Design and control of a spherical omnidirectional blimp

M. Burri, L. Gasser, M. Kach, M. Krebs, S. Laube, A. Ledergerber, D. Meier, R. Michaud, L. Mosimann, L. Muri, C. Ruch, A. Schaffner, N. Vuilliomenet, J. Weichart, K. Rudin, S. Leutenegger, J. Alonso-Mora, R. Siegwart, P. Beardsley

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

51 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper presents Skye, a novel blimp design. Skye is a helium-filled sphere of diameter 2.7m with a strong inelastic outer hull and an impermeable elastic inner hull. Four tetrahedrally-arranged actuation units (AU) are mounted on the hull for locomotion, with each AU having a thruster which can be rotated around a radial axis through the sphere center. This design provides redundant control in the six degrees of freedom of motion, and Skye is able to move omnidirectionally and to rotate around any axis. A multi-camera module is also mounted on the hull for capture of aerial imagery or live video stream according to an 'eyeball' concept - the camera module is not itself actuated, but the whole blimp is rotated in order to obtain a desired camera view. Skye is safe for use near people - the double hull minimizes the likelihood of rupture on an unwanted collision; the propellers are covered by grills to prevent accidental contact; and the blimp is near neutral buoyancy so that it makes only a light impact on contact and can be readily nudged away. The system is portable and deployable by a single operator - the electronics, AUs, and camera unit are mounted externally and are detachable from the hull during transport; operator control is via an intuitive touchpad interface. The motivating application is in entertainment robotics. Skye has a varied motion vocabulary such as swooping and bobbing, plus internal LEDs for visual effect. Computer vision enables interaction with an audience. Experimental results show dexterous maneuvers in indoor and outdoor environments, and non-dangerous impacts between the blimp and humans.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIROS 2013
Subtitle of host publicationNew Horizon, Conference Digest - 2013 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems
Pages1873-1879
Number of pages7
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Externally publishedYes
Event2013 26th IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems: New Horizon, IROS 2013 - Tokyo, Japan
Duration: 3 Nov 20138 Nov 2013

Publication series

NameIEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems
ISSN (Print)2153-0858
ISSN (Electronic)2153-0866

Conference

Conference2013 26th IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems: New Horizon, IROS 2013
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityTokyo
Period3/11/138/11/13

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