Robotics and Autonomous Systems最新文献

{"title":"Positioning accuracy improvement for target point tracking of robots based on Extended Kalman Filter with an optical tracking system","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104751","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104751","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Although industrial robots have been successfully used in a wide spectrum of applications for production automation, they still face challenges for many high precision tasks especially in low-volume high-mix production due to their low absolute positioning accuracy. To respond to such rapidly changing production tasks, an efficient means is required to determine the pose relationship between the robot and the workpiece without human intervention such as teaching the robot. For this purpose, the paper proposes the use of the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) with an optical tracking system to improve the robot positioning accuracy with a particular focus on the target point tracking of the end-of-arm tool, which is an essential part for many robotic tasks. To this end, a comprehensive kinematic error model is first derived for the end-of-arm tool that accounts for the errors in the Denavit-Hartenberg (D-H) parameters, the positioning errors of the robot base and the end-of-arm tool installation. Then, by using the optical tracking system, the pose of the end-of-arm tool relative to the workpiece can be determined in an efficient way. Based on the EKF algorithm, the kinematic parameter errors of the system can be estimated online to compensate the positioning error of the target point during the robot movement. Simulation and experimental tests have been performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The proposed approach utilizes the given trajectory to design a compensation scheme where the kinematic parameter errors of the robot are estimated during the motion and then the positioning error of the end-of-arm tool is compensated at the target point. As a result, this approach can improve the target point accuracy of the robot without continuous feedback to reduce the tracking error along the trajectory in real time. It is easy to implement and suitable for low-volume, high-mix scenarios to determine the pose relationship between the robot and the workpiece without human intervention.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49592,"journal":{"name":"Robotics and Autonomous Systems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141696213","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Simulation study on four-wheeled mobile robot mechanisms using various performance criteria","authors":"Sijun Ryu,&nbsp;Jeeho Won,&nbsp;TaeWon Seo","doi":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104749","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2024.104749","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this paper, the performance criteria for various four-wheeled mobile robots that are crucial for assessing a robot’s fitness for mobility to successfully complete missions are introduced. The seven proposed performance indices, the root mean squared acceleration (RMSA), posture variance index (PVI), static stability margin (SSM), force angle stability margin (FASM), energy stability margin (ESM), friction requirement (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>r</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>), and velocity constraint violation (VCV), address the fluctuation, rollover, and slippage problems in four-wheeled mobile robots. The simulations considered a square bump-shaped obstacle, and the dimensions of the robot were based on nine simulation cases in a 3D environment. Additionally, a methodology for evaluating these seven criteria is outlined. To streamline the simulation process, Taguchi’s catalog of orthogonal arrays (OAs) was used for the experimental design, specifically L9 OA with four factors and three levels was used. Analysis of means (ANOM) was applied to assess the influence of each design factor on the seven criteria, leveraging the OA orthogonality. Finally, the sensitivity analysis and potential for evaluating general mobile robots in the future are discussed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49592,"journal":{"name":"Robotics and Autonomous Systems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141606689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Locomotion gait control of snake robots based on a novel unified CPG network model composed of Hopf oscillators","authors":"Xupeng Liu ,&nbsp;Yong Zang ,&nbsp;Zhiying Gao ,&nbsp;Maolin Liao","doi":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104746","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2024.104746","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Snake robots with limbless structure and rich locomotion gaits have been designed and built for wide application in various fields including military reconnaissance, pipeline operation, disaster search and rescue, etc. However, the problem how to flexibly and smoothly control switch and change of different locomotion gaits is still facing enormous challenges. A novel unified design rule of the CPG network model composed of improved Hopf oscillators is proposed, based on which a variety of different network structures can be created by designing connection distances and coupling weights among all oscillator units. Through the relationships between the control parameters of the Hopf oscillator, decoupling of the bifurcation parameters is achieved to solve inconsistent output waveform amplitude when the bifurcation parameters are not completely equal. Furthermore, five typical movement modes of biological snake are designed and smooth switch between different locomotion gaits is realized. A control system is constructed based on the Robot Operating System (ROS) and a prototype of snake robot is built, and the effectiveness of the proposed CPG model in controlling locomotion gaits was verified through simulations and experiments. The CPG modeling approach has important theoretical significance and practical instructive value for motion planning and gait control of snake robots in complex environments.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49592,"journal":{"name":"Robotics and Autonomous Systems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141539433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Framework for the adoption, evaluation and impact of occupational Exoskeletons at different technology readiness levels: A systematic review","authors":"Jamil Ahmad ,&nbsp;Vasco Fanti ,&nbsp;Darwin G. Caldwell ,&nbsp;Christian Di Natali","doi":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104743","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2024.104743","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) are the most common occupational diseases caused by the prolonged performance of strenuous work, such as manual handling of loads or long-term maintenance of incongruous postures. Different safety protocols are implemented to reduce WMSDs and optimize the working environment, but one of the most promising solutions is using occupational exoskeletons (OEs). However, to truly acknowledge the benefits of OEs and be able to introduce them into daily business use, devices must pass several development and testing stages that determine the Technology Readiness Level (TRL). This review study aims to present an up-to-date collection of the most advanced assessments of exoskeletons for upper and back support, ranging from laboratory real-task simulations to operational scenarios in industrial sites. To identify relevant studies, we conducted comprehensive searches across different electronic databases, i.e., PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Different keywords were used for the literature search, e.g., occupational exoskeleton, industrial exoskeleton, etc. Studies were included if they investigated the assessment of exoskeletons in the laboratory with real tasks or an industrial environment. We identified 45 research articles that fulfilled this selection criterion. Several features are compared and discussed in detail, such as industrial environment, experimental protocol, task performed, and exoskeleton typology. These data allowed us to formulate results that report the correspondence or discrepancy between the number of papers testing exoskeletons and WMSDs in different industrial sectors, the type of assessment performed, and the impact of exoskeletons on workers and industries at different TRLs. Among the results, the incidence of WMSDs in the manufacturing industry is 21.13%, while the adoption of exoskeletons in the same field is the highest with respect to the other industrial fields, at 44.45%. Electromyography (EMG) and Questionnaires were the most evaluated typologies across all development and testing stages (with an incidence of 64% across the selected articles). Additionally, an average reduction of EMG activity was reported, with 24% for Upper Limb and 20% for Back Support. Regarding the subjective assessment reported in the questionnaires, 68% of the studies reported a positive evaluation. Based on these outcomes, this work provides a framework for an effective evaluation process for the OEs to raise TRL with recommendations for future research activities.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49592,"journal":{"name":"Robotics and Autonomous Systems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921889024001271/pdfft?md5=ac460432a2a6a01712c39e905436a5b0&pid=1-s2.0-S0921889024001271-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141539420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trajectory tracking control of wearable upper limb rehabilitation robot based on Laguerre model predictive control","authors":"Yaguang Yan ,&nbsp;Minan Tang ,&nbsp;Wenjuan Wang ,&nbsp;Yaqi Zhang ,&nbsp;Bo An","doi":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104745","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2024.104745","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Wearable rehabilitation robots have become an important auxiliary tool in rehabilitation therapy, providing effective rehabilitation training and helping to recover damaged muscles and joints. In response to the difficulty of traditional control methods in solving various constraints in the trajectory tracking process of the Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robot (ULRR), this study uses model predictive control to study the trajectory tracking problem of the upper limb rehabilitation robot. Firstly, based on the Lagrangian dynamic model of wearable rehabilitation robots, an extended state space model with pseudo linearization of the system was established. Given the performance indicators and various constraints of the system, a corresponding model predictive controller is designed based on the Laguerre model to ensure system performance while greatly reducing the computational complexity of predictive control. Secondly, the stability of the model predictive controller is demonstrated, and a disturbance observer is introduced into the controller to achieve compensation for slow-varying perturbations; a joint space sliding mode variable is also introduced to achieve simultaneous tracking of the joint’s desired position and desired velocity. Finally, taking a planar two bar robot as an example, comparative simulation verification was conducted on unconstrained joint trajectory tracking and constrained joint trajectory tracking. The simulation results show that the model predictive controller can achieve simultaneous tracking of joint expected trajectory and expected speed while meeting various constraints. It has good effects in improving patient motion control ability and reducing patient fatigue, providing new research ideas and methods for the field of rehabilitation therapy.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49592,"journal":{"name":"Robotics and Autonomous Systems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141539435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cooperative path planning study of distributed multi-mobile robots based on optimised ACO algorithm","authors":"Zhi Cai ,&nbsp;Jiahang Liu ,&nbsp;Lin Xu ,&nbsp;Jiayi Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104748","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2024.104748","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The rapid development of robotics technology has driven the growth of robot types and the development of related technologies. As an important aspect of robot research, path planning technology plays an irreplaceable role in practical production and application. Ant colony algorithm has a wide range of applications in robot path planning, but there is also a problem of performance overly relying on initial parameter selection. In order to solve this problem and improve the performance of mobile robot path planning, an improved ant colony algorithm based on firefly algorithm was studied and designed in a two-dimensional environment. In order to further explore the performance of ant colony algorithm in solving robot coordinated path planning problems, an improved ant colony algorithm based on heuristic function was also designed. In a three-dimensional environment, an improved ant colony algorithm based on the improved artificial potential field method was designed. The research results show that the maximum running time of the improved ant colony algorithm based on the firefly algorithm in different grid environments is 819.36 s, 847.01 s, and 811.54 s, respectively. The average running time of the improved ant colony algorithm based on heuristic function in different grid environments is 5.19 s, 5.97 s, and 9.09 s, with average path lengths of 29.90 cm, 31.08 cm, and 37.01 cm, and path length variances of 0.35, 0.87, and 2.21, respectively. The ant colony algorithm based on the improved artificial potential field method has a running time of 1.930 s, 3.182 s, and 4.662 s in different grid environments, and a path length of 29.275 cm, 49.447 cm, and 67.057 cm, respectively. The ant colony algorithm for research and design optimization has good performance. The contribution of the research lies in the design of three path planning methods for mobile robots, including two-dimensional path planning and three-dimensional path planning, which improves the time of path planning and shortens the average path length. The novelty of the research is reflected in the design of a path planning method for mobile robots in two-dimensional and three-dimensional environments, which improves the ant colony algorithm through firefly algorithm and heuristic function, and combines the ant colony algorithm with the improved artificial potential field method. The method designed by the research institute can provide technical support for path planning of mobile robots.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49592,"journal":{"name":"Robotics and Autonomous Systems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141606688","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Robust fault detection and adaptive fixed-time fault-tolerant control for quadrotor UAVs","authors":"Mahmood Mazare,&nbsp;Mostafa Taghizadeh,&nbsp;Pegah Ghaf-Ghanbari,&nbsp;Ehsan Davoodi","doi":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104747","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2024.104747","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This note scrutinizes an adaptive fault-tolerant control (FTC) approach tailored for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), addressing the critical need for both fault accommodation and disturbance suppression. Departing from traditional reliance on robust discontinuous control strategies prone to chattering and demanding precise uncertainty bounds, our FTC method ensures fixed-time stability, guaranteeing the convergence of attitude tracking errors to zero. Central to our approach is an adaptive algorithm adept at concurrently estimating unknown actuator faults and upper bounds of lumped uncertainties. Moreover, our adaptive schemes accurately estimate the upper bound of the lumped uncertainty term, encompassing model uncertainties, external disturbances, and unmodeled dynamics, thereby eliminating the need for assuming known bounds on uncertainties. Stability analysis under the developed control law is thoroughly performed using the Lyapunov stability theory. Notably, our strategy employs an extended Kalman filter (EKF) observer for state estimation and fault detection, facilitating fault detection through an adaptive threshold technique dynamically adjusted based on real-time mean and variance of the residual signal. Through comprehensive simulation and experimental validations, our proposed methodology demonstrates significant advancements in ensuring safety and reliability in UAVs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49592,"journal":{"name":"Robotics and Autonomous Systems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141539419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Automatic lane change based on dynamic occupancy of an adaptive gird zone","authors":"Soo Ho Woo ,&nbsp;Soon-Geul Lee ,&nbsp;JaeHwan Choi ,&nbsp;JunKi Hong ,&nbsp;Jae-Hong Lee ,&nbsp;HaoTian Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104732","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2024.104732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper presents adaptive and occupancy grid map algorithms for automatic lane change technology, a core technology in autonomous vehicles. The objectives are to improve driver safety and convenience with technology that automatically changes lanes at the request of the driver. The algorithms construct nine grids on the basis of ego vehicles and generate adaptive and occupancy grid maps by using the relative speeds of ego and target vehicles. When a driver requests a lane change, the adaptive grid map reduces the number of cases where the target vehicles may exist around the ego vehicle from 256 to 32, thus decreasing the calculation amount. Therefore, the algorithms are suitable for use in autonomous vehicles that require real-time calculations. An occupancy grid map is formed in accordance with the location of the target vehicles, and whether lane changes are possible is determined. The algorithms generate a virtual simulation environment with the CarMaker and are simulated using Matlab/Simulink. An experiment is conducted in a real driving environment with real vehicles to prove the validity of the algorithms.</p><p>© 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49592,"journal":{"name":"Robotics and Autonomous Systems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141434214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sim-to-real transfer of active suspension control using deep reinforcement learning","authors":"Viktor Wiberg ,&nbsp;Erik Wallin ,&nbsp;Arvid Fälldin ,&nbsp;Tobias Semberg ,&nbsp;Morgan Rossander ,&nbsp;Eddie Wadbro ,&nbsp;Martin Servin","doi":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104731","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.robot.2024.104731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>We explore sim-to-real transfer of deep reinforcement learning controllers for a heavy vehicle with active suspensions designed for traversing rough terrain. While related research primarily focuses on lightweight robots with electric motors and fast actuation, this study uses a forestry vehicle with a complex hydraulic driveline and slow actuation. We simulate the vehicle using multibody dynamics and apply system identification to find an appropriate set of simulation parameters. We then train policies in simulation using various techniques to mitigate the sim-to-real gap, including domain randomization, action delays, and a reward penalty to encourage smooth control. In reality, the policies trained with action delays and a penalty for erratic actions perform nearly at the same level as in simulation. In experiments on level ground, the motion trajectories closely overlap when turning to either side, as well as in a route tracking scenario. When faced with a ramp that requires active use of the suspensions, the simulated and real motions are in close alignment. This shows that the actuator model together with system identification yields a sufficiently accurate model of the actuators. We observe that policies trained without the additional action penalty exhibit fast switching or bang–bang control. These present smooth motions and high performance in simulation but transfer poorly to reality. We find that policies make marginal use of the local height map for perception, showing no indications of predictive planning. However, the strong transfer capabilities entail that further development concerning perception and performance can be largely confined to simulation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49592,"journal":{"name":"Robotics and Autonomous Systems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921889024001155/pdfft?md5=e7bbe412bd07a5f03c52e1e36921e3d4&pid=1-s2.0-S0921889024001155-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141480382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A review of advances in underwater humanoid robots for human–machine cooperation","authors":"Canjun Yang ,&nbsp;Xin Wu ,&nbsp;Mingwei Lin ,&nbsp;Ri Lin ,&nbsp;Di Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104744","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.robot.2024.104744","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Underwater humanoid robots (UHRs) have emerged as a significant area of interest in robotics, with the potential to overcome the limitations of traditional underwater robots and revolutionize underwater activities. This review examines the development of UHRs, focusing on their perception, decision-making, and execution capabilities within a hierarchical human-machine cooperation framework. The Perception Layer involves gathering information from the environment and human collaborators. The Decision-making Layer explores different levels of robot autonomy and the current status of human-UHR collaborative decision-making. The Execution Layer encompasses modeling, control, and actuation mechanisms to translate high-level intentions into physical actions. Various UHR implementations across research teams are reviewed to provide a comprehensive overview of current advancements. Discussions and challenges surrounding UHR progress are provided as well. Continued research and development efforts of UHR represent a promising avenue for advancing human-machine cooperation and pushing the boundaries of underwater exploration, contributing to scientific discoveries and societal benefits in this captivating realm.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49592,"journal":{"name":"Robotics and Autonomous Systems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2024-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141404094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}