A Concept of a Plug-In Simulator for Increasing the Effectiveness of Rescue Operators When Using Hydrostatically Driven Manipulators

Abstract

The introduction of Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) into the field of rescue operations is an ongoing process. New tools, such as UGV platforms and dedicated manipulators, provide new opportunities but also come with a steep learning curve. The best way to familiarize operators with new solutions are hands-on courses but their deployment is limited, mostly due to high costs and limited equipment numbers. An alternative way is to use simulators, which from the software side, resemble video games. With the recent expansion of the video game engine industry, currently developed software becomes easier to produce and maintain. This paper tries to answer the question of whether it is possible to develop a highly accurate simulator of a rescue and IED manipulator using a commercially available game engine solution. Firstly, the paper describes different types of simulators for robots currently available. Next, it provides an in-depth description of a plug-in simulator concept. Afterward, an example of a hydrostatic manipulator arm and its virtual representation is described alongside validation and evaluation methodologies. Additionally, the paper provides a set of metrics for an example rescue scenario. Finally, the paper describes research conducted in order to validate the representation accuracy of the developed simulator.