New Test Method for Evaluating Ground Response Robot Sensing: Audio Speech Intelligibility
1. Scope
The purpose of this test method, as a part of a suite of Sensors test methods for ground robots, is to quantitatively evaluate a remotely teleoperated robots capability of sending and receiving audio signals that can be comprehended. The apparatus associated with this test method challenges such robot capability in repeatable ways to facilitate direct comparison of different robot models as well as particular configurations of similar robot models. This apparatus can fit into a standard ISO shipping container to facilitate testing in temperature extremes and other environmental conditions such as darkness, smoke, rain, etc. The suite of Sensors test methods quantifies a corresponding set of elemental capabilities necessary for response robot emergency response applications. As such, the suite should be used collectively to capture the overall sensing performance. Additional test methods are being developed within the suite to fully address robot sensing capabilities requirements. This suite of test methods characterizes the sensing capabilities of response robots intended to be operated in human-scale, complex environments with variables including terrains, lighting, temperature, etc. Robots under test shall be teleoperated via operator control units (OCUs) that are out of sight and sound of the test apparatuses but within the radio or tethered communications range, except when the communication is the subject of the testing. The robotic configuration, as to be tested, shall be specified for all the subsystems and is to remain the same for all the suites of the test methods, as appropriate. Any variation in robot configuration will result in retesting for all the suites of the test methods to provide a comprehensive perspective of the performance for the particular robotic variant.
Keywords
audio, C-IED, Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices, emergency response, operator control unit, OCU, remote teleoperation, responders, robot, sensing, sensors, test suite, training, urban search and rescue, US&R
Rationale
This test method is to be developed for emergency response robots. It may be applicable to other application domains. It can also be used to ascertain operator proficiencies during training. It can provide practice tasks that exercise robotic sensing and operator interfaces. It can also provide performance objectives for the audio aspect of the sensing subsystem on the robots.
