Outing to the Sterkfontein Caves

Exploring the Sterkfontein Caves

In July 2024, the Caves research group from the RAIL Lab conducted a site visit to the world-renowned Sterkfontein Caves. This outing was the start of an affiliation with National Geographic to explore and document previously undocumented subterranean environments using advanced robotics technology.

Research Objectives

The primary goal of the trip was to gather sensor data and test our systems in a real-world, unstructured environment. Projects in this domain focus on three areas thus far:

1. Safe Navigation in Dangerous Terrain: Developing algorithms that allow robots to traverse uneven, slippery, and confined spaces without risking damage or getting stuck.
2. Adaptive Gait Control: Enabling legged robots (like our Unitree A1) to modify their walking style in real-time based on the upcoming terrain features.
3. 3D Reconstruction: Using LiDAR and visual SLAM to create high-fidelity 3D maps of the cave systems, which are valuable for both robotic navigation and geological study.