ARTICULATED ROBOTIC SCANNER

摘要

Apparatus and method is provided for performing detailed mine detection over variable terrain. An articulated robotic scanner (1) comprises an articulated arm (2) mounted to any vehicle such as a robot. One or more mine detectors (3) mounted at the end of the arm. The arm operates autonomously to repetitively sweep the mine detector in ever forward advancing side-to-side arcs over the terrain. The vehicle can operate autonomously or-be teleoperated. The position of the mine detector is monitored and known with respect to a known co-ordinate system. Sensors (4, 5) measure their position relative to the ground and relative to known co-ordinates of the mine detector. A controller determines the relative position of the ground and the mine detector and dynamically adjusts the mine detector's position to maintain a constant separation over variable terrain without ever contacting the ground or objects thereon.