Developing real-time autonomous excavation-the LUCIE story

Earthworks and earth removal are activities which involve a series of repetitive operations on the part of the machine operator, suggesting opportunities for the automation of these processes with resultant improvements in machine utilisation and throughput. The automation of the earth removal process also provides a number of secondary benefits such as a reduced dependence on operator skills and a lower operator work load. The achievement of automated and robotic excavation in the form of the Lancaster University Computerised Intelligent Excavator or LUCIE was dependent on the implementation of a real-time artificial intelligence based control system utilising a novel form of motion control strategy for movement of the excavator through ground. Based on the systematic observation of a range of machine operators, the control strategy evolved permits the autonomous excavation of a high quality rectangular trench in a variety of types of ground and of the removal of obstacles along the line of that trench.