The Robotics Institute

Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute

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Abstract

Mobile robots are notoriously unreliable. In order to make significant improvements in mobile robot reliability, we need quantitative methods and precise language for measuring and discussing reliability. Such methods exist within the reliability engineering literature but have seen little use in the design of mobile robots. In this report we present an overview of reliability engineering methods which can be used to predict the probability of failure for mobile robots. We also present here a novel extension to the concept of mean time to failure that incorporates the effects of operating conditions on failure rate. Finally, we demonstrate how these techniques can be used in mobile robot mission design to predict the probability of completing mission tasks. Using these methods, a mission designer can make informed decisions trading reliability against other variables such as cost.

Keywords

Mobile robots, field robotics, reliability, failure

Notes

Associated Center(s) / Consortia: Vision and Autonomous Systems Center

Associated Project(s): Reliability of Mobile Robot Teams

Number of pages: 17

Text Reference

Stephen B. Stancliff, John M. Dolan, and Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu, "Towards a Predictive Model of Mobile Robot Reliability," tech. report CMU-RI-TR-05-38, Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, August, 2005

BibTeX Reference

@techreport{Stancliff_2005_5127,
   author = "Stephen B Stancliff and John M Dolan and Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu",
   title = "Towards a Predictive Model of Mobile Robot Reliability",
   booktitle = "",
   institution = "Robotics Institute",
   month = "August",
   year = "2005",
   number= "CMU-RI-TR-05-38",
   address= "Pittsburgh, PA",
}

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