Position estimation and object collision detection of a tendon-driven actuator based on a polytopic observer synthesis

This paper proposes a multi-model based approach that estimates joint position and collision detection of a lightweight electric actuator dedicated to manipulation tasks. Taking advantage of an optimized back-drivable mechatronic design, the use of proprioceptive measures at the motor level enables the estimation of the unmeasured terminal position of the mechanical motor-to-joint transmission and force contact disturbance. A polytopic formulation is introduced based on an accurate model of the mechatronic transmission. Then, a multi-model observer-based estimator is synthesized using root-clustering for exteroceptive variables estimation without additional position/force sensor. The approach is experimentally validated with a single degree-of-freedom manipulator.     

Modeling the combination of motion, stereo, and vergence angle cues to visual depth.

Three models of visual cue combination were simulated: a weak fusion model, a modified weak model, and a strong model. Their relative strengths and weaknesses are evaluated on the basis of their performances on the tasks of judging the depth and shape of an ellipse. The models differ in the amount of interaction that they permit among the cues of stereo, motion, and vergence angle. Results suggest that the constrained nonlinear interaction of the modified weak model allows better performance than either the linear interaction of the weak model or the unconstrained nonlinear interaction of the strong model. Further examination of the modified weak model revealed that its weighting of motion and stereo cues was dependent on the task, the viewing distance, and, to a lesser degree, the noise model. Although the dependencies were sensible from a computational viewpoint, they were sometimes inconsistent with psychophysical experimental data. In a second set of experiments, the modified weak model was given contradictory motion and stereo information. One cue was informative in the sense that it indicated an ellipse, while the other cue indicated a flat surface. The modified weak model rapidly reweighted its use of stereo and motion cues as a function of each cue's informativeness. Overall, the simulation results suggest that relative to the weak and strong models, the modified weak fusion model is a good candidate model of the combination of motion, stereo, and vergence angle cues, although the results also highlight areas in which this model needs modification or further elaboration.     

Randomized path planning for tasks requiring the release and regrasp of objects

This paper presents a randomized planning algorithm for manipulation tasks that require the robot to release and regrasp an object in different robot postures. Such problems arise, for example, in robotic suturing and knot tying, and in assembly tasks where parts must be guided through complex environments. Formulating the problem as one of planning on a foliated manifold, we present a randomized planning algorithm that, unlike existing methods, involves sampling and tree propagation primarily in the task space manifold; such an approach significantly improves computational efficiency by reducing the number of projections to the constraint manifold, without incurring any significant increases in the number of release-regrasp sequences. We also propose a post-processing topological exploration algorithm and path refinement procedure for reducing the number of release-regrasp sequences in a solution path, independent of the algorithm used to generate the path. Experiments involving spatial open chains with up to 10 degrees of freedom, operating in complex obstacle-filled environments, show that our algorithm considerably outperforms existing algorithms in terms of computation time, path length, and the number of release-regrasp operations.     

Source detection problem with discrete-time variable radiation intensities: Joint control optimization for the path and observations of a mobile observer

This paper demonstrates the specifics of the implementation of a control optimization procedure for the path and observations of a mobile observer detecting a system of sources with discretetime variable radiation intensities. We define the sequence of the calculation of the probabilistic characteristics of the radiation intensity variations in the control design algorithm. An illustrative example is given.     

New algorithm for observer error linearization with a diffeomorphism on the outputs

In this paper, we give the necessary and sufficient conditions that guarantee the existence of a diffeomorphism which allows one to transform a multi-output nonlinear dynamical system into a normal observable canonical form. In particular, we propose an algorithm that permits one to derive such diffeomorphism. The main feature of the canonical form is that it is obtained by allowing a diffeomorphism on the outputs and it also allows one to design an observer with linear error dynamics. We first consider multi-output nonlinear dynamical system without inputs. We then extend the results obtained to multi-output nonlinear dynamical system with inputs.     

Cooperative path planning with priority target assignment and collision avoidance guidance for rescue unmanned surface vehicles in a complex ocean environment

In this paper, a novel cooperative path planning scheme of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for rescuing targets in a complex ocean environment is proposed. The primary objective of the rescue USVs is to bring all targets back safely on the premise of first rescuing priority targets, while optimizing the path length, the navigation time and the angular energy. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: (1) The proposed K-means-division (KMD) algorithm is able to identify a complex ocean environment with collision-free zone and static-obstacles zone; (2) The proposed path planning method with fast-marching-method-based ellipse guidance range (E-FMM) is able to optimize the angular energy while ensuring safety; (3) The proposed cooperative management system (including priority-target-assignment (PTA) with reward-mechanism genetic-optimization (RM-GO) and collision-avoidance (CA) guidance law with Tangent-based surge-varying wave-disturbances-observer (Tangent-SV-WDO)) can accomplish the mission of the rescue USVs. Comparative studies with the state-of-the-art methods demonstrate that the proposed cooperative path planning scheme is superior in terms of priority-target-assignment (PTA) and collision-avoidance (CA) of the actual rescue work.     

一类随机系统基于干扰观测器的抗干扰控制

针对一类带有多源干扰的随机系统,研究其抗干扰控制问题.针对可以由未知参数的外源系统产生,代表频率、振幅和初相都未知的干扰,构建随机自适应干扰观测器对其进行估计.基于此,结合自适应控制和随机控制的方法,提出基于干扰观测器的抗干扰控制策略,保证复合系统的所有信号均为均方渐近有界.仿真结果验证了所提出方法的正确性和有效性.     

View operations on objects with roles for a statically typeddatabase language

To deal with the evolution of data and applications and with the existence of multiple views for the same data, the object data model needs to be extended with two different sets of operations: object extension operations, to allow an object to dynamically change its type; and object viewing operations, to allow an object to be seen as if it had a different structure. Object extension and object viewing operations are related in that they are both identity-preserving operations, but different in that object extension may modify the behavior of the original object while object viewing creates a new view for the original object without modifying its behavior. A set of object viewing operations is defined in the context of a statically and strongly typed database programming language which supports objects with roles, and the relationships with object extension and role mechanisms are discussed. We then show how the object viewing operations can be used to give the semantics of a higher level mechanism to define views for object databases. Examples of the use of these operations are given with reference to the prototype implementation of the language Galileo 97     

Stochastic contraction-based observer and controller design algorithm with application to a flight vehicle

This paper focuses on a stochastic version of contraction theory to construct observer-controller structure for a flight dynamic system with noisy velocity measurement. A nonlinear stochastic observer is designed to estimate the pitch rate, the pitch angle, and the velocity of an aircraft example model using stochastic contraction theory. Estimated states are used to compute feedback control for solving a tracking problem. The structure and gain selection of the observer is carried out using Itô's stochastic differential equations and the contraction theory. The contraction property of integrated observer-controller structure is derived to ensure the exponential convergence of the trajectories of closed-loop nonlinear system. The upper bound of the state estimation error is explicitly derived and the efficacy of the proposed observer-controller structure has been shown through the numerical simulations.     

A modified observer scheme for fault detection and isolation applied to a poorly observed process with integration

This paper investigates the application of the dedicated observer scheme (DOS) to a real tank system. As described, this system is not ‘DOS-instrument-fault-detectable’ due to the location of the sensors and the dynamical characteristics of the system itself. In order to overcome such a difficulty, this work proposes a dedicated observer scheme with periodic resetting (DOSPR). The design of the observers and the new algorithm are detailed in the paper. The new procedure was tuned and tested on a pilot plant. A complete nonlinear model with physical parameters measured from the plant are included. Some results are discussed in the paper.     

Dynamic path planning for a mobile automaton with limited information on the environment

The problem of path planning is studied for the case of a mobile robot moving in an environment filled with obstacles whose shape and positions are not known. Under the accepted model, the automaton knows its own and the target coordinates, and has a "sensory" feedback which provides it with local information on its immediate surroundings. Ibis information is shown to be sufficient to guarantee reaching a global objective (the target), while generating reasonable (if not optimal) paths. A lower bound on the length of paths generated by any algorithm operating with uncertainty is formulated, and two nonheuristic path planning algorithms are described. In the algorithms, motion planning is done continuously (dynamically), based on the automaton's current position and on its feedback. The effect of additional sources of information (e.g., from a vision sensor) on the outlined approach is discussed.     

基于鲁棒滑模观测器的两关节柔性机械手控制

柔性机械手系统为非最小相位系统, 当控制有界时, 该特性阻碍其端点位移渐近跟踪期望轨迹. 本文首先重新定义柔性机械手系统的输出, 通过输入输出线性化, 将系统分解为输入输出子系统和零动态子系统; 然后提出一种用于观测柔性模态导数的鲁棒滑模观测器, 使状态估计达到预期的指标, 解决了柔性模态导数难以获得的问题; 设计积分滑模控制策略, 使输入输出子系统在有限时间收敛到零; 选择适当的控制器参数, 使零动态子系统在 平衡点附近渐近稳定, 从而保证整个系统的渐近稳定. 本文提出的方法设计过程简单, 易于实现. 仿真结果证明了设计的有效性.     

A quick intelligent control system for a mobile robot to avoid collision with moving obstacles

This paper proposes a concept of initial minimum safety spacing (IMSS) for a robot to avoid the collision with moving obstacles from any direction. A quick intelligent control system based on IMSS to avoid the collision is presented. In the system, the necessary deceleration and steering can be predicted using the fuzzy reasoning, which only needs to input one variable of the collision danger degree judged according to IMSS. So, the membership functions and the fuzzy rules are very simple, the calculation time for the avoidance is reduced. These advantages are verified by the numerical simulation results.     

Ergodicity condition for a system with queuing and servicing of objects with a complicated structure

A single-channel queuing system with a Poisson incoming flow of objects is considered. Each object consists of several spaced requests. A simple ergodicity condition is established. __________ Translated from Kibernetika i Sistemnyi Analiz, No. 5, pp. 8–12, September–October 2007.     

Fault diagnosis based on adaptive observer for a class of non-linear systems with unknown parameters

In this paper, the fault diagnosis problem for a class of non-linear systems with uncertainty which depends on states, inputs and unknown constant parameters is discussed. Under some geometric conditions, the system is transformed into two different subsystems. One is not affected by actuator faults, so a non-linear adaptive observer can be designed based on the assumption of the strictly positive realness (SPR). The other whose states can be measured is affected by the faults. Actuator fault diagnosis is based on estimations of both the state and the unknown parameters with good accuracy. Discussions on release of SPR requirement and extension to the sensor fault case are also made. Finally, two examples are given in order to illustrate the applicability of the proposed methods for actuator fault diagnosis and sensor fault diagnosis respectively.     

High gain observer for a class of nonlinear systems with coupled structure and sampled output measurements: application to a quadrotor

This paper proposes a new high gain observer for a class of non-uniformly observable nonlinear systems with coupled structure driven by sampled outputs. The considered class of systems is particularly constituted by several subsystems where each subsystem is associated to a subset of the output variables. The observer design is carried out through two steps. First, a high-gain observer is proposed in the continuous-time output case under the assumption that an adequate persistent excitation condition is satisfied by each subsystem. Then, the proposed observer is redesigned to handle the case of sampled outputs leading thereby to a continuous-discrete time observer. The latter property is achieved thanks to the approach pursued along the convergence analysis. The effectiveness of the proposed observer is emphasised in a realistic simulation framework involving a mathematical model of a quadrotor which is diffeomorphic to the proposed class of considered systems.