Hierarchical control of end-point impedance and joint impedance forredundant manipulators

This paper proposes an impedance control method for redundant manipulators, which can control not only the end-point impedance using one of the conventional impedance control methods, but the joint impedance which has no effects on the end-point impedance. First, a sufficient condition for the joint impedance controller is derived. Then, the optimal controller for a given desired joint impedance is designed using the least squares method. Finally, computer simulations and experiments using a planar direct-drive robot are performed in order to confirm the validity of the proposed method     

Contouring controller design based on iterative contour error estimation for three-dimensional machining

Recently, there has been a growth of interest in high precision machining in multi-axis feed drive systems, subjected to problems such as friction, cutting force and incompatibility of individual driving axis dynamics. To guarantee high precision machining in modern computer numerical controlled (CNC) machines, CNC's controllers do its control efforts to reduce contour error. One of the common approaches is to design a controller based on the estimation of contour error in real time. However, for complex contours with severe curvatures, there is a lack of effective algorithms to calculate contour errors accurately. To address this problem, this paper proposes an accurate contour error estimation procedure for three-dimensional machining tasks. The proposed method is based on an iterative estimation of the instantaneous curvature of the reference trajectory and coordinates transformation approach, and hence, it is effective for complex reference trajectories with high curvatures. In addition, contour error controller is presented to reduce the estimated contour error. The feasibility and superiority of the proposed model as well as contour error controller are demonstrated through experimental system using a desk-top three-axis CNC machine.     

基于无模型自适应的外骨骼式上肢康复机器人主动交互训练控制方法

设计了一种基于无模型自适应的外骨骼式上肢康复机器人主动交互训练控制方法.在机器人与人体上肢接触面安装力传感器采集人机交互力矩信息作为量化的主动运动意图,设计了一种无模型自适应滤波算法使交互力矩变得平滑而连贯;以人机交互力矩为输入,综合考虑机器人末端点与参考轨迹的相对位置和补偿力的信息,设计了人机交互阻抗控制器,用于调节各关节的给定目标速度;设计了将无模型自适应与离散滑模趋近律相结合的速度控制器完成机器人各关节对目标速度的跟踪.仿真结果表明,该控制方法可以实现外骨骼式上肢康复机器人辅助患者完成主动交互训练的功能.通过调节人机交互阻抗控制器的相应参数,机器人可以按照患者的运动意图完成不同的主动交互训练任务,并在运动出现偏差时予以矫正.控制器在设计实现过程中不要求复杂准确的动力学建模和参数识别,并有一定的抗干扰性和通用性.     

Variable stiffness control for SEAs in rehabilitation training

ABSTRACT

Series Elastic Actuator (SEA) with both security and high performance is used extensively for rehabilitation robots with physical interaction. Human joints applied for motion therapy show variable stiffness properties during the process of rehabilitation training. When using robot to do motion therapy, impedance control is one of the most popular methods for rehabilitation works. However, impedance control with constant stiffness usually produces rigidity in the body due to natural changes of muscle tension. It may seriously restrict the achievement of excellent training effect and may even cause harm to patients. In this study, a novel real-time parallel variable stiffness control method is proposed based on cascade impedance controller. First, an SEA joint is analyzed and the limit factor of the impedance frequency is discussed. Subsequently, cascade impedance controller scheme with stiffness adjustment regulator is utilized to achieve the stiffness and the passivity of the controller is proved. Based on the scheme, a novel stiffness self-adjustment algorithm is presented which can regulate the stiffness by impedance approximation. Finally, simulation and experimental results are provided to validate the stiffness adjustment method during the rehabilitation process.     

分裂合并运动分割的多运动视觉里程计方法

目的 视觉里程计（visual odometry,VO）仅需要普通相机即可实现精度可观的自主定位,已经成为计算机视觉和机器人领域的研究热点,但是当前研究及应用大多基于场景为静态的假设,即场景中只有相机运动这一个运动模型,无法处理多个运动模型,因此本文提出一种基于分裂合并运动分割的多运动视觉里程计方法,获得场景中除相机运动外多个运动目标的运动状态。方法 基于传统的视觉里程计框架,引入多模型拟合的方法分割出动态场景中的多个运动模型,采用RANSAC（random sample consensus）方法估计出多个运动模型的运动参数实例;接着将相机运动信息以及各个运动目标的运动信息转换到统一的坐标系中,获得相机的视觉里程计结果,以及场景中各个运动目标对应各个时刻的位姿信息;最后采用局部窗口光束法平差直接对相机的姿态以及计算出来的相机相对于各个运动目标的姿态进行校正,利用相机运动模型的内点和各个时刻获得的相机相对于运动目标的运动参数,对多个运动模型的轨迹进行优化。结果 本文所构建的连续帧运动分割方法能够达到较好的分割结果,具有较好的鲁棒性,连续帧的分割精度均能达到近100%,充分保证后续估计各个运动模型参数的准确性。本文方法不仅能够有效估计出相机的位姿,还能估计出场景中存在的显著移动目标的位姿,在各个分段路径中相机自定位与移动目标的定位结果位置平均误差均小于6%。结论 本文方法能够同时分割出动态场景中的相机自身运动模型和不同运动的动态物体运动模型,进而同时估计出相机和各个动态物体的绝对运动轨迹,构建出多运动视觉里程计过程。     

Adaptive sliding mode control for trajectory tracking of nonholonomic mobile robot with uncertain kinematics and dynamics

ABSTRACT

This article designs a novel adaptive trajectory tracking controller for nonholonomic wheeled mobile robot under kinematic and dynamic uncertainties. A new velocity controller, in which kinematic parameter is estimated, produces velocity command of the robot. The designed adaptive sliding mode dynamic controller incorporates an estimator term to compensate for the external disturbances and dynamic uncertainties and a feedback term to improve the closed-loop stability and account for the estimation error of external disturbances. The system stability is analyzed using Lyapunov theory. Computer simulations affirm the robustness of the designed control scheme.     

机器人捕捉运动目标的动力学视觉伺服方法

提出一种机器人捕捉运动目标的动力学视觉伺服方法。基于位置阻抗控制器,通过双目立体视觉检测并跟踪运动目标的位置,结合CMAC网络,采用以视觉阻抗的二次型为训练目标的学习型视觉阻抗控制器,用于克服控制器对系统结构参数变化适应性差的缺点,并对阻抗参数进行优化。实验结果表明,该视觉伺服方法在机器人捕捉运动目标时具有良好的动力学特性和轨迹控制效果。     

点线光流预测机制的图像序列运动直线跟踪

目的 针对复杂场景图像序列中运动直线特征的提取、跟踪问题,提出一种基于点、线光流预测机制的图像序列运动直线跟踪方法。方法 首先根据图像直线的表达式定义点、线光流基本约束方程,由基本约束方程推导出关于点光流与直线光流对应关系的3个重要推论。然后依据点、线光流对应关系,利用图像序列中直线特征上的像素点光流计算直线光流的估计值并根据直线光流阈值筛选图像序列运动直线。最后由筛选出的运动直线及直线光流估计值计算直线的预测坐标并在Hough域内进行跟踪匹配,得到图像序列运动直线跟踪结果。结果 通过合成及真实图像序列实验验证,本文方法能够准确地筛选出图像序列中感兴趣的运动直线,并对运动直线进行稳定地跟踪、匹配,直线跟踪结果未产生干扰直线的误匹配,直线跟踪时间消耗不超过12 s。结论 相对于传统的直线跟踪、匹配方法,本文方法具有较高地直线跟踪精度和较好的鲁棒性,更适用于复杂场景下的运动直线跟踪、匹配问题。     

Helicopter pilots’ views of air traffic controller responsibilities: a mismatch

Abstract

Controllers and pilots must work together to ensure safe and efficient helicopter flight within the London control zone. Subjective ratings of pilot perception of controller responsibility for five key flight tasks were obtained from thirty helicopter pilots. Three types of airspace were investigated. Results indicate that there is variation in pilot understanding of controller responsibility compared to the formal regulations that define controller responsibility. Significant differences in the perception of controller responsibility were found for the task of aircraft separation in class D airspace and along helicopter routes. Analysis of the patterns of response suggests that task type rather than the airspace type may be the key factor. Results are framed using the concept of a shared mental model. This research demonstrates that pilots flying in complex London airspace have an expectation of controller responsibility for certain flight tasks, in certain airspace types that is not supported by aviation regulation.

Practitioner Summary: The responsibility for tasks during flight varies according to the flight rules used and airspace type. Helicopter pilots may attribute responsibility to controllers for tasks when controllers have no responsibility as defined by regulation. This variation between pilot perceptions of controller responsibility could affect safety within the London control zone.     

A nonlinear robust PI controller for an uncertain system

This paper presents a smooth control strategy for the regulation problem of an uncertain system, which assures uniform ultimate boundedness of the closed-loop system inside of the zero-state neighbourhood. This neighbourhood can be made arbitrarily small. To this end, a class of nonlinear proportional integral controllers or PI controllers was designed. The behaviour of this controller emulates very close a sliding mode controller. To accomplish this behaviour saturation functions were combined with traditional PI controller. The controller did not need a high-gain controller or a sliding mode controller to accomplish robustness against unmodelled persistent perturbations. The obtained closed-solution has a finite time of convergence in a small vicinity. The corresponding stability convergence analysis was done applying the traditional Lyapunov method. Numerical simulations were carried out to assess the effectiveness of the obtained controller.     

Multi-point impedance control for redundant manipulators

This paper proposes an impedance control method called the multi-point impedance control (MPIC) for redundant manipulators. The method can not only control end-effector impedance, but also regulate impedances of several points on the links of the manipulator, which are called virtual end-point impedances, utilizing arm redundancy. Two approaches for realizing the MPIC are presented. In the first approach, controlling the end-effector impedance and the virtual end-point impedances are considered as the tasks with the same level, and the joint control law developed in this approach can realize the closest impedances of the multiple points, including the end-effector and the virtual end-points to the desired ones in the least squared sense. On the other hand, in the second approach, controlling the end-effector impedance is considered the most important task, and regulating the impedances of the virtual end-points is considered as a sub-task. Under the second approach, the desired end-effector impedance can be always realized since the joint control torque for the regulation of the virtual end-point impedances is designed in such a way that it has no effect on the end-effector motion of the manipulator. Simulation experiments are performed to confirm the validity and to show the advantages of the proposed method.     

Implementation of robust impedance and force control

In this paper, we discuss the problem of implementing impedance control in the presence of model uncertainties and its application to robot force control. We first propose a sliding mode-based impedance controller. The implementation of the targeted impedance, and the preservation of stability in the presence of model uncertainties, are the key issues in the proposed approach. Using sliding mode control, a simple and robust algorithm is obtained so that the targeted impedance can be accurately implemented without the exact model of the robot. The controller is designed in terms of the task space coordinates. The chattering in the sliding mode control is eliminated by using a continuous function. The problem of force control is also addressed for the impedance controlled robot. An off-line estimation method of the environment model is suggested and used in the force control scheme. The proposed impedance and force control schemes have been experimentally verified on a two degree-of-freedom direct-drive robot arm. The experimental results are presented in this paper.     

OPTICS聚类与目标区域概率模型的多运动目标跟踪

目的 针对多运动目标在移动背景情况下跟踪性能下降和准确度不高的问题,本文提出了一种基于OPTICS聚类与目标区域概率模型的方法。方法 首先引入了Harris-Sift特征点检测,完成相邻帧特征点匹配,提高了特征点跟踪精度和鲁棒性;再根据各运动目标与背景运动向量不同这一点,引入了改进后的OPTICS加注算法,在构建的光流图上聚类,从而准确的分离出背景,得到各运动目标的估计区域;对每个运动目标建立一个独立的目标区域概率模型(OPM),随着检测帧数的迭代更新,以得到运动目标的准确区域。结果 多运动目标在移动背景情况下跟踪性能下降和准确度不高的问题通过本文方法得到了很好地解决,Harris-Sift特征点提取、匹配时间仅为Sift特征的17%。在室外复杂环境下,本文方法的平均准确率比传统背景补偿方法高出14%,本文方法能从移动背景中准确分离出运动目标。结论 实验结果表明,该算法能满足实时要求,能够准确分离出运动目标区域和背景区域,且对相机运动、旋转,场景亮度变化等影响因素具有较强的鲁棒性。     

Haptic force control based on impedance/admittance control aided by visual feedback

This paper demonstrates a haptic device for interaction with a virtual environment. The force control is added by visual feedback that makes the system more responsive and accurate. There are two popular control methods widely used in haptic controller design. First, is impedance control when user motion input is measured, and then, the reaction force is fed back to the operator. The alternative method is admittance control, when forces exerted by user are measured and motion is fed back to the user. Both, impedance and admittance control are also basic ways for interacting with a virtual environment. In this paper, several experiments were performed to evaluate the suitability of force-impedance control for haptic interface development. The difference between conventional application of impedance control in robot motion control and its application in haptic interface development is investigated. Open loop impedance control methodology is implemented for static case and a general-purpose robot under open loop impedance control was developed as a haptic device, while a closed loop model based impedance control was used for haptic controller design in both static and dynamic case. The factors that could affect to the performance of a haptic interface are also investigated experimentally using parametric studies. Experimental results for 1 DOF rotational motion and 2 DOF planar translational motion systems are presented. The results show that the impedance control aided by visual feedback broaden the applicability of the haptic device and makes the system more responsive and accurate.

汽油机非线性卡尔曼滤波暂态进气量估计及空燃比控制

暂态工况下缸进气量的准确估计是提高发动机空燃比控制精度的有效措施之一,为此本文提出一种基于无迹卡尔曼滤波的暂态缸进气量估计算法,并利用估计的缸进气量设计了一种前馈-反馈空燃比控制器.MATLAB环境下的仿真实验给出了所提出的算法与现有进气量估计算法的比较,同时基于暂态气量估计的空燃比控制仿真实验验证了估计的有效性.论文与现有成果的区别在于:一是暂态进气量估计模型不仅包含了歧管压力动态还考虑了曲轴角速度动态,并采用了基于非线性辨识的均值模型;二是考虑了泵气波动的影响,采用了移动平均值法的数字滤波器对泵气波动进行滤波;三是采用无迹卡尔曼滤波算法对歧管压力和曲轴角速度进行估计.     

Composite Nonlinear Bilateral Control for Teleoperation Systems With External Disturbances

This paper presents a new composite nonlinear bilateral control method based on the nonlinear disturbance observer (NDOB) for teleoperation systems with external disturbances. By introducing the estimations of NDOB and systems' nominal nonlinear dynamics into controller design, a NDOB based composite nonlinear bilateral controller is constructed to attenuate the influence of disturbance and uncertain nonlinearities. As compared with the existing bilateral control methods which usually achieve force haptic (i.e., contact force tracking) through a passive way, the newly proposed method has two major merits: 1) asymptotical convergence of both position and force tracking errors is guaranteed; 2) disturbance influence on force tracking error dynamics is rejected through the direct feedforward compensation of disturbance estimation. Simulations on a nonlinear teleoperation system are carried out and the results validate the effectiveness of the proposed controller.      

Robust adaptive fault estimation and fault tolerant control for quadrotor attitude systems

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses the problem of fault estimation and fault tolerant control for quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle. Firstly, a robust adaptive fault estimation observer (AFEO) is proposed to achieve fault estimation of quadrotor with actuator fault in the presence of external disturbances and parameter uncertainties. Furthermore, based on the estimation of fault, a dynamic output feedback fault tolerant controller (DOFFTC) is designed to stabilise the closed-loop system with faults and uncertainties. Sufficient conditions for the existence of both AFEO and DOFFTC are given in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.     

级联回归的多姿态人脸配准

目的 人脸配准是当前计算机视觉领域的研究热点之一,其目的是准确定位出人脸图像中具有语义特征的面部关键点,这也是人脸识别、人脸美化等众多与人脸有关的视觉任务的重要步骤。最近,基于级联回归的人脸配准算法在配准精度和速度上都达到了最先进的水准。级联回归是一种迭代更新的算法,初始脸形将通过多个线性组合的弱回归器逐渐逼近真实的人脸形状。但目前的算法大多致力于改进学习方法或提取具有几何不变性的特征来提升弱回归器的能力,而忽略了初始脸形的质量,这极大的降低了它们在复杂场景下的配准精度,如夸张的面部表情和极端的头部姿态等。因此,在现有的级联回归框架上,提出自动估计初始形状的多姿态人脸配准算法。方法 本文算法首先在脸部区域提取基于高斯滤波一阶导数的梯度差值特征,并使用随机回归森林预测人脸形状;然后针对不同的形状使用独立的级联回归器。结果 验证初始形状估计算法的有效性,结果显示,本文的初始化算法能给现有的级联回归算法带来精度上的提升,同时结果也更加稳定;本文算法产生的初始形状都与实际脸型较为相近,只需很少的初始形状即可取得较高的精度;在COFW、HELEN和300W人脸数据库上,将本文提出的多姿态级联回归算法和现有配准算法进行对比实验,本文算法的配准误差相较现有算法分别下降了29.2%、13.3%和9.2%,结果表明,本文算法能有效消除不同脸型之间的干扰,在多姿态场景下得到更加精确的配准结果,并能达到实时的检测速度。结论 基于级联回归模型的多姿态人脸配准算法可以取得优于现有算法的结果,在应对复杂的脸形时也更加鲁棒。所提出的初始形状估计算法可以自动产生高质量的初始形状,用于提升现有的级联回归算法。     

Soft Interaction Between Body Weight Support System and Human Using Impedance Control Based on Fractional Calculus

In recent years, research and development have been conducted on robots designed to assist people with disabilities in daily activities. There is a great demand for control technology for realizing flexible contact and cooperative behavior. We here report a novel impedance control method based on a fractional calculation inspired by the viscoelastic properties of biomaterials such as muscle. This paper presents an evaluation of this concept by simulation and by experiment using a robotic system for body weight support. The experimental results demonstrated that the fractional impedance controller has superior contact force absorption performance compared with a conventional controller, especially for high-stiffness objects and high-velocity movement. This fractional impedance controller may be useful especially for the purpose of flexible contact for assistive and rehabilitation robots for people.     

Visual detection and tracking with UAVs,following a mobile object

ABSTRACT

Conception and development of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) capable of detecting, tracking and following a moving object with unknown dynamics is presented in this work, considering a human face as a case of study. Object detection is accomplished by a Haar cascade classifier. Once an object is detected, it is tracked with the help of a Kalman Filter (KF), and an estimation of the relative position with respect to the target is obtained. A linear controller is used to validate the proposed vision scheme and for regulating the aerial robot's position in order to keep a constant distance with respect to the mobile target, employing as well the extra available information from the embedded sensors. The proposed system was extensively tested in real-time experiments, through different conditions, using a commercial quadcopter connected via wireless to a ground station running under the Robot Operative System (ROS). The proposed overall strategy shows a good performance even under disadvantageous conditions as outdoor flight, being robust against illumination changes, image noise and the presence of other people in the scene.