Robots for monitoring the environment

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Industrial Robot: An International Journal

ISSN: 0143-991X

Online from: 1973

Subject Area: Mechanical & Materials Engineering

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Document Information:
Title:	Robots for monitoring the environment
Author(s):	Robert Bogue, (Okehampton, UK)
Citation:	Robert Bogue, (2011) "Robots for monitoring the environment", Industrial Robot: An International Journal, Vol. 38 Iss: 6, pp.560 - 566
Keywords:	Environmental monitoring, Marine pollution, Pollution, Robots, Sensors, Unmanned aerial vehicle
Article type:	Technical paper
DOI:	10.1108/01439911111179066 (Permanent URL)
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Abstract:	Purpose – This paper aims to provide a review of the role of robots for monitoring the environment. Design/methodology/approach – Following a short introduction, this paper discusses developments in aquatic, terrestrial and airborne robots for monitoring the environment. Brief conclusions are drawn. Findings – This shows that robots are being developed for all manner of environmental monitoring applications. Aquatic devices are attracting the greatest attention but both terrestrial and airborne robots have the potential to play an important, future role. In many instances, their deployment reflects the difficulties in or impossibility of using manual monitoring methods. A longer-term vision of large numbers of robots conducting environmental monitoring on a routine basis is unlikely to be realised unless lower cost solutions can be developed. Originality/value – Environmental monitoring robots have been under development since the 1990s and this paper provides a review of recent activities.