Mellon, Hitachi, John Deere, Microsoft, NASA, US Army, and the US Navy. MobileRobots R&D, production, and business offices are based in Amherst, NH. http://www.MobileRobots.com.
