Title: Review of modelling and remote control for excavators

Authors: Hongnian Yu, Yang Liu, Mohammad Shahidul Hasan

Addresses: Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Technology, Staffordshire University, Stafford, ST18 0AD, UK. ' Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Technology, Staffordshire University, Stafford, ST18 0AD, UK. ' Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Technology, Staffordshire University, Stafford, ST18 0AD, UK

Abstract: An excavator is a typical hydraulic heavy-duty human-operated machine used in general versatile construction operations, such as digging, ground levelling, carrying loads, dumping loads and straight traction. However, there are many tasks, such as hazard environment (nuclear decomposition, earthquake, etc.) which is not suitable for human to work on site. The remotely controllable excavators are required to work in such environment. In this paper, we report the current progress of the ongoing project. We investigate modelling and remote control issues of industry excavators. After reviewing the literature on the related work, architecture for remotely controllable excavators is proposed. The architecture covers actuators, modelling, sensors, image signal processing, communication networks, controllers, task and path planning, human computer interaction, optimal design, co-simulation and virtual training environment. The details of modelling, communication and control of a remotely controllable excavator are provided.

Keywords: excavators; excavator control; remote control; mechatronics; modelling; hazardous environments; actuators; sensors; image signal processing; communication networks; task planning; path planning; human computer interaction; HCI; optimal design; simulation; virtual training.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAMECHS.2010.030850

International Journal of Advanced Mechatronic Systems, 2010 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.68 - 80

Published online: 10 Jan 2010 *

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