RETINA Autonomous and intelligent excavator

RETINA Project

RETINA uses a conventional digger and modifies its armâ€™s working systems. Thus, it can optionally works automatically, doing repetitive tasks, or remotely. If operating in remote mode, the operator controls diggerâ€™s motion from a distance, receiving visual and tactile information through TV cameras and feedback in his own hand.

To do so, digger hydraulic elements are replaced by software controlled valves, at the same time as exact position of its axes and pressure of cylinders are determined. Once this information is processed, it is given the operator in the simplest way: making him feel it in his own hand. Thus, the operator has the feeling of moving the digger with his own arm, also perceiving the forces it develops.