# Flexible Line Recovery Robot — Test & Validation Plan V0.1

## Objective
Establish measurable evidence for the proposed recovery architecture without presenting simulation as physical validation.

## Test levels
### Level 1 — software simulation
Validate state transitions, planner logic, rollback, alternative-action selection and sensor-fault injection.

### Level 2 — bench mechanism
Use one or two handling modules and instrumented flexible lines. Validate gripping, sliding, slack creation, transfer and release.

### Level 3 — chamber demonstrator
Use the complete constrained recovery field with vision and tension sensing.

### Level 4 — representative materials
Test multiple cable/cord/rope/strap/selected-hose classes within defined safe limits.

## Core scenarios
1. Simple crossing.
2. Single loop.
3. Figure-eight configuration.
4. Multiple crossings.
5. Partial occlusion.
6. Unequal line stiffness.
7. Low-friction cable.
8. High-friction sheath.
9. Failed grasp.
10. Line slip.
11. Sensor disagreement.
12. Recovery after interrupted action.

## Metrics
- recovery success rate;
- actions per successful recovery;
- time to verified separation;
- false verification rate;
- rollback frequency;
- failed-transfer frequency;
- maximum measured tension;
- material damage rate;
- operator interventions;
- organization-path success.

## Acceptance discipline
Every metric must be recorded with material type, diameter, length, initial configuration and machine configuration. Results from one material must not be generalized to all flexible lines.

## Failure injection
The simulator and physical demonstrator should deliberately inject:
- dropped line;
- missed crossing;
- false endpoint;
- tension spike;
- encoder offset;
- camera dropout;
- actuator stall;
- transfer failure.

## Evidence package
Each test run should produce:
- timestamp;
- machine configuration;
- input material;
- initial state;
- selected actions;
- sensor confidence;
- verification outcome;
- faults;
- final state;
- operator intervention;
- video/log reference.

## Status
Validation plan only. No physical performance claims are made until tests are actually performed.