A team of Twente robotics experts is the only remaining Dutch participant in the largest robotics competition in Europe. This EuRoC (European Robotics Challenge) revolves around the transfer of fundamental knowledge about robotics to practical applications in industry. Under the banner of LEO, Center for Service Robotics, the team is developing autonomous, flying drones that inspect wind turbine components.
Inspections of wind turbines are labour intensive, expensive and dangerous. Therefore, managers often choose not to perform the mandatory annual inspection. This represents a serious safety risk and is accompanied by a higher insurance premium. With approximately 50,000 wind turbines in Europe, the maintenance and inspection costs amount to a total of 8 billion euros per year. The UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) that the Twente team are working on produce annual savings of millions of euros in this industry. Furthermore, the safety risks are greatly reduced.
The team, led by Matteo Fumagalli from the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics of the University of Twente, has formed a partnership with the Scottish company Cyberhawk, which will bring the robot platform onto the market. The East of the Netherlands thus distinguishes itself in Europe as the top region in the field of robotics.
Fumagalli: autonomous cooperation between drones
In his research at the University of Twente, Matteo Fumagalli focuses on the maintenance of overhead power lines and wind turbines using several drones. Autonomous cooperation between these drones is very important for this. Fumagalli equips the drones with an arm on which cameras, sensors and tools are installed. His drones will eventually be able to carry out maintenance on power lines, power plants and wind turbines without human intervention. This is cheaper, the quality improves and it does not pose a danger to human mechanics.
About the EuRoC
The EuRoC, started in April 2014, is funded by the European Commission. Eighty-four teams, composed of leading robotics companies and research institutions, appeared at the 'start'. The Twente team, called LEO, is participating in the category 'Plant Servicing and Inspection'. After having successfully completed the first round, the team is now working on the second round. In this, the scientific and economic value of the robot platform must be demonstrated. Objective metrics (accuracy of inspection, quality 3D models, time required for contact with the surface) and the assessment by a jury ultimately determine the winners.
Cooperation between industry and science is key during this robotics competition. In total, the participants jointly received a grant of seven million euros from the EU's FP7 grant programme. With this four-year project, Europe will advance further on the map with innovative and applicable developments in industrial robotics. The teams, of which there are now still a maximum of 15 per challenge left, go through the stages of development and simulation to realistic tests, demonstrations and implementation.
LEO team
The Twente team is working under the banner of ‘LEO, Center for Service Robotics’. This partnership between regional research institutes and industrial partners aims to bring robotics in the East of the Netherlands up to the highest level. Within the EuRoC, the University of Twente is taking the lead in collaboration with students from Saxion and with advice from several regional high-tech companies.
