Shepherd

Abstract

Recent advancements in robotics empower the exploration of remote construction methods aimed at reducing the risk for workers. As the global pandemic places construction workers and their communities at high risk for disease, the need for remote construction methods increases. Such methods depend on the complicated task of controlling mobile robotic platforms in real-time. In this context, this paper presents workin-progress in development and experimentation with a tool for collaborative earthworks using multi-agent unmanned ground vehicles.Expanding the fi eld of collective robotic construction, this research simplifi es the use of mobile robots and enables their operation using a design platform. Shepherd, a fabrication-oriented tool for simulation and control of mobile robotic platforms is presented, and its capacities are demonstrated in an earthworks case study. The case study exemplifi es the potential of this approach to change the role of design tools in the operation and adoption of mobile multi-robotic platforms, thus contributing to robotic fabrication in architecture, landscape architecture, and construction.

Aggregate-Forming Planner for Autonomous Earth-Moving

“…8-9). The planner is aimed at assisting the production of motion instructions for a ROS-controlled vehicle by complementing two previous publications on controlling the UGV and lo-calizing it using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) [6], [7]. As the planner generates a path for the aggregate-forming task, future work will focus on integrating this capability for large-scale experiments involving outdoor construction site preparation tasks.…”

“…This research is pursued in the context of autonomous earthworks [1], environmental purposes [2], military applications [3], landscape architecture [4], and construction [5]. Existing research includes the development of dedicated tools for automating earthworks [6], methods, and protocols supporting such processes [7]- [9].…”