Explicit dynamics of space free-flyers with multiple manipulators via SPACEMAPLE

This paper focuses on the dynamics of a multiple manipulator space free-flying robot (SFFR) with rigid links and issues relevant to the development of appropriate control algorithms. To develop an explicit dynamics model of such complex systems, the Lagrangian formulation is applied. First, the system kinetic energy is derived based on a developed kinematics approach. Then, through vigorous mathematical analyses, three formats are obtained which describe the contribution of each term of kinetic energy to the equations of motion. Next, explicit derivations of a system's mass matrix, and of the vectors of non-linear velocity terms and generalized forces are introduced for the first time. The obtained dynamics model is very useful for dynamics analyses, design and development of control algorithms for such complex systems. The explicit SFFR dynamics can be implemented either numerically or symbolically. Following the latter approach, the developed symbolic code for dynamics modeling, i.e. SPACEMAPLE, and its verification procedure are described, and issues relevant to the development and computation of dynamics models in control algorithms are briefly discussed. Specific dynamic characteristics of SFFRs compared to fixed-base manipulators are pointed out.     

Development of a Robotic System which Assists Unmanned Production Based on Cooperation between Off-Line Robots and On-Line Robots: Concept, Analysis and Related Technology

In order to deal with labour shortages due to the predicted low birth rate in the 21st century, and create a more friendly production system, we propose a robotic system which assists production in flexible manufacturing environments. In this robotic system off-line robots are proposed to replace or reduce the need for human workers at the shop-floor. The off-line robots carry out assisting or service tasks for the on-line robots which perform manufacturing tasks at the production line or site. In this paper, first, an analysis of a conventional automatic production system using robots is described. Secondly, the concept of a robotic production system using two types of robots is proposed. Thirdly, a methodology for the realisation of the proposed concept and some technical results are presented. Finally, fault recovery using off-line robots and peripheral technology are discussed.     

A real-time robotic model of human reference resolution using visual constraints

Evidence from recent psycholinguistic experiments suggests that humans resolve reference incrementally in the presence of constraining visual context. In this paper, we present and evaluate a computational model of human reference resolution that directly builds a semantic interpretation of an utterance without the need for a separate syntactic analysis phase, which typically involves the construction of parse trees. The model is implemented on a robot using real audio and video inputs, (thus it operates in real time), and is distributed over several computers, which run in parallel. Results from experiments with the model confirm the viability of the algorithm to process semantic interpretations, in particular reference incrementally, as demonstrated to be employed by humans.     

Burr Contour Recognition and Coordinates Sequence Real-Time Generation for Robotic Deburring Efficiency Optimization

毛刺轮廓识别和坐标顺序实时生成下的机器人去毛刺效率优化

熊仁涛¹,赖增亮¹,管贻生¹,杨宇峰²,蔡传武²

（1. 广东工业大学 机电工程学院,广州 510006;

2. 佛山博文机器人自动化科技有限公司,佛山 528237）

创新点说明：

1） 提出一种基于视觉的毛刺轮廓识别方法;

2） 将毛刺轮廓坐标按照标准工件闭环轮廓去毛刺加工顺序实时生成;

3） 通过调整去毛刺速度提高机器人去毛刺的效率。

研究目的：

提供一种高精度和高效率的机器人自动化去毛刺技术和装备,解决现代机械制造行业中存在的加工精度差和去毛刺效率低的问题,包括但不限于机器人去毛刺、抛光打磨、焊缝处理、喷涂等机器人自动化作业。

研究方法：

1）基于局部可变形模板匹配算法,将标准工件轮廓与待加工工件轮廓进行配准;

2）计算两轮廓之间逐点像素距离,基于设定的距离阈值将毛刺大小划分为不同的量级;

3） 将毛刺轮廓坐标映射到标准工件轮廓中,实时生成机器人去毛刺闭环加工路径顺序;

4） 基于毛刺大小量化信息,实时调整机器人去毛刺的速度。

研究结果：

1）针对具有随机形变的工件,基于局部可变形模板匹配算法可以获得高的轮廓匹配度;

2） 在X和Y方向上,对毛刺轮廓坐标进行排序,可以生成与标准工件轮廓去毛刺路径一致的加工顺序;

3） 基于毛刺大小量化信息,可以实时调整机器人去毛刺的速度。

结 论：

基于视觉的提高机器人去毛刺效率的方法,相比传统离线编程去毛刺,去毛刺效率提高了13.53%。

关键词：机器人去毛刺;装配精度;轮廓识别;模板匹配;去毛刺效率

     

一种双自由度胸鳍仿生机器鱼

为提升机动性,设计一种由双自由度胸鳍和仿鲹科鱼尾部相结合的运动推进型仿生机器鱼。分别对机器 鱼的双自由度胸鳍、身体与尾部弹簧传动机构进行设计,采用Arduino 控制板及一体化的硅胶膜,基于电气系统控 制方案和防水密封方案,通过对CPG 单元进行建模与控制,给出机器鱼在不同运动形态下的控制方法,并通过实验 验证了方案的可行性。结果表明,该设计实现了双自由度胸鳍机器鱼直行、转弯、下潜的运动姿态。     

模块化可重构外肢体机器人

针对单人无法独立完成的操作任务,需要额外辅助的需求,提出并研制了一种模块化、可重构的外肢体机器人,该机器人由多个结构、功能相同的基本模块单元串联组成。为了实现模块化外肢体机器人的模块连接配置与变形重构能力,分析了基本模块单元的结构、功能需求,根据需求设计了基于舵机驱动的模块单元。每个模块单元由两个楔形子模块共轴相互转动构成,形成一个转动自由度。设计了基于磁铁吸附的机械连接机构,可以实现两个模块间的快速连接与分离;提出了双排金属触点间隔错位连接方法,保证两个模块单元间实现可靠的电气系统连接。划分了双模块串联条件下4种不同的连接方位,得出了外肢体机器人的构型配置种类与串联模块个数关系。面向具有任意模块个数、不同连接方位的外肢体机器人,建立了基于虚拟转轴的模块化外肢体机器人通用正向运动学模型。对基本模块的转动能力、承载能力、快速连接能力以及外肢体机器人在焊接过程中,辅助操作人员夹持导线、递送电话等能力进行了试验,验证了所提出的新型模块化外肢体机器人的辅助能力。     

Electro-mechanical modelling and identification of electroactive polymer actuators as smart robotic manipulators

Electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators, also known as artificial muscles, have remarkable properties such as low energy consumption, low weight, low actuation foot-print, compliance and bio-compatibility. Several methodologies have been proposed to model and analyse their quasi-static bending behaviour with negligible attention paid to their dynamic behaviour. We, therefore, report on an enhanced methodology to model their highly non-linear bending behaviour by treating them as smart and soft robotic manipulators. The methodology consists of an inverse kinematic model and a dynamic model. The proposed methodology accurately estimates the EAP actuator’s whole shape deflection using optimization-based inverse kinematic solutions integrated with an electro-mechanical dynamic model. The experimental and numerical results are presented to show the effectiveness of the soft robotic manipulator model in estimating the highly non-linear bending behaviour of the polypyrrole electroactive polymer (PPy-EAP) actuators. The proposed methodology can easily be extended to other bending type actuators and active smart manipulators.     

A new twist on gyroscopic sensing: body rotations lead to torsion in flapping,flexing insect wings

Insects perform fast rotational manoeuvres during flight. While two insect orders use flapping halteres (specialized organs evolved from wings) to detect body dynamics, it is unknown how other insects detect rotational motions. Like halteres, insect wings experience gyroscopic forces when they are flapped and rotated and recent evidence suggests that wings might indeed mediate reflexes to body rotations. But, can gyroscopic forces be detected using only changes in the structural dynamics of a flapping, flexing insect wing? We built computational and robotic models to rotate a flapping wing about an axis orthogonal to flapping. We recorded high-speed video of the model wing, which had a flexural stiffness similar to the wing of the Manduca sexta hawkmoth, while flapping it at the wingbeat frequency of Manduca (25 Hz). We compared the three-dimensional structural dynamics of the wing with and without a 3 Hz, 10° rotation about the yaw axis. Our computational model revealed that body rotation induces a new dynamic mode: torsion. We verified our result by measuring wing tip displacement, shear strain and normal strain of the robotic wing. The strains we observed could stimulate an insect''s mechanoreceptors and trigger reflexive responses to body rotations.     

基于CAN总线的机器人单元监控系统的设计

针对机器人制造单元现场环境复杂、监控所需数据量大,实时性、可靠性要求高的特点,设计并开发了一种基于CAN总线的机器人制造单元监控系统。该系统主要包含数据采集与通讯、可视化监控和信息存储三部分。重点介绍了基于80C51的CAN总线节点在机器人制造单元中的软、硬件的实现架构及其应用。实际运行表明,该系统能有效的监控机器人制造单元的运行,保证单元运行的稳定、可靠,提高机器人制造单元运行效率。