The Grainger College of Engineering
Center for Autonomy

Access to Center for Autonomy Facilities

New Projects

Access for new projects in the Center for Autonomy Labs (Autonomy Arena, Robotics Pavilion, Highbay Testbed or CfA Lab @ Stock Pavilion) can be requested by faculty and graduate students. To do so, follow the steps below to join and be able to submit reservation requests to use equipment and obtain lab access time on the Lab Schedule. These reservations are mandatory for us to keep track of lab usage for CSL and the GCOE.

New projects requiring space allocation for equipment in the Robotics Pavilion or Highbay Testbed will need a faculty member to complete the following steps:

  • Faculty sponsors not affiliated with the robotics group can ask the director to become an affiliate.
  • Read the CfA Shared Spaces Guidelines and contact the Lab Coordinator and Manager.
  • Perform a space request at the linked form in the guidelines.
  • Once a project is approved, faculty sponsors will need to perform a risk assessment as needed and submit a risk mitigation plan before moving in equipment and personnel.
  • Then each project member of your team that will visit the lab will need to complete the numbered steps below.

 

Obtaining Lab Access for Students

All student projects require a faculty member of the Center for Autonomy to approve and guide their research experimentation. At this time only graduate students can obtain iCard access to CfA facilities based on CSL guidelines.  However, undergraduates can work in the lab and participate with experimentation, when accompanied by a graduate student from the project, after completing the Lab Safety Training steps below.

Please follow the numbered Lab Safety Training instructions below carefully to be able to enter the CfA Facilities (Autonomy Arena, Robotics Pavilion, Highbay Testbed and CfA Lab @ Stock Pavilion):

1. Review the UIUC Division of Research Safety (DRS) Policy Tutorial Guide to take the Lab Safety and Fire Extinguisher tutorials (Lab Risk Assessment tutorial is not required). After completion, save the certificates, as a PDF or screenshot, and provide these in the Application form below.

2. Review the mandatory CfA guidelines General Usage Guidelines and also the specific procedures below for the project and/or lab you want to have access to:

  • Before working in the Autonomy Arena review the Autonomy Arena Safety Rules and review Step 8 below
  • Before using the Automated Electric Vehicles (AEVs), Polaris e2 or e4 at the Highbay Testbed, review the AEV Safety Procedures
  • Before working on robot manipulation projects review the Manipulator Safety Rules
  • Before working in the Stock Pavilion review the Flying Safety Rules
  • Before working on Humanoid Robot projects review the Humanoid Robot Safety Rules

 

3. Fill out the Application form in our new Reservation System for your project:

  • To join the CfA Labs, fill out this CfA Lab Resource Application form first for approval
  • Include the student in your group, names and netIDs, that will be part of this project
  • Each of your group members will need to complete an application to be able to enter the labs
  • Then, you will be contacted about other required items based on your project application

 

4. Schedule a Lab Usage & Safety Training meeting with the Lab Manager & Coordinator of the Shared Robotics Labs for your group. During this meeting we will discuss your intended experiments, safety precautions, and any needed assistance for your experimentation.

5. Then request your iCard be activated, by the Lab Manager & Coordinator, to be able to enter the CfA facilities.

6. Fill out a Reservation form for accessing the labs and reserving equipment for your experimentation:

  • After you receive an approval reply from the system, you can make reservations
  • Reservations are mandatory and made by filling out the CfA Lab Resource Reservation enabling us to keep track of lab metrics for CSL and the GCOE
  • Please Note: Stock Pavilion reservations are only placeholders that will need to be coordinated with the ACES department before access is granted

 

7. For All Projects: Make sure your project specific training is date is logged by your faculty sponsor.

8. For Flying in the Arena:  If you will be flying a quadcopter, etc., you are required to contact the lab manager for a time for a Flight Test.  CfA has a flight simulator and also a small quadcopter for students to practice with prior to testing.  The first part of the Flight Test can be conducted with any UAV and the simulator can be used for more complicated maneuvers.  However, the last part of the Flight Test requires showing the actual maneuvers you will be making with the research platform you will be using during your research.

Please contact the Lab Manager & Coordinator with any questions or assistance.