Telerobotic Applications

"Telerobotic Applications" provides an overview of recent telerobotic developments and resulting applications particularly suitable for hazardous or inaccessible environments. These specialy commissioned articles demonstrate a broad range of task complexity and this should reward the reader with insights into the difficulties routinely encountered in remote applications. Examples are mainly taken from the nuclear industry and include remote sampling systems, tele-operated vehicle and manipulator systems, and climbing/walking robots for operation within hostile environments. These systems must negotiate impractically small openings, endure unreasonable temperatures, and withstand various forms of radiation while performing some difficult tasks. Such tasks characterize the set of challenges faced by the authors who have contributed to this book, and the solutions described demonstrate their ingenuity and determination in overcoming those challenges. An interesting overview also investigates future directions in tele-operated robotics. Telerobotic applications are certain to continue to grow in popularity. The importance of carrying out tasks without the requirement to be present can only increase as time goes on. This book offers the reader a set of enlightening experiences to assist future applications in this exciting and rapidly developing field.