MIRRAX: A Reconfigurable Robot for Limited Access Environments

The development of mobile robot platforms for inspection has gained traction in recent years with the rapid advancement hardware and software. However, conventional robots are unable to address challenge operating extreme environments where is required traverse narrow gaps highly cluttered areas restricted access. This paper presents MIRRAX, a that been designed meet these challenges capability re-configuring itself both access through ports navigate tightly spaced obstacles. Controllers detailed, along an analysis on controllability given use Mecanum wheels variable configuration. Characterisation robot's performance identified suitable configurations environments. minimum lateral footprint width achievable stable configuration ($<2^\text{o}$~roll) was 0.19~m. Experimental validation shows good agreement theoretical analysis. A further series experiments feasibility addressing above: reconfigure entry as small 150mm diameter, navigating also results from deployment Magnox facility at Sellafield nuclear site UK - first ever do so, remote mapping.