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The National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) is an operating unit within the Robotics Institute (RI) of Carnegie Mellon University. NREC works closely with government and industry clients to apply robotic technologies to complex, real-world processes and products.

NREC's areas of expertise include unmanned vehicle and platform design, autonomy, sensing and image processing, machine learning, manipulation, and human-robot interaction. NREC also works on STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) educational outreach through its Robotics Academy, which creates robotics curricula and software for K-12 and college-level students.

NREC's technical personnel include RI faculty; engineers; computer scientists; educators; technicians; and administrative and other staff.

NREC Research Objectives and Approach
NREC applies robotics technologies to build functional prototype systems. Sponsors and partners include industrial companies, technology startups, and federal agencies such as DARPA, the Department of Transportation, NASA, and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

NREC robotics projects typically include a rapid proof-of-concept demonstration followed by an in-depth development, integration and testing phase that produces a prototype with intellectual property for licensing and commercialization.

NREC robotics research results in customer-focused outcomes such as:


 * Reduced operating costs
 * Increased productivity
 * Increased equipment utilization
 * Improved worker safety
 * Deployment of new and improved capabilities

NREC's research model is based on:


 * Creative design and engineering on all levels, and across all disciplines
 * Rapid prototyping using in-house fabrication capabilities
 * Collaboration with sponsors to commercialize technology

NREC History
NREC was chartered as the National Robotics Engineering Consortium in 1994 as part of Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute (RI). It was established to develop and transition robotics technology to industry and federal agencies.

NREC’s robotics focus originated from CMU’s Field Robotics Center (FRC). FRC scientists realized that mobile robotics was mature enough for commercial use in agriculture, construction, mining, utilities, and other markets.

Original funding included a $3M annual and multi-year grant from NASA. In 1996, the organization moved into its current facility in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood and was renamed the National Robotics Engineering Center. NREC is housed in a renovated, 100-year-old foundry building on a reclaimed industrial brownfields site.



NREC Today
NREC continues to develop technologies to be licensed for commercialization and use in agriculture, mining, energy, defense, and other industries.

DARPA Robotics Challenge: Tartan Rescue's CHIMP robot takes third place
NREC's Tartan Rescue Team ranked third among teams competing in the DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials in December, 2013. It was selected as one of nine teams eligible for DARPA funding to prepare for the DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals in 2015. The team’s four-limbed CHIMP (CMU Highly Intelligent Mobile Platform) robot scored 18 out of a possible 32 points during the two-day Trials. It demonstrated its ability to perform such tasks as removing debris, opening doors, cutting a hole in a wall, and closing a series of valves.

CHIMP is a human-sized robot that, when standing, is 5-foot-2-inches tall and weighs about 400 pounds. Tartan Rescue Team engineers designed CHIMP to work in dangerous, degraded environments that were built for people, not robots. CHIMP operates semi-autonomously and can plan and carry out high-level instructions given by its operator. Its near-human form factor, strength, precision, and dexterity enable it to perform complex, human-level tasks. CHIMP is not a dynamically balanced walking robot. Instead, it is designed to move on stable, tank-like treads incorporated into its four limbs. When it needs to operate power tools, turn valves, or otherwise use its arms, CHIMP can stand and roll on its leg treads. The robot’s long front arms — its wingspan is almost 10 feet — give it an ape-like appearance.

Urban Challenge: CMU's autonomous vehicle wins national competition
Carnegie Mellon University's Tartan Racing Team and General Motors built an autonomous SUV that won first place in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge. The Urban Challenge race was held on November 3, 2007 at the Victorville training facility in California. Eleven teams competed against each other to finish a 60-mile city course in less than six hours. Their vehicles had to execute simulated missions in a mock urban area while obeying traffic laws, safely merging into moving traffic, navigating traffic circles, negotiating busy intersections, and avoiding other vehicles – all without human intervention.

General Motors, Caterpillar, Continental and other partners brought their vehicle development and engineering expertise to the Urban Challenge. NREC engineers and researchers played key roles on the Tartan Racing’s first place finish.

John Deere: automation and machine learning for agriculture
Vehicle Safeguarding: NREC designed, developed and tested a fully autonomous system capable of following pre-taught paths while detecting and avoiding obstacles.

Being able to detect obstacles and terrain hazards significantly increases the safety of both manned and unmanned agricultural vehicles. The project uses machine learning techniques and sensor fusion to build a robust obstacle detection system that can be easily adapted to different environments and operating conditions NREC developed an add-on perception system for automating peat moss harvesting.

NREC integrated its add-on perception packages onto a team of three computer-controlled tractors developed by John Deere. These autonomous tractors were used in harvesting operations in a peat bog. The robotic peat harvesting team was continuously tested for a full season, completing over 100 harvesting missions in a working peat bog. Their behavior imitated manual peat harvesting operations while maintaining a safe operating environment.

Orchard Spraying: NREC converted a John Deere tractor into an autonomous vehicle for spraying water in orchards.

NREC developed a vehicle retrofit kit that allowed the tractor to operate without a human driver. Its software accurately estimated the vehicle’s position and enabled it to autonomously follow previously-driven paths. The autonomous tractor sprayed water while following a seven kilometer long path through an orange orchard without any human intervention. To achieve the path teach/playback capability, NREC developed a positioning system that uses an extended Kalman Filter for fusing the odometry, the GPS information and the IMU measurements. The path following system is based on the Pure Pursuit algorithm. More information about the performance of the system can be found in our "Autonomous Robots” paper.

Oshkosh: defense robotics research for convoy safety
NREC is teaming with Oshkosh Defense to develop autonomous unmanned ground vehicle technologies for logistics tactical wheeled vehicles used by the US Marine Corps. The CARGO UGV project’s goal is to evaluate the benefits and feasibility of mixing manned and unmanned logistics vehicles in supply convoys. These benefits include reducing drivers’ exposure to danger, freeing them to perform other duties.

CARGO Unmanned Ground Vehicles (CARGO UGVs or CUGVs) are designed for autonomous use in convoys that combine manned and unmanned vehicles. An operator in another vehicle supervises one or more unmanned vehicles, which drive autonomously in convoy formation day and night, in all weather, and when dust and smoke limit visibility.

Technologies developed under this project are part of Oshkosh Defense’s TerraMax™ UGV kit, which supports unmanned convoy operations.

Sensabot: a robot to safely inspect and monitor industrial facilities
The rugged, versatile Sensabot was developed by NREC to perform a wide variety of inspection and monitoring tasks at gas and oil production facilities. It is designed to carry out on-site inspections in hazardous environments, isolated facilities, and other places that are difficult or dangerous for personnel to access. Benefits include reduced risk and improved efficiency of operation.

Sensabot features a mobile robotic base with a sensor boom tipped with inspection sensors. It can operate in extreme temperatures and explosive and toxic atmospheres. A human operator remotely drives Sensabot and uses its sensors to inspect pipes, fittings, and valves. Sensabot is designed to meet IECEx Zone 1 standards for explosive environments and ANSI safety standards for guided industrial vehicles.

In 2013, NREC developed a manipulator arm for Sensabot. It enabled the robot to perform a variety of common maintenance tasks and interventions, such as operating valves and switches, taking and transporting samples, and responding to unexpected situations.

Advanced Robotic Laser Coating Removal System (ARLCRS)
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), and NREC are developing an environmentally friendly system to remove coatings from U.S. Air Force aircraft through funding from Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC). The Advanced Robotic Laser Coating Removal System (ARLCRS) uses a powerful laser stripping tool and state-of-the-art mobile robots to automatically remove paint and coatings from aircraft. The complete system is scalable for use from fighters to cargo and tanker aircraft. ARLCRS will reduce hazardous waste, air emissions, maintenance costs, and processing time. CTC is developing the laser coatings removal and particle capture systems. NREC is developing the mobile robots, sensors, and autonomy system.

Operator Assistance for Underground Coal Mining
NREC has worked with coal mining industry partners to develop operator assitance technology for longwall mining. This includes a complete navigation system for a continuous mining machine, laser rangefinder-based perception for robot localization, planning for cluttered spaces, and integration and simulation tools. This system was successfully demonstrated in a working mine in West Virginia. Related research and objectives include automated mine surveying, haulage, multiple-machine interaction, and the eventual commercialization of these technologies.

NREC Facilities and Capabilities
NREC provides state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to develop and rapidly prototype robotic technologies. NREC’s physical plant includes two high-bay assembly areas, overhead cranes, thermal chamber, a fully-staffed digital machine shop, and various on and off-site test areas. NREC staff utilizes a variety of commercial and custom-built design, simulation, and software development tools.

Facility specifications include:


 * 90,000 square feet of production space on a 6-acre lot
 * 2 high-bays (28,000 and 14,000 square feet)
 * 10 ton overhead crane
 * 24/7 security
 * Accommodates confidential and export controlled projects
 * Electronics shops with SMT capability
 * Full machine shop with CNC milling & lathes, welding equipment, and water jet cutting
 * 5 acres of adjacent test sites
 * Nearby access to offsite test areas (~ 1,000 acres)

Commitment to Education
The Robotics Academy is an educational outreach of Carnegie Mellon University, and part of the university's Robotics Institute. In 2000, the Robotics Academy became housed at NREC's facilities. The Robotics Academy is committed to using the motivational effects of robotics to excite students about science, technology, engineering and mathetics (STEM). The Robotics Academy mission is:
 * To develop a mathematically competent and technological literate workforce
 * To influence children to become interested in robotics and related technologies as an area of study and future employment
 * To grow future entrepreneurs and employees for the region and nation
 * To enhance the economic development of these technologies regionally and nationally
 * To develop standards-driven curriculum for middle and high school teachers
 * To catch kids having fun experimenting with science and technology

NREC - A Good Neighbor
NREC is part of the fabric of Pittsburgh’s historic Lawrenceville neighborhood. Its founding in a long-shuttered factory helped launch Lawrenceville’s revitalization. NREC worked with the City of Pittsburgh to put in a river trail and picnic area next to its facility and continues to help maintain both. It also teamed up with Friends of the Riverfront to build a kayak/canoe launch, and the Allegheny Valley Railroad to build a parking lot at the trail head.