Dealing with internal and external perturbations on walking robots

Up to now, walking robots have been working outdoors under favorable conditions and using very large stability margins to cope with natural environments and intrinsic robot dynamics that can cause instability in these machines when they use statically-stable gaits. The result has been very slow robots prone to tumble down in the presence of perturbations. This paper proposes a novel gait-adaptation method based on the maximization of the Normalized Dynamic Energy Stability Margin. This method enables walking-machine gaits to adapt to internal (robot dynamics) and external (environmental) perturbations, including the slope of the terrain, by finding the gait parameters that maximize robot stability. The adaptation method is inspired in the natural gait adaptation carried out by humans and animals to balance external forces or the effect of sloping terrain. Experiments with the SILO4 quadruped robot are presented and show how robot stability is more robust when the proposed approach is used for different external forces and sloping terrains. Using the proposed gait-adaptation approach the robot is able to withstand external forces up to 58% the robot weight and 25-degree slopes.

Motion analysis for event detection and tracking with a mobile omnidirectional camera

A mobile platform mounted with omnidirectional vision sensor (ODVS) can be used to monitor large areas and detect interesting events such as independently moving persons and vehicles. To avoid false alarms due to extraneous features, the image motion induced by the moving platform should be compensated. This paper describes a formulation and application of parametric egomotion compensation for an ODVS. Omni images give 360 view of surroundings but undergo considerable image distortion. To account for these distortions, the parametric planar motion model is integrated with the transformations into omni image space. Prior knowledge of approximate camera calibration and camera speed is integrated with the estimation process using a Bayesian approach. Iterative, coarse-to-fine, gradient-based estimation is used to correct the motion parameters for vibrations and other inaccuracies in prior knowledge. Experiments with a camera mounted on various types of mobile platforms demonstrate successful detection of moving persons and vehicles.Published online: 11 October 2004     

Optimal NT policies for M/G/1 system with a startup and unreliable server

This paper studies the control policies of an M/G/1 queueing system with a startup and unreliable server, in which the length of the vacation period is controlled either by the number of arrivals during the idle period, or by a timer. After all the customers are served in the queue exhaustively, the server immediately takes a vacation and operates two different policies: (i) the server reactivates as soon as the number of arrivals in the queue reaches to a predetermined threshold N or the waiting time of the leading customer reaches T units; and (ii) the server reactivates as soon as the number of arrivals in the queue reaches to a predetermined threshold N or T time units have elapsed since the end of the completion period. If the timer expires or the number of arrivals exceeds the threshold N, then the server reactivates and requires a startup time before providing the service until the system is empty. Furthermore, it is assumed that the server breaks down according to a Poisson process and his repair time has a general distribution. We analyze the system characteristics for each scheme. The total expected cost function per unit time is developed to determine the optimal thresholds of N and T at a minimum cost.     

The effect of motor action and different sensory modalities on terrain classification in a quadruped robot running with multiple gaits

Discriminating or classifying different terrains is an important ability for every autonomous mobile robot. A variety of sensors, preprocessing techniques, and algorithms in different robots were applied. However, little attention was paid to the way sensory data was generated and to the contribution of different sensory modalities. In this work, a quadruped robot traversing different grounds using a variety of gaits is used, equipped with a collection of proprioceptive (encoders on active, and passive compliant joints), inertial, and foot pressure sensors. The effect of different gaits on classification performance is assessed and it is demonstrated that separate terrain classifiers for each motor program should be employed. Furthermore, poor performance of randomly generated motor commands confirms the importance of coordinated behavior on sensory information structuring. The collection of sensors sensitive to active, “tactile”, terrain exploration proved effective. Among the individual modalities, encoders on passive compliant joints delivered best results.     

Dynamic modeling and redundant force optimization of a 2-DOF parallel kinematic machine with kinematic redundancy

High precision is still one of the challenges when parallel kinematic machines are applied to advanced equipment. In this paper, a novel planar 2-DOF parallel kinematic machine with kinematic redundancy is proposed and a method for redundant force optimization is presented to improve the precision of the machine. The inverse kinematics is derived, and the dynamic model is modeled with the Newton–Euler method. The deformations of the kinematic chains are calculated and their relationship with kinematic error of the machine is established. Then the size and direction of the redundant force acting on the platform are optimized to minimize the position error of the machine. The dynamic performance of the kinematically redundant machine is simulated and compared with its two corresponding counterparts, one is redundantly actuated and the other is non-redundant. The proposed kinematically redundant machine possesses the highest position precision during the motion process and is applied to develop a precision planar mobile platform as an application example. The method is general and suitable for the dynamic modeling and redundant force optimization of other redundant parallel kinematic machines.     

Team NimbRo at MBZIRC 2017: Fast landing on a moving target and treasure hunting with a team of micro aerial vehicles

The Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge (MBZIRC) 2017 has defined ambitious new benchmarks to advance the state‐of‐the‐art in autonomous operation of ground‐based and flying robots. This study covers our approaches to solve the two challenges that involved micro aerial vehicles (MAV). Challenge 1 required reliable target perception, fast trajectory planning, and stable control of an MAV to land on a moving vehicle. Challenge 3 demanded a team of MAVs to perform a search and transportation task, coined “Treasure Hunt,” which required mission planning and multirobot coordination as well as adaptive control to account for the additional object weight. We describe our base MAV setup and the challenge‐specific extensions, cover the camera‐based perception, explain control and trajectory‐planning in detail, and elaborate on mission planning and team coordination. We evaluated our systems in simulation as well as with real‐robot experiments during the competition in Abu Dhabi. With our system, we—as part of the larger team NimbRo—won the MBZIRC Grand Challenge and achieved a third place in both subchallenges involving flying robots.     

带有线性恶化工件和释放时间的两个代理单机调度问题

研究了带有简单线性恶化工件和释放时间的两个代理单机调度问题. 所有工件在一台机器上加工, 每个代理有各自依赖于自己工件的优化目标. 针对工件释放时间相同与不同两种情况, 研究了有约束的优化模型, 即找到调度最小化一个代理的目标函数而使得另一个代理的目标函数不超过一个给定的上界. 当工件具有相同的释放时间, 我们主要考虑的目标函数有: 总加权完工时间和总加权拖期工件数. 当工件具有不同释放时间, 我们考虑的目标函数有: 最大完工时间、总完工时间以及拖期工件数. 对于每一个问题, 我们分析了问题的计算复杂性. 此外, 对于NP难问题的一些特殊情况本文分析了最优解性质, 基于这些性质给出了最优算法.     

基于飞行理论萤火虫算法的TDOA与GROA定位机制

节点定位是无线传感器网络中最为关键的一项技术。针对无源定位的问题,提出一种到达时间差(TDOA)和到达信号增益比(GROA)联合定位算法,并且采用飞行机制的萤火虫算法(GSO)来求得最终结果。结合TDOA和GROA定位模型,引入辅助变量将方程伪线性化,然后采用修正两步加权最小二乘算法(TSWLS)来进行求解。并且在不影响收敛速度和精度的前提下,采用带有飞行机制的GSO算法来寻求目标定位的最优解,克服粒子群算法易陷入局部最优的缺点。仿真结果表明,该算法相比较TDOA算法而言,定位精度提高了23 dB,并且具有相对较高和较稳定的定位精度。     

Effect of practice on similar and dissimilar skills in patient transfer through training with a robot patient

With the number of hospital stays increasing, nurses require more training to handle a variety of patients. However, time for training in nursing schools is limited, and students lack the opportunity to practice on a diverse variety of patients. Using a robot to simulate actual patients, this study observes the learning transfer effect of practice on practice-similar and practice-dissimilar skills from one patient to another, and investigates which types of practice suit which kinds of training. An experiment was conducted by administering a pre-test, practice, a post-test, and a transfer test to two groups (N?=?8), each with different practice-related skills. The evaluation used a checklist covering required skills that were either similar or dissimilar across groups, depending on their practice. The effect of practice can be observed through a comparison of skills similar to one group but dissimilar to the other. The results show that practice facilitates learning transfer on similar skills but not, or to a lesser degree, on dissimilar skills. Furthermore, if skills needed to handle given symptoms are unfamiliar or inaccessible to students, practice related to those symptoms should be emphasized through simulated training with robots.     

Roombots: A hardware perspective on 3D self-reconfiguration and locomotion with a homogeneous modular robot

In this work we provide hands-on experience on designing and testing a self-reconfiguring modular robotic system, Roombots (RB), to be used among others for adaptive furniture. In the long term, we envision that RB can be used to create sets of furniture, such as stools, chairs and tables that can move in their environment and that change shape and functionality during the day. In this article, we present the first, incremental results towards that long term vision. We demonstrate locomotion and reconfiguration of single and metamodule RB over 3D surfaces, in a structured environment equipped with embedded connection ports. RB assemblies can move around in non-structured environments, by using rotational or wheel-like locomotion. We show a proof of concept for transferring a Roombots metamodule (two in-series coupled RB modules) from the non-structured environment back into the structured grid, by aligning the RB metamodule in an entrapment mechanism. Finally, we analyze the remaining challenges to master the full Roombots scenario, and discuss the impact on future Roombots hardware.     

Solving Stiffness and Elastic Deformation of Two Limited-Degree-of-Freedom Parallel Manipulators with a Constrained Leg Based on Active/Constrained Wrench

Some total stiffness matrices of two different limited-degree-of-freedom parallel manipulators (PMs) with an active/passive constrained leg are derived and their elastic deformations are solved based on active/constrained wrench. The force situations of these PMs are analyzed and the poses of the active/constrained wrench are first determined. Then, the elastic deformations of the active/constrained legs in these PMs are analyzed and the compliance matrices of the active/constrained legs are derived. Based on the 6 × 6 Jacobian matrices and the compliance matrices of active/constrained legs, some total stiffness matrices and the elastic deformations of these PMs are derived and analyzed.     

带状态观测器的无差拍控制单相UPS设计与仿真

本文介绍了带数字状态观测器的无差拍控制单相UPS的设计，并在Matlab6．5下进行了仿真，验证了带状态观测器的无差拍控制技术能有效地改善系统的动态特性。     

A global shooting algorithm for the facility location and capacity acquisition problem on a line with dense demand

This paper describes the development of an exact allocation-based solution algorithm for the facility location and capacity acquisition problem (LCAP) on a line with dense demand data. Initially, the n-facility problem on a line is studied and formulated as a dynamic programming model in the allocation decision space. Next, we cast this dynamic programming formulation as a two-point boundary value problem and provide conditions for the existence and uniqueness of solutions. We derive sufficient conditions for non-empty service regions and necessary conditions for interior facility locations. We develop an efficient exact shooting algorithm to solve the problem as an initial value problem and illustrate on an example. A computational study is conducted to study the effect of demand density and other problem parameters on the solutions.     

释放时间和工期同序的单机连续型批调度问题

本文研究的连续型批处理机调度问题, 是在钢铁工业管坯的加热过程中提出来的. 工件带有释放时间和工期, 工件进入和离开机器是按周期依次进行的. 本文针对单机连续型批调度问题中工件释放时间和工期同序的情况, 分析了极小化最大拖期和拖期工件数等问题的计算复杂性, 证明了两类问题都是强NP-难的. 对于工件的释放时间和加工时间、工期都同序的特殊情况, 分别给出了能够获得对应问题的最优解的多项式算法.     

基于GPU的多重网格Navier-Stokes解算器并行优化方法研究

随着工业计算需求的激增,计算流体力学 (Computational Fluid Dynamics, CFD) 学科对计算效率问题越来越重视。作者基于自行开发的 Navier-Stokes 解算器,引入多重网格加速收敛算法,并结合NVIDIA GPU 计算平台,从数值方法和高性能计算两个方面为 CFD 实现加速。数值加速算例测试结果表明,基于多重网格算法的 GPU 解算器相对 CPU 版本代码双精度可获得 45 倍以上的加速。     

A branch and bound algorithm for minimizing total completion time on a single batch machine with incompatible job families and dynamic arrivals

In this paper, we consider a single batch machine scheduling problem with incompatible job families and dynamic job arrivals. The objective is to minimize the total completion time. This problem is known to be strongly NP-hard. We present several dominance properties and two types of lower bounds, which are incorporated to construct a basic branch and bound algorithm. Furthermore, according to the characteristics of dynamic job arrivals, a decomposed branch and bound algorithm is proposed to improve the efficiency. The proposed algorithms are tested on a large set of randomly generated problem instances.     

基于列队竞争算法的多杂质水网络集成优化

对于多杂质的用水和水处理集成优化问题,建立了以总费用最小为目标的混合整数非线性规划(MINLP)模型,并提出了一种将列队竞争算法(Line-up competition algorithm,LCA)和序列二次规划(Sequential Quadratic Programming,SQP)法相结合的求解策略。其中,用LCA优化整数变量,而用SQP法优化连续变量,通过这两种方法的交替求解来逼近最优解。将所提出的计算方法对文献中的2个典型实例进行了求解,求解结果优于文献。实例计算表明,本文所提出的计算方法是有效的。     

Flexible job-shop scheduling with tolerated time interval and limited starting time interval based on hybrid discrete PSO-SA: An application from a casting workshop

In this paper, we addressed two significant characteristics in practical casting production, namely tolerated time interval (TTI) and limited starting time interval (LimSTI). With the consideration of TTI and LimSTI, a multi-objective flexible job-shop scheduling model is constructed to minimize total overtime of TTI, total tardiness and maximum completion time. To solve this model, we present a hybrid discrete particle swarm optimization integrated with simulated annealing (HDPSO-SA) algorithm which is decomposed into global and local search phases. The global search engine based on discrete particle swarm optimization includes two enhancements: a new initialization method to improve the quality of initial population and a novel gBest selection approach based on extreme difference to speed up the convergence of algorithm. The local search engine is based on simulated annealing algorithm, where four neighborhood structures are designed under two different local search strategies to help the proposed algorithm jump over the trap of local optimal solution. Finally, computational results of a real-world case and simulation data expanded from benchmark problems indicate that our proposed algorithm is significant in terms of the quality of non-dominated solutions compared to other algorithms.     

一种融合多帧ICP和图优化的算法研究

当前基于迭代最近点拼接的同时定位与建图算法,存在误差积累、无法满足大范围定位精度的缺陷。为此,提出一种融合多帧迭代最近点和图优化的算法。在时域上处理点云拼接问题,将单帧迭代最近点算法推广到多帧进行最近点迭代,提取同一地点在不同时刻的数据特征,形成多个封闭循环,再运用基于最小二乘的图优化方法对点云拼接后的全网数据进行全局优化,消除累计误差,提升整体的定位精度。采用鲁巷和密歇根的数据进行测试,结果表明,该方法在一定程度上减少了匹配误差,平均误差为1.0m,最小误差为0.2m,可以满足大范围同步定位与建图的精度需求。     

单域双向水平倾角最小化圈绕凸壳新算法

依据同构化凸壳构造基本定理,提出了效率更高的单域双向水平倾角最小化圈绕二维点集凸壳新算法,它实现了对卷包裹凸壳算法、单域单向水平倾角最小化圈绕凸壳算法的改进与创新.本新算法的同构化特点是：1）找出给定二维点集的最低点,即Y轴坐标值最小点（若有多个最小点,则只取最左的最小点）,并作为凸壳逆向（即逆时针）圈绕、顺向（即顺时针）圈绕的共同初始顶点（即最低顶点）.2）双向圈绕寻找最新顶点（即凸壳的下一组逆向、顺向最新顶点,而该组最新顶点＂初始组必为一个,最末组方可一个,其余组总为一对＂ ）：A.过逆向次新顶点作X轴正向射线,并找出当前点集内对该逆向次新顶点正向射线（为始边的）倾角最小的点,此最小点即为当前逆向最新顶点;B.过顺向次新顶点作X轴负向射线,并找出当前点集内对该顺向次新顶点负向射线（为终边的）倾角最小的点,此最小点即为当前顺向最新顶点.3）删除对已得各顶点所构成的子凸壳各内点.4）仅当所剩当前点集非空时才从＂2）＂继续作逐边双向圈绕.