Research in robot systems that operate in complex (outdoor) environments
The Canadian Centre for Field Robotics (CCFR) provides a unique testing environment for research in field robotics. Located in Metro Toronto, the CCFR has access to the wide range of resources available in the city while, at the same time, providing a number of real test sites for research in field (outdoor) robotics. Test areas include planetary surface simulation, indoor (pool) and outdoor water bodies and a large-scale terrestrial testing facility with wooded and grass-covered areas surrounding a large pond. Research projects are supported by a fully equipped robot laboratory and two testing support buildings located within the test area. A number of robot systems are deployed within the CCFR, including large- and medium-scale ground contact robots, aquatic robots and quadrotor platforms.
Robot system design and testing, sensor design and control
- Defence and security industries
- Energy
- Forestry and forest-based industries
- Mining, minerals and metals
- Utilities
Specialized labs and equipment
| Specialized lab | Equipment | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Contact Robots | Grizzly platform and Pioneer platform | Large- and medium-scale skid-steer terrestrial robots equipped with laser and stereo camera sensors |
| Autonomous Surface Vehicles | Eddy and the Minnow robot fleets | Medium- and small-scale autonomous surface vessels equipped with GPS and camera systems |
| Amphibious Robot | KROY AQUA platform | Amphibious hexapod |
| Quadrotor Facility | Quadrotor fleet | Fleet of five indoor quadrotors |
| Robot Research Lab | VGR laboratory | Robot research support facility at grade with direct access to the terrestrial testing facility |
| Terrestrial Testing Facility | Extended outdoor testing environment | Large-scale testing facility with support structures; differential GPS and wireless internet coverage |
| Surface Testing Facility | Stong Pond | Large pond with support for surface robot experiments |
| Pool Testing Facility | Tait Mackenzie Pool | Indoor pool with viewing gallery and surface wireless network |
| Planetary Surface Testbed | Planetary Surface Testbed | Indoor simulation of planetary surface |
Private and public sector research partners
- NSERC Canadian Field Robotics Network
- MDA Corporation
- Canadian Space Agency
Additional information
Title | URL |
|---|---|
Tsotsos Lab for Active and Attentive Vision | |
Deployment of Grizzly platform for pipe inspection test | |
Test of Eddy robot in Tait Mackenzie Pool | |
Deployment of Eddy to Stong Pond | |
Testing of Minnow robot fleet in Barbados | |
Testing of KROY in Barbados |