MARWIN: Localization of an Inspection Robot in a Radiation exposed Environment

Abstract

MARWIN is a mobile autonomous robot platform designed to carry out maintenance and inspection tasks in the European XFEL. The XFEL is an accelerator plant which is operated in Hamburg, Germany. The robot system consists of an four-wheel drive chassis and a scissor lift for easy inspection and maintenance tasks. Through this manipulator and the chassis, the robot system acquires three degrees of freedom. MARWIN is intended for autonomous radiation measurements along the XFEL research facility and thus needs accurate localization. The facility describes a straight tunnel and consists partly of irregular structures and also of sections with almost no obstacles. In the 1000 meter long sections in which MARWIN operates, the robot must approach the facilities to a few centimeters, but must not touch them. For this purpose, different localization methods were tested and checked for accuracy. Furthermore, the influence of radiation on the localization is investigated.