2023
Authors
Pires A.; Dias A.; Rodrigues P.; Silva P.; Santos T.; Oliveira A.; Ferreira A.; Almeida J.; Martins A.; Chaminé H.I.; Silva E.;
Publication
Advances in Science, Technology and Innovation
Abstract
This work addresses reconstructing an ancient mining site in three-dimensional (3D) modelling with robotic systems, processing the information from two visible spectrum cameras. The developed solution, GeoTec System, was validated in an underground environment in the Monastery of Tibães (Braga, NW Portugal). This study was developed under the MineHeritage project's scope, aiming to attain society on the importance of raw materials across a historical approach. The outputs acquired from the datasets developed in a successful 3D reconstruction of the main gallery and secondary tunnels of the Aveleiras mine in Tibães. However, the investigation is still ongoing to contribute to applying 3D reconstruction technologies, GIS-based mapping and geovisualization techniques in the underground heritage environment.
2023
Authors
Oliveira, A; Dias, A; Santos, T; Rodrigues, P; Martins, A; Silva, E; Almeida, J;
Publication
OCEANS 2023 - LIMERICK
Abstract
Offshore wind farms are becoming the main alternative to fossil fuels and the future key to mitigating climate change by achieving energy sustainability. With favorable indicators in almost every environmental index, these structures operate under varying and dynamic environmental conditions, leading to efficiency losses and sudden failures. For these reasons, it's fundamental to promote the development of autonomous solutions to monitor the health condition of the construction parts, preventing structural damage and accidents. This paper introduces a new simulation environment for testing and training autonomous inspection techniques under a more realistic offshore wind farm scenario. Combining the Gazebo simulator with ROS, this framework can include multi-robots with different sensors to operate in a customizable simulation environment regarding some external elements (fog, wind, buoyancy...). The paper also presents a use case composed of a 3D LiDAR-based technique for autonomous wind turbine inspection with UAV, including point cloud clustering, model estimation, and the preliminary results under this simulation framework using a mixed environment (offshore simulation with a real UAV platform).
2023
Authors
Pires, A; Dias, A; Silva, P; Ferreira, A; Rodrigues, P; Santos, T; Oliveira, A; Freitas, L; Martins, A; Almeida, J; Silva, E; Chaminé, HI;
Publication
Arabian Journal of Geosciences
Abstract
2024
Authors
Dias, A; Mucha, A; Santos, T; Oliveira, A; Amaral, G; Ferreira, H; Martins, A; Almeida, J; Silva, E;
Publication
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Abstract
This paper presents the implementation of an innovative solution based on heterogeneous autonomous vehicles to tackle maritime pollution (in particular, oil spills). This solution is based on native microbial consortia with bioremediation capacity, and the adaptation of air and surface autonomous vehicles for in situ release of autochthonous microorganisms (bioaugmentation) and nutrients (biostimulation). By doing so, these systems can be applied as the first line of the response to pollution incidents from several origins that may occur inside ports, around industrial and extraction facilities, or in the open sea during transport activities in a fast, efficient, and low-cost way. The paper describes the work done in the development of a team of autonomous vehicles able to carry as payload, native organisms to naturally degrade oil spills (avoiding the introduction of additional chemical or biological additives), and the development of a multi-robot framework for efficient oil spill mitigation. Field tests have been performed in Portugal and Spain's harbors, with a simulated oil spill, and the coordinate oil spill task between the autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) ROAZ and the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) STORK has been validated.
2024
Authors
Minhoto, V; Santos, T; Silva, LTE; Rodrigues, P; Arrais, A; Amaral, A; Dias, A; Almeida, J; Cunha, JPS;
Publication
ROBOT 2023: SIXTH IBERIAN ROBOTICS CONFERENCE, VOL 2
Abstract
Over the last few years, Man-Machine collaborative systems have been increasingly present in daily routines. In these systems, one operator usually controls the machine through explicit commands and assesses the information through a graphical user interface. Direct & implicit interaction between the machine and the user does not exist. This work presents a man-machine symbiotic concept & system where such implicit interaction is possible targeting search and rescue scenarios. Based on measuring physiological variables (e.g. body movement or electrocardiogram) through wearable devices, this system is capable of computing the psycho-physiological state of the human and autonomously identify abnormal situations (e.g. fall or stress). This information is injected into the control loop of the machine that can alter its behavior according to it, enabling an implicit man-machine communication mechanism. A proof of concept of this system was tested at the ARTEX (ARmy Technological EXperimentation) exercise organized by the Portuguese Army involving a military agent and a drone. During this event the soldier was equipped with a kit of wearables that could monitor several physiological variables and automatically detect a fall during a mission. This information was continuously sent to the drone that successfully identified this abnormal situation triggering the take-off and a situation awareness fly-by flight pattern, delivering a first-aid kit to the soldier in case he did not recover after a pre-determined time period. The results were very positive, proving the possibility and feasibility of a symbiotic system between humans and machines.
2024
Authors
Santos, T; Cunha, T; Dias, A; Moreira, AP; Almeida, J;
Publication
SENSORS
Abstract
Inspecting and maintaining power lines is essential for ensuring the safety, reliability, and efficiency of electrical infrastructure. This process involves regular assessment to identify hazards such as damaged wires, corrosion, or vegetation encroachment, followed by timely maintenance to prevent accidents and power outages. By conducting routine inspections and maintenance, utilities can comply with regulations, enhance operational efficiency, and extend the lifespan of power lines and equipment. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can play a relevant role in this process by increasing efficiency through rapid coverage of large areas and access to difficult-to-reach locations, enhanced safety by minimizing risks to personnel in hazardous environments, and cost-effectiveness compared to traditional methods. UAVs equipped with sensors such as visual and thermographic cameras enable the accurate collection of high-resolution data, facilitating early detection of defects and other potential issues. To ensure the safety of the autonomous inspection process, UAVs must be capable of performing onboard processing, particularly for detection of power lines and obstacles. In this paper, we address the development of a deep learning approach with YOLOv8 for power line detection based on visual and thermographic images. The developed solution was validated with a UAV during a power line inspection mission, obtaining mAP@0.5 results of over 90.5% on visible images and over 96.9% on thermographic images.
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