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Robotic Mining

Researchers Automate Vehicles

Caterpillar

When it comes to vehicles used in dangerous mining operations, safety is of the utmost concern. The researchers at Carnegie Mellon's National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) will be working with Caterpillar's Pittsburgh Automation Center to develop autonomous vehicles that could keep some miners out of harm's way.

The researchers are working on versions of the large haul trucks Caterpillar builds for mining operations — aiming for integration at mining sites by 2010.

"We've assembled a great team of people from across the institute who are excited to play a major role in delivering this groundbreaking capability," said Tony Stentz, who is the principal investigator and associate director of the NREC.

The researchers will adapt more than a decade's worth of research into self-driving vehicles for use with Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar's two largest trucks, each with payload capacities of 240 tons or more.

The technologies include perception, planning and autonomous software architectures originally developed for DARPA's UGCV-PerceptOR (UPI) autonomous vehicle program, as well as the Urban Challenge. In 2007, Carnegie Mellon's Tartan Racing team placed first at the DARPA Urban Challenge with the self-driving SUV called Boss.

This is the first major project resulting from a three-year master agreement for sponsored research signed last year by the university and Caterpillar, a prominent sponsor of Tartan Racing.

"This project is one of many allowing researchers and engineers from the National Robotics Engineering Center and Caterpillar to create innovative solutions for differentiated Cat products and services, with increased speed to market," said Sam Kherat, manager of the Pittsburgh Automation Center, located at Washington's Landing.

Related Links: NREC  |  Robotics Institute  |  Caterpillar's Website


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