This paper presents a trade study analysis to design and evaluate the perception system architecture for ReachBot. ReachBot is a novel robotic concept that uses grippers at the end of deployable booms for navigation of rough terrain such as walls of caves and lava tubes. Previous studies on ReachBot have discussed the overall robot design, placement and number of deployable booms, and gripper mechanism design; however, analysis of the perception and sensing system remains underdeveloped. Because ReachBot can extend and interact with terrain over long distances on the order of several meters, a robust perception and sensing strategy is crucial to identify grasping locations and enable fully autonomous operation. This trade study focuses on developing the perception trade space and realizing such perception capabilities for a physical prototype. This work includes analysis of: (1) multiple-range sensing strategies for ReachBot, (2) sensor technologies for subsurface climbing robotics, (3) criteria for sensor evaluation, (4) positions and modalities of sensors on ReachBot, and (5) map representations of grasping locations. From our analysis, we identify the overall perception strategy and hardware configuration for a fully-instrumented case study mission to a Martian lava tube, and identify specific sensors for a hardware prototype. The final result of our trade study is a system design conducive to benchtop testing and prototype hardware development.

翻译：本文提出了一项权衡研究分析，旨在设计和评估ReachBot的感知系统架构。ReachBot是一种新颖的机器人概念，利用可展开吊臂末端的夹爪在崎岖地形（如洞穴和熔岩管壁）中导航。先前关于ReachBot的研究已讨论了整体机器人设计、可展开吊臂的布局与数量以及夹爪机构设计，但对其感知与传感系统的分析仍不完善。由于ReachBot能够伸展并与数米远距离的地形交互，稳健的感知与传感策略对于识别抓取位置和实现全自主操作至关重要。本权衡研究聚焦于开发感知权衡空间，并在物理原型上实现此类感知能力。工作内容包括对以下方面的分析：(1)ReachBot的多距离传感策略，(2)地下攀爬机器人的传感器技术，(3)传感器评估标准，(4)传感器在ReachBot上的位置与模态，以及(5)抓取位置的地图表示。通过分析，我们为一项完全仪器化的火星熔岩管案例研究任务确定了整体感知策略与硬件配置，并选定了硬件原型的具体传感器。最终的权衡研究结果是形成了一个适用于台架测试和原型硬件开发的系统设计。