TELEOPERATION IN THE HYBRID ROBOT VALI 2.0 FOR NEUTRALIZATION OF EXPLOSIVES

Mobile robots have recently been used in different environments in order to safeguard the life and integrity of people in high-risk situations. Proof of this is the military robots that are used to Improvised Explosive Devices. These kinds of platforms are generally teleoperated through a control station or electronic devices such as gamepad. The primary function of these robots is to move to the site and manipulate elements which present risk, while well as transmit images with cameras. Behind all the mechanical engineering that supports the structure and gives the robot the ability to interact with its surroundings, a sophisticated electronic system that operates the different robot systems (caterpillars, cameras, manipulator arm) is hidden. This document describes the embedded electronics and programming system implemented in the robot VALI 2.0(Vehiculo Antiexplosivo Ligero in Spanish) to neutralize explosive devices, showing from its general architecture to the implementation and programming of the embedded computer at the robot and the portable equipment used to mount the control station. Finally, the electronic and communications system tests carried out together with the mechanical tests of the robot in different environments are shown.