Robot platform
The robot is based on the teleMAX Explosive Ordnance Disposal robot built by telerob Gesellschaft für Fernhantierungstechnik mbH in Germany. The robot itself can be purchased in the teleoperation configuration; the electronic control interface is currently not publicly available. Key features are a four tracked drive drain with adjustable flippers and a built-in EOD seven degree of freedom manipulator arm. The concept of adjustable flippers has been proven in numerous occasions to provide reliable performance in obstacle negotiation, such as stair climbing and driving on rough terrain.

As the manipulator is designed to handle explosives, we are confident that it's accuracy and dexterity will be sufficient for the TechX challenge. We decided to use the teleMAX robot based on the tracked mobility concept, which has been shown in the RoboCupRescue League and superior performance of the platform itself during ELROB and NIST evaluations.

Sensors
World perception is based mainly on laser range scanners, we are using three laser range finders. Our main sensor is a Sick LMS291, which is rotated around its roll axis by an Amtec PR070 to provide full 3D laser range scans with 0.5Hz frequency during locomotion (1). The sensor is directed forward and observes the half-sphere in front of the robot for obstacle detection and world modeling.

Additionally, we use a Sick LD-OEM 1000 2D laser range finder (2) mounted horizontally for 360° long range world perception. A Hokuyo URG-04LX (3) is mounted on the gripper to provide input for the elevator activation mechanism. We also use the teleMAX' internal PAL cameras (4) at the front of the robot and in the gripper. These are digitalized by a SensoRay 2255 USB frame grabber. For outdoor navigation the robot is equipped with a Trimble Pathfinder ProXT GPS receiver and a Crossbow AHRS440 inertial measurement unit (5).