Mobile robotics for off-shore automation

MIMROex is the prototype of a new generation of mobile robots used for inspection and maintenance in hazardous locations, especially offshore oil and gas producing environment. MIMROex stands for "Mobile Inspection and Manipulation RObot experimental" which describes the area of application of this robot. It is first of all meant for both remote and autonomous inspection of industrial process equipment. Therefore it is equipped with a robotic arm which currently carries a camera for visual inspection as well as various application sensors such as microphones, gas and fire sensors and laser scanners. The second use is physical intervention with the process equipment. Here the range is from sample taking, valve turning and clean up of minor obstructions up to operating control panels. These interventions can be scheduled, remotely operated or pre-programmed reactions to inspection results. The robot can be set to remote or autonomous mode where the second one enables safe driving throughout industrial plants, which in particular means that it stops or evades when people walk in its way or any fixed or moving obstacle appears in front of it. Moreover it plans its path and drives autonomously between intervention spots. This paper presents the requirements for mobile service robots arising from an offshore oil and gas producing environment as well as the design solutions to meet these requirements. It also describes the performance and the outcome of the first offshore application test of MIMROex, which makes this robot the first autonomous service robot ever been on a real gas producing offshore platform.