A task skill for inserting bolt on power distribution line maintenance

We are developing a semi-autonomous power distribution line maintenance robot that operates by task level instructions. Also, we are conducting a feasibility study on CG-simulator [2] and experimental robot system [3] with task analysis [1]. We propose the task skill for inserting the bolt into the bolt hole in “Inserting the bolt into the bolt hole on arm tie” task. The task skill describes the bolt´s state by 12-dimensions space that is composed of its position and reactive force by work object. It considers the inserting bolt task as a trajectory generation from current position to goal position. With the task skill, the bolt tip moves to the goal position while groping the direction that makes the reaction force by a work object become smaller. We performed a verification experiment by experimental robot system on mock-up work environment. Then, we succeeded in inserting the bolt using the proposed skill. However, two problems were found in the result. One of the problems is the output of the force sensor contains a large noise, and the other is that the large reaction force appears soon after the groping motion. We consider these problems.