Subterranean+Robots

__Subterranean Robots __

 1. What does subterranean mean? Subterranean means to exist or operate below the Earth’s surface, underground.

2. Why would these robots carry small cameras and storage hardware? As the robots are designed to investigate and map the areas below the Earth’s surface they would need small cameras to do this and that won’t interfere with their movement in tight spaces, and storage hardware to store the data that they collect.

3. What is a sensor? A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into an electronic signal.

 4. Name some of the different sensors these robots carry. These robots carry laser, radar and sonar sensors.

5. Why is it necessary for subterranean robots to have more than one type of sensor? More than one type of sensor enables the robots to function in different conditions and types of Earth structures as they can collect a wide variety of data.

6. How can you tell that these robots are adaptive? These robots are adaptive as they have many sensors and scanning systems which allow them to collect data, map the terrain, avoid obstacles and plan their movement. Therefore they are adaptive as they use the data that they collect about the environment around them to adapt to the conditions and function based on it.

7. When would feedback from the environment be valuable to such robots? It would be valuable if they are trying to navigate their way through a tunnel or narrow area such as; mines and caves, as they would need to be able to avoid objects around them.

8. How could subterranean robots assist with gathering data for a mine rescue after a cave-in? <span style="font-family: 'Britannic Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt;">The robots would be able to go underground and use their sensors to map the area. These images could then be assessed by the rescue team and a safe course of action could be determined, as they would have a clear picture of the cave-in. <span style="font-family: 'Britannic Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt;">Also the robot could use its’ sensors to determine whether there are any people trapped down there and if so, it could pinpoint where they are. This would make it a lot easier for them to be rescued as the rescue team would know exactly where they are and could plan a route to them by using the images that the robot has gathered.

<span style="color: purple; font-family: 'Britannic Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt;">9. What would be the advantages of using a robots rather than a human in these situations? <span style="font-family: 'Britannic Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt;">By sending a robot down there it minimises the danger that humans are put in by sending them down there when the ground is unstable. <span style="font-family: 'Britannic Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt;">If a robot gets damaged in a cave-in it can be repaired or rebuilt but a human life cannot be replaced. So it is a much safer solution to send a robot underground. <span style="font-family: 'Britannic Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt;">Also humans could use the robots’ images to assess whether the area is stable or not and if it is safe to send people down there, without sending people down there to assess a possibly unstable area.

<span style="color: purple; font-family: 'Britannic Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt;">10. How does these robots’ ability to transmit data back to a base computer and the operator in real time improve this system? <span style="font-family: 'Britannic Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 18pt;">It improves the system as it is more time efficient. The robot can continually explore the area and transmit its’ data back to the base computer without having to return to the surface and have its’ data collected manually. <span style="font-family: 'Britannic Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Also a human operator can see where the robot is going by looking at the real-time images that it transmits. <span style="font-family: 'Britannic Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> This allows the operator to remotely control the robot to avoid certain situations that the robot can’t react to <span style="font-family: 'Britannic Bold','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> or anticipate, without having to make the robot return to the base site.