Evaluation of head-collision safety of a 7-DOF manipulator according to posture variation

As the need for the improvement of the productivity in the manufacturing process grows, industrial robots are brought out of the safety fences and used in the direct collaborative operation with human workers. Consequently, the intended and/or unintended contact between the human and the robot in the collaborative operation is no longer an extraordinary event and is a mundane possibility. The level of the risk of the collision depends on various quantities associated with the collision, for example, inertia, velocity, stiffness, and so on. MSI (manipulator safety index) which is based on HIC (head injury criteria) conventionally used in the automotive industry is one of the practically available measures to estimate the risk of the collision between the human and the manipulator. In this paper MSI is applied to evaluate the collision safety of a 7-DOF articulated human-arm-like manipulator. The risk of the collision could be reduced by choosing different postures without deviating from the given end-effector trajectory using the redundant degree of freedom in the 7-DOF manipulator. The paper shows how the redundant degree of the freedom is utilized to design safer trajectories and/or safer manipulator configurations among many available. A parametric analysis and simulation results for a given trajectory illustrate the usefulness of the concept of the trajectory design for alleviating the risk of the manipulator operation in the human–robot coexisting workspace.     

On the Validation of SPDM Task Verification Facility

This paper describes a methodology for validating a ground‐based, hardware‐in‐the‐loop, space‐robot simulation facility. This facility, called “SPDM task verification facility,” is being developed by the Canadian Space Agency for the purpose of verifying the contact dynamics performance of the special purpose dexterous manipulator (SPDM) performing various maintenance tasks on the International Space Station because the real SPDM cannot be physically tested for 3D operations on the ground due to the gravity. The facility uses a high‐fidelity SPDM mathematical model, known as the “truth model” of the space robot, to drive a hydraulic robot to mimic the space robot performing contact operations. In this research different techniques were studied for practically verifying that the complex simulation facility preserves the dynamics of the truth model of the space robot for space‐representative contact robotic tasks. Based upon the study and many years of experience in developing and verifying space robotic systems, a practical validation strategy including detailed test cases was developed along with a set of quantitative criteria for judging the validation test results. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A Workcell for the Development of Robot-Assisted Surgical Procedures

This paper describes a robotic workstation for the development of new robot-assisted surgical procedures. This work is motivated by the difficulties and cost associated to the development of surgical robots, often requiring large investments and several re-designs which limit wider use of this technology. The approach presented here consists of using a general purpose robotic workcell to develop the hardware and the surgical aspects of new robot-based surgical systems, before committing to a completely new system design. The workcell is based on a clean room PUMA 260 manipulator, suitably enhanced to expand and improve its capabilities, and on a vision-based operator interface. Two new robot-assisted surgical procedures have been developed and tested using this set-up: percutaneous discectomy and knee osteoctomy. By using the robotic workcell, engineers and surgeons are able to define many aspects of the two procedures, such as surgical gestures, workspace of the robot, and calibration procedures, without incurring a large, up-front investment. First, the article describes the configuration of the workcell, the enhancements to the PUMA manipulator and the surgical procedures developed with this setup. Then the results of the tests and the lessons learned using the workcell are discussed in some detail.     

Playing it safe [human-friendly robots]

We have presented a new actuation concept for human-friendly robot design, referred to as DM/sup 2/. The new concept of DM/sup 2/ was demonstrated on a two-degree-of-freedom prototype robot arm that we designed and built to validate our approach. The new actuation approach substantially reduces the impact loads associated with uncontrolled manipulator collision by relocating the major source of actuation effort from the joint to the base of the manipulator. The emerging field of human-centered robotics focuses on application such as medical robotics and service robotics, which require close interaction between robotic manipulation systems and human beings, including direct human-manipulator contact. As a result, this system must consider the requirements of safety. To achieve safety we must employ multiple strategies involving all aspects of manipulator design.     

Real-time Velocity Alteration Strategy for Collision-free Trajectory Planning of Two Articulated Robot Manipulators

Two articulated robots working in a shared workspace can be programmed by planning the tip trajectory of each robot independently. To account for collision avoidance between links, a real-time velocity alteration strategy based on fast and accurate collision detection is proposed in this paper to determine the step of next motion of slave (low priority) robot for collision-free trajectory planning of two robots with priorities. The effectiveness of the method depends largely on a newly developed method of accurate estimate of distance between links. By using the enclosing and enclosed ellipsoids representations of polyhedral models of links of robots, the minimum distance estimate and collision detection between the links can be performed more efficiently and accurately. The proposed strategy is implemented in an environment where the geometric paths of robots are pre-planned and the preprogrammed velocities are piecewise constant but adjustable. Under the control of the proposed strategy, the master robot always moves at a constant speed. The slave robot moves at the selected velocity, selected by a tradeoff between collision trend index and velocity reduction in one collision checking time, to keep moving as far as possible and as fast as possible while avoid possible collisions along the path. The collision trend index is a fusion of distance and relative velocity between links of two robots to reflect the possibility of collision at present and in the future. Graphic simulations of two PUMA560 robot arms working in common workspace but with independent goals are conducted. Simulations demonstrate the collision avoidance capability of the proposed approach as compared to the approach based on bounding volumes. It shows that advantage of our approach is less number of speed alterations required to react to potential collisions.     

Human–robot collision model with effective mass and manipulability for design of a spatial manipulator

As the use of service robots becomes more popular, many solutions to ensure human safety during human–robot collision have been proposed. In this paper, we address one of the most fundamental solutions to design an inherently safe robot manipulator. A collision model is developed to evaluate the collision safety of any spatial manipulator. Most collision studies have focused on collision analysis and safety evaluation, but not on the use of evaluation results to design a safer robot arm. Therefore, we propose a collision model that relates design parameters to collision safety by adopting effective mass and manipulability. The model was then simplified with several assumptions. Furthermore, experimental results from biomechanical literature were employed to describe a human–robot collision. The major advantage of this collision model is that it can be used to systemically determine the design parameters of a robot arm.     

装配机器人系统快速碰撞检测算法

提出一种面向操作手段装配系统的快速碰撞检测算法。该算法以机器人运动学和空间解析几何为基础,将判断机械手手臂与障碍物是否发生碰撞问题转化为直线段与有界平面是否存在公共点的简单解析几何问题,并以PUMA560操作手为例对算法加以说明,该算法不仅适用于静态的障碍物已知的环境,而且适用于障碍物运动规律已知的动态环境,减少了碰撞检测占用的时间,提高了路径规划的效率。     

Projection operator-based robust adaptive control of an aerial robot with a manipulator

This paper describes a quadcopter manipulator system, an aerial robot with an extended workspace, its controller design, and experimental validation. The aerial robot is based on a quadcopter with a three degree of freedom robotic arm connected to the base of the vehicle. The work aims to create a stable airborne robot with a robotic arm that can work above and below the airframe, regardless of where the arm is attached. Integrating a robotic arm into an underactuated, unstable system like a quadcopter can enhance the vehicle's functionality while increasing instability. To execute a mission with accuracy and reliability during a real-time task, the system must overcome the inter-coupling effects and external disturbances. This work presents a novel design for a robust adaptive feedback linearization controller with a model reference adaptive controller and hardware implementation of the quadcopter manipulator system with plant uncertainties. The closed-loop stability of the aerial robot and the tracking error convergence with the robust controller is analyzed using Lyapunov stability analysis. The quadcopter manipulator system is custom developed in the lab with an off-the-shelf quadcopter and a 3D-printed robotic arm. The robotic system architecture is implemented using a Jetson Nano companion computer for autonomous onboard flight. Experiments were conducted on quadcopter manipulator system to evaluate the autonomous aerial robot's stability and trajectory tracking with the proposed controller.     

机器人辅助内镜手术系统的设计与开发

机器人应用于外科手术中，通过医生和机器人系统的合理分工和有机配合，可以提高 手术质量、改善医生工作条件、实现远程手术等．本文以纤维内镜手术为研究对象，针对术 中X射线对医护人员身体健康造成伤害的现状，设计了机器人辅助内镜手术系统，使医生可 以远程控制手术室的操作器完成内镜和手术器械的操作，实现诊断和治疗的目的．文章详细 介绍了系统的研制背景、总体设计、内镜操作器子系统原型样机设计及实验，并结合系统开 发对医疗外科机器人的人机交互接口、安全性及临床应用等问题进行了讨论．     

基于人工势场的机器人遥操作安全预警域动态生成方法

为了避免机器人遥操作过程中,机器人与环境物体不必要的碰撞,以及解决"运动-等待"现象影响机器人系统安全性和效率的问题,提出了基于人工势场生成动态安全预警域的算法.该算法根据等势面原理生成的预警域既可以实时地检测机器人与环境物体的距离,又可以根据机器人的速度和加速度划定一个相对安全的区域,避免机器人在下一时刻因为速度过快与环境物体发生碰撞.最后搭建遥操作实验平台,进行了机器人在预警算法的辅助下快速抓取目标的实验.实验证明,该算法可有效提高远程机器人遥操作的安全性和效率.     

Observer-Based Adaptive Controller Design of Flexible Manipulators Using Time-Delay Neuro-Fuzzy Networks

In this paper, a dynamical time-delay neuro-fuzzy controller is proposed for the adaptive control of a flexible manipulator. It is assumed that the robotic manipulator has only joint angle position measurements. A linear observer is used to estimate the robot joint angle velocity. For a perfect tracking control of the robot, the output redefinition approach is used in the adaptive controller design using time-delay neuro-fuzzy networks. The time-delay neuro-fuzzy networks with the rule representation of the TSK type fuzzy system have better learning ability for complex dynamics as compared with existing neural networks. The novel control structure and learning algorithm are given, and a simulation for the trajectory tracking of a flexible manipulator illustrates the control performance of the proposed control approach.     

Function-oriented design of a friction stir welding robot

The paper starts with the analysis on the need for intelligent manufacturing systems, and proposes our view of the solution to the problem from a mechatronic point of view. It discusses issues related to the flexible modular systems that produce modular flexible products. The paper takes a novel welding technology called friction stir welding as a case study, and investigates issues related to the design of a machine that could automate the process. It presents a function-oriented approach that could provide the guidelines in development of such a system. Along with the various alternatives of the friction stir welding machines concepts, various types of welding configurations are discussed in detail thereby providing necessary details for function-oriented conceptual design of a general-purpose robotic system. The paper, then, presents the system model for an articulated robot manipulator, as suggested by functional design, followed by simulations to investigate its suitability for such an application. The proposed solution not only ensures the achievement of requirements for the intelligent manufacturing systems, but also provides the necessary guidelines in design and development of such systems, as the concluding remarks. The paper is finalized by future developments and suggestions.     

Collision-avoidance for redundant robots through control of the self-motion of the manipulator

A new method to on-line collision-avoidance of the links of redundant robots with obstacles is presented. The method allows the use of redundant degrees of freedom such that a manipulator can avoid obstacles while tracking the desired end-effector trajectory. It is supposed that the obstacles in the workspace of the manipulator are presented by convex polygons. The recognition of collisions of the links of the manipulator with obstacles results on-line through a nonsensory method. For every link of the redundant manipulator and every obstacle a boundary ellipse is defined in workspace such that there is no collision if the robot joints are outside these ellipses. In case a collision is imminent, the collision-avoidance algorithm compute the self-motion movements necessary to avoid the collision. The method is based on coordinate transformation and inverse kinematics and leads to the favorable use of the abilities of redundant robots to avoid the collisions with obstacles while tracking the end-effector trajectory. This method has the advantage that the configuration of the manipulator after collision-avoidance can be influenced by further requirements such as avoidance of singularities, joint limits, etc. The effectiveness of the proposed method is discussed by theoretical considerations and illustrated by simulation of the motion of three-and four-link planar manipulators between obstacles.     

Combinatorial Optimization and Performance Analysis of a Multi-arm Cartesian Robotic Fruit Harvester—Extensions of Graph Coloring

A mobile melon robotic harvester consisting of multiple Cartesian manipulators, each with three degrees of freedom, is being developed. In order to design an optimal robot in terms of number of arms, manipulator capabilities, and robot speed, a method of allocating the fruits to be picked by each manipulator in a way that yields the maximum harvest has been developed. Such a method has already been devised for a multi-arm robot with 2DOF each. The maximum robotic harvesting problem was shown there to be an example of the maximum k-colorable subgraph problem (MKCSP) on an interval graph. However, for manipulators with 3DOF, the additional longitudinal motion results in variable intervals. To overcome this issue, we devise a new model based on the color-dependent interval graph (CDIG). This enables the harvest by multiple robotic arms to be modeled as a modified version of the MKCSP. Based on previous research, we develop a greedy algorithm that solves the problem in polynomial time, and prove its optimality using induction. As with the multi-arm 2DOF robot, when simulated numerous times on a field of randomly distributed fruits, the algorithm yields a nearly identical percentage of fruit harvested for given robot parameters. The results of the probabilistic analysis developed for the 2DOF robot was modified to yield a formula for the expected harvest ratio of the 3DOF robot. The significance of this method is that it enables selecting the most efficient actuators, number of manipulators, and robot forward velocity for maximal robotic fruit harvest.     

A Series-elastic Robot for Back-pain Rehabilitation

This paper addresses the robot-assisted rehabilitation of back pain, an epidemic health problem affecting a large portion of the population. The design is composed of two springs in series connected to an end-effector via a pair of antagonistic cables. The spring and cable arrangement forms an elastic coupling from the actuator to the output shaft. An input-output torque model of the series-elastic mechanism is established and studied numerically. The study also illustrates the variation of the mechanism’s effective stiffness by changing the springs’ position. In addition, we built a prototype of the robotic mechanism and design experiments with a robotic manipulator to experimentally investigate its dynamic characteristics. The experimental results confirm the predicted elasticity between the input motion and the output torque at the end-effector. We also observe an agreement between the data generated by the torque model and data collected from the experiments. An experiment with a full-scale robot and a human subject is carried out to investigate the human-robot interaction and the mechanism behavior.

     

Optimal robot placement with consideration of redundancy problem for wrist-partitioned 6R articulated robots

Rapid set-up of robotic system is critical for realising the high-mix low-volume applications. This paper presents an efficient method to determine the optimal robot base placement for executing required end-effector trajectories while dealing with redundancy problem for wrist-partitioned 6 R articulated robots. The main feature of the method includes the integration of two multi-objectives optimization loops that involve parameterized inverse kinematics of the robot to find the proper robot configurations. Firstly, an optimization scheme is introduced in consideration of all the robot and operational constraints including reachability, singularity avoidance, and collision avoidance. Then, a redundancy resolution scheme is proposed based on a modified particle swarm optimization (MPSO) for the considered target point. Consequently, the optimal robot base placement is obtained via another optimization loop which includes all robot trajectories for the application. The method was applied in a complex robotic welding application. For a set of desired welding torch trajectories on the workpiece, the optimal robot base placement is computed within a few minutes.     

机器人碰撞检测方法形式化

为应对更为复杂的任务需求,现代机器人产业发展愈发迅猛.出于协调工作的灵活性、柔顺性以及智能性等多项考虑因素,多臂/多机器人充分发挥了机器人的强大作用,成为现代机器人产业的重要研究热点.在机器人双臂协调运行当中,机械臂之间以及机械臂与外部障碍物之间容易发生碰撞,可能会造成财产损失甚至人员伤亡.对机器人碰撞检测方法进行形式化验证,以球体和胶囊体形式化模型为基础,构建基本几何体单元之间最短距离和机器人碰撞的高阶逻辑模型,证明其相关属性及碰撞条件,建立机器人碰撞检测方法基础定理库,为多机系统碰撞检测算法可靠性与稳定性的验证提供技术支撑和验证框架.     

A geometric method for determining joint rotations in the inverse kinematics of robotic manipulators

An inverse‐kinematics algorithm has been developed to evaluate the joint rotations of a robotic manipulator given the orientation of its hand link. The method mimics the way a person would determine the joint rotations by assembling the links comprising the robot mechanism and making adjustments in the joint displacements until the hand link is in the desired situation. An example is given where it is shown that the method is reasonably robust, can be applied to any design of robot, and is competitive with alternative highly‐mathematical, specific‐robot specialized, computational‐intensive schemes. ©2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

三自由度苹果采摘机器人本体设计

目前绝大部分应用在水果采摘上的关节型机器人控制复杂,成本高,而且采摘效率低,设计结构简单的采摘机器人是研究的重点。针对苹果种植的园艺特点和关节型采摘机械臂的不足,设计了一套基于圆柱坐标的三自由度苹果采摘机器人本体结构。控制系统采用基于PC&MP2100的分布式控制方案,阐明了机器人作业流程,编写了采摘控制程序,控制中引入模糊PID和偏差耦合同步控制方法,并基于C#,开发了人机交互界面。在实验室对机械臂进行了单轴调试、多轴同步调试、运动耗时和定位精度试验,结果表明采摘机械臂单次运动时间平均为6.619 s,平均运动误差值只有4.929 mm,相比关节型机械臂减少了耗时,降低了成本并且提高了定位精度和采摘效率。     

Image‐guided robotic navigation system for neurosurgery

This paper presents an image‐guided robotic navigation system for neurosurgery, which can be applied to the electro‐stimulation treatment of Parkinson's leisure, the biopsy of deep tumors, and haematoma evacuation. The system integrates a computer containing CT images for surgical planning, a magnetic tracking device for measuring the coordinates of the markers and surgical instruments, and a robot manipulator for guiding surgical instruments to the preplanned position and orientation. The computer display of brain anatomy offers a convenient tool for surgeons to diagnose brain diseases and to plan safe surgical paths, while the tracking device guides the robot manipulator to automatically move surgical instruments to the preplanned position and orientation. An experiment of using a skull model for simulating a robotic biopsy of brain tumor has been done to verify the performance of the robotic navigation system. The results show that the positioning accuracy of the robot relative to the tracker frame is only related to the positioning resolution of the robot manipulator and the positioning accuracy of the tracking device. In other words, the positioning accuracy of the robot manipulator does not affect the final positioning accuracy of the surgical instruments. Therefore, using a robot manipulator for precise surgical navigation is feasible and reliable. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.