Towards environmental monitoring with mobile robots

In this paper we present initial experiments towards environmental monitoring with a mobile platform. A prototype of a pollution monitoring robot was set up which measures the gas distribution using an ldquoelectronic noserdquo and provides three dimensional wind measurements using an ultrasonic anemometer. We describe the design of the robot and the experimental setup used to run trials under varying environmental conditions. We then present the results of the gas distribution mapping. The trials which were carried out in three uncontrolled environments with very different properties: an enclosed indoor area, a part of a long corridor with open ends and a high ceiling, and an outdoor scenario are presented and discussed.