{"title":"RH-ECBS: enhanced conflict-based search for MRPP with region heuristics","authors":"Zhangchao Pan, Runhua Wang, Qingchen Bi, Xuebo Zhang, Jingjin Yu","doi":"10.1017/s0263574724000894","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0263574724000894","url":null,"abstract":"This paper proposes a novel two-layer framework based on conflict-based search and regional divisions to improve the efficiency of multi-robot path planning. The high-level layer targets the reduction of conflicts and deadlocks, while the low-level layer is responsible for actual path planning. Distinct from previous dual-level search frameworks, the novelties of this work are (1) subdivision of planning regions for each robot to decrease the number of conflicts encountered during planning; (2) consideration of the number of robots in the region during planning in the node expansion stage of A*, and (3) formal proof demonstrating the nonzero probability of the proposed method in obtaining a solution, along with providing the upper bound of the solution in a special case. Experimental comparisons with Enhanced Conflict-Based Search demonstrate that the proposed method not only reduces the number of conflicts but also achieves a computation time reduction of over 30%.","PeriodicalId":49593,"journal":{"name":"Robotica","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142186174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RoboticaPub Date : 2024-06-05DOI: 10.1017/s0263574724000493
Chunyang Yuan, Yong Chang, Yifeng Song, Song Lin, Fengren Jing
{"title":"Design and analysis of a negative pressure wall-climbing robot with an omnidirectional characteristic for cylindrical wall","authors":"Chunyang Yuan, Yong Chang, Yifeng Song, Song Lin, Fengren Jing","doi":"10.1017/s0263574724000493","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0263574724000493","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A negative pressure wall-climbing robot is a special robot for climbing vertical walls, which is widely used in construction, petrochemicals, nuclear energy, shipbuilding, and other industries. The mobility and adhesion of the wheel-track wall-climbing robot with steering-straight mode are significantly decreased on the cylindrical wall, especially during steering. The reason is that the suction chamber may separate from the wall and the required driving force for movement increases, during steering. In this paper, a negative pressure wall-climbing robot with omnidirectional movement mode is developed. By introducing a compliant adjusting suction mechanism and omni-belt wheels, an omnidirectional movement mode is formed instead of the steering-straight mode, and the performances of adhesion and mobility are improved. We establish the safety adhesion model for the robot on a cylindrical wall and obtain the safety adhesion forces. We designed and manufactured an experimental prototype based on the analysis. Experiments showed that the robot has the ability of full maneuverability in cylindrical walls.</p>","PeriodicalId":49593,"journal":{"name":"Robotica","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141253567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RoboticaPub Date : 2024-05-30DOI: 10.1017/s0263574724000687
Jingtao Lei, Guangqing Song
{"title":"Six-dimensional constraints and force feedback for robot-assisted teleoperated fracture reduction","authors":"Jingtao Lei, Guangqing Song","doi":"10.1017/s0263574724000687","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0263574724000687","url":null,"abstract":"Robots have the capability to perform precise and minimally invasive surgeries. For the robot-assisted teleoperated fracture reduction surgery, the operating accuracy largely depends on visual reference through fluoroscopy. The operator needs to adjust several times according to computed tomography (CT) image. During the robot reduction surgery, there are large muscle forces generated by the numerous muscles surrounding the fractured segments. However, there is no effective reduction force feedback to the master robot. In this paper, in order to improve the operating accuracy of the fracture reduction with teleoperated surgery mode, six-dimensional constraints of the master robot are studied by utilizing the virtual fixture method, which can restrict the position and orientation through the force and visual guidance. The six-dimensional force sensor is used to collect information of the reduction force. For the master robot, a motor stall control method based on the current loop is adopted to provide feedback of the reduction force, which can enhance the surgeon’s sense of operational presence. To verify the effectiveness of virtual fixture and force feedback, the fracture reduction experiments are conducted on the fractured model with simulating lager muscle force. Experimental results show that the reduction errors are within acceptable ranges: <jats:inline-formula> <jats:alternatives> <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\" mime-subtype=\"png\" xlink:href=\"S0263574724000687_inline1.png\"/> <jats:tex-math> $0.03pm 0.73textrm{mm}$ </jats:tex-math> </jats:alternatives> </jats:inline-formula>, <jats:inline-formula> <jats:alternatives> <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\" mime-subtype=\"png\" xlink:href=\"S0263574724000687_inline2.png\"/> <jats:tex-math> $0.54pm 0.43textrm{mm}$ </jats:tex-math> </jats:alternatives> </jats:inline-formula>, <jats:inline-formula> <jats:alternatives> <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\" mime-subtype=\"png\" xlink:href=\"S0263574724000687_inline3.png\"/> <jats:tex-math> $0.46pm 1.05textrm{mm}$ </jats:tex-math> </jats:alternatives> </jats:inline-formula>, <jats:inline-formula> <jats:alternatives> <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\" mime-subtype=\"png\" xlink:href=\"S0263574724000687_inline4.png\"/> <jats:tex-math> $1.05pm 1.31^{circ}$ </jats:tex-math> </jats:alternatives> </jats:inline-formula>, <jats:inline-formula> <jats:alternatives> <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\" mime-subtype=\"png\" xlink:href=\"S0263574724000687_inline5.png\"/> <jats:tex-math> $1.15pm 1.91^{circ}$ </jats:tex-math> </jats:alternatives> </jats:inline-formula>, <jats:inline-formula> <jats:alternatives> <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink\" mime-subtype=\"png\" xlink:href=\"S0263574724000687_inline6.png\"/> <jats:tex-math> $1.09pm 2.61^{circ}$ </jats:tex-math> </jats:alternatives> </jats:inline-formula>. The numb","PeriodicalId":49593,"journal":{"name":"Robotica","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141196738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RoboticaPub Date : 2024-05-27DOI: 10.1017/s0263574724000420
Weili Ding, Ziqi Pei, Tao Yang, Taiyu Chen
{"title":"Dynamic simultaneous localization and mapping based on object tracking in occluded environment","authors":"Weili Ding, Ziqi Pei, Tao Yang, Taiyu Chen","doi":"10.1017/s0263574724000420","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0263574724000420","url":null,"abstract":"In practical applications, many robots equipped with embedded devices have limited computing capabilities. These limitations often hinder the performance of existing dynamic SLAM algorithms, especially when faced with occlusions or processor constraints. Such challenges lead to subpar positioning accuracy and efficiency. This paper introduces a novel lightweight dynamic SLAM algorithm designed primarily to mitigate the interference caused by moving object occlusions. Our proposed approach combines a deep learning object detection algorithm with a Kalman filter. This combination offers prior information about dynamic objects for each SLAM algorithm frame. Leveraging geometric techniques like RANSAC and the epipolar constraint, our method filters out dynamic feature points, focuses on static feature points for pose determination, and enhances the SLAM algorithm’s robustness in dynamic environments. We conducted experimental validations on the TUM public dataset, which demonstrated that our approach elevates positioning accuracy by approximately 54% and boosts the running speed by 75.47% in dynamic scenes.","PeriodicalId":49593,"journal":{"name":"Robotica","volume":"286 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141173090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RoboticaPub Date : 2024-05-27DOI: 10.1017/s0263574724000870
Amir Trabelsi, Juan Sandoval, Abdelfattah Mlika, Samir Lahouar, Said Zeghloul, Med Amine Laribi
{"title":"Robot base placement and tool mounting optimization based on capability map for robot-assistant camera holder","authors":"Amir Trabelsi, Juan Sandoval, Abdelfattah Mlika, Samir Lahouar, Said Zeghloul, Med Amine Laribi","doi":"10.1017/s0263574724000870","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0263574724000870","url":null,"abstract":"In the field of laparoscopic surgery, research is currently focusing on the development of new robotic systems to assist practitioners in complex operations, improving the precision of their medical gestures. In this context, the performance of these robotic platforms can be conditioned by various factors, such as the robot’s accessibility and dexterity in the task workspace. In this paper, we present a new strategy for improving the kinematic and dynamic performance of a 7-degrees of freedom robot-assisted camera-holder system for laparoscopic surgery. This approach involves the simultaneous optimization of the robot base placement and the laparoscope mounting orientation. To do so, a general robot capability representation approach is implemented in an innovative multiobjective optimization algorithm. The obtained results are first evaluated in simulation and then validated experimentally by comparing the robot’s performances implementing both the existing and the optimized solution. The optimization result led to a 2% improvement in the accessibility index and a 14% enhancement in manipulability. Furthermore, the dynamic performance criteria resulted in a substantial 43% reduction in power consumption.","PeriodicalId":49593,"journal":{"name":"Robotica","volume":"75 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141173088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RoboticaPub Date : 2024-05-13DOI: 10.1017/s026357472400078x
X. Yamile Sandoval-Castro, Sergio Muñoz-Gonzalez, Mario A. Garcia-Murillo, Pedro D. Ferrusca-Monroy, Maxiamiano F. Ruiz-Torres
{"title":"Four-bar linkage reconfigurable robotic wheel: Design, kinematic analysis, and experimental validation for adaptive size modification","authors":"X. Yamile Sandoval-Castro, Sergio Muñoz-Gonzalez, Mario A. Garcia-Murillo, Pedro D. Ferrusca-Monroy, Maxiamiano F. Ruiz-Torres","doi":"10.1017/s026357472400078x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s026357472400078x","url":null,"abstract":"This article presents the development of a robot capable of modifying its size through a wheel reconfiguration strategy. The reconfigurable wheel design is based on a four-bar retractable mechanism that achieves variation of the effective radius of the wheel. A reconfiguration index is introduced based on the number of retractable mechanisms that predicts the radius of configuration according to the number of mechanisms implemented in the wheel. The kinematics of the retractable mechanism is studied to determine the theoretical reconfiguration radius during the transformation process, it is also evaluated numerically with the help of the GeoGebra software, and it is validated experimentally by image analysis using the Tracker software. The transformation process of the robot is investigated through an analysis of forces that consider the wheel in contact with the obstacle, the calculation of the wheel torque and the height of the obstacle to be overcome are presented. On the other hand, the experimental validation of the robot reconfiguration process is presented through the percentage of success shown by the robot to overcome obstacles of 50, 75, 100 and 125 mm. In addition, measurements of energy consumption during the transformation process are reported. Reconfigurable wheels, capable of adapting their size, offer innovative solutions to various challenges across different applications such as robotic exploration and search and rescue missions to industrial settings. Some key issues that these wheels can address include terrain adaptability enhancing a robot’s mobility over uneven surfaces, or obstacles; enhanced robotic design; cost-effective design; space efficiency; and versatility in applications.","PeriodicalId":49593,"journal":{"name":"Robotica","volume":"66 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140926144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RoboticaPub Date : 2024-05-10DOI: 10.1017/s0263574724000766
Taha Chettibi
{"title":"Multi-objective trajectory planning for industrial robots using a hybrid optimization approach","authors":"Taha Chettibi","doi":"10.1017/s0263574724000766","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0263574724000766","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper, a hybrid approach organized in four phases is proposed to solve the multi-objective trajectory planning problem for industrial robots. In the first phase, a transcription of the original problem into a standard multi-objective parametric optimization problem is achieved by adopting an adequate parametrization scheme for the continuous robot configuration variables. Then, in the second phase, a global search is performed using a population-based search metaheuristic in order to build a first approximation of the Pareto front (PF). In the third phase, a local search is applied in the neighborhood of each solution of the PF approximation using a deterministic algorithm in order to generate new solutions. Finally, in the fourth phase, results of the global and local searches are gathered and postprocessed using a multi-objective direct search method to enhance the quality of compromise solutions and to converge toward the true optimal PF. By combining different optimization techniques, we intend not only to improve the overall search mechanism of the optimization strategy but also the resulting hybrid algorithm should keep the robustness of the population-based algorithm while enjoying the theoretical properties of convergence of the deterministic component. Also, the proposed approach is modular and flexible, and it can be implemented in different ways according to the applied techniques in the different phases. In this paper, we illustrate the efficiency of the hybrid framework by considering different techniques available in various numerical optimization libraries which are combined judiciously and tested on various case studies.","PeriodicalId":49593,"journal":{"name":"Robotica","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140942382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RoboticaPub Date : 2024-05-10DOI: 10.1017/s026357472400081x
Xiaowei Shan, Litao Xu, Xuefei Li
{"title":"A variable stiffness design method for soft robotic fingers based on grasping force compensation and linearization","authors":"Xiaowei Shan, Litao Xu, Xuefei Li","doi":"10.1017/s026357472400081x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s026357472400081x","url":null,"abstract":"Soft fingers play an increasingly important role in robotic grippers to achieve adaptive grasping with variable stiffness features. Previous studies of soft finger design have primarily focused on the optimization of the structural parameters of existing finger structures, but limited efforts have been put into the design methodology from fundamental grasping mechanisms to finger structures with desired grasping force features. To this aim, a fundamental architecture of soft fingers is proposed for analyzing common soft finger features and the influence of the internal structures on the overall grasping performance. In addition, three general performance metrics are introduced to evaluate the grasping performance of soft finger designs. Then, a novel method is proposed to combine the variable stiffness structure with the fundamental architecture to compensate for the grasping force of the finger and linearization. Subsequently, an embodiment design is proposed with a cantilever spring-based variable stiffness (CSVS) mechanism based on the method, and a multi-objective optimization method is employed to optimize the design. Besides, the CSVS features are analyzed through finite element analysis (FEA), and by comparing the grasping performance between the V-shape finger and the CSVS finger, it is demonstrated that the design method can effectively shorten the pre-grasp stage and linearize the grasping force in the post-grasp stage while reducing the likelihood of sliding friction between the finger and the grasped object. Finally, experiments are conducted to validate the accuracy of the FEA model, the effectiveness of the design methodology, and the adaptability of the CSVS finger.","PeriodicalId":49593,"journal":{"name":"Robotica","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140942463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RoboticaPub Date : 2024-05-09DOI: 10.1017/s0263574724000730
Gabriele Fadini, Shivesh Kumar, Rohit Kumar, Thomas Flayols, Andrea Del Prete, Justin Carpentier, Philippe Souères
{"title":"Co-designing versatile quadruped robots for dynamic and energy-efficient motions","authors":"Gabriele Fadini, Shivesh Kumar, Rohit Kumar, Thomas Flayols, Andrea Del Prete, Justin Carpentier, Philippe Souères","doi":"10.1017/s0263574724000730","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0263574724000730","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents a concurrent optimization approach for the design and motion of a quadruped in order to achieve energy-efficient cyclic behaviors. Computational techniques are applied to improve the development of a novel quadruped prototype. The scale of the robot and its actuators are optimized for energy efficiency considering the complete actuator model including friction, torque, and bandwidth limitations. This method and the optimal bounding trajectories are tested on the first (non-optimized) prototype design iteration showing that our formulation produces a trajectory that (i) can be easily replayed on the real robot and (ii) reduces the power consumption w.r.t. hand-tuned motion heuristics. Power consumption is then optimized for several periodic tasks with co-design. Our results include, but are not limited to, a bounding and backflip task. It appears that, for jumping forward, robots with longer thighs perform better, while, for backflips, longer shanks are better suited. To explore the tradeoff between these different designs, a Pareto set is constructed to guide the next iteration of the prototype. On this set, we find a new design, which will be produced in future work, showing an improvement of at least 52% for each separate task.","PeriodicalId":49593,"journal":{"name":"Robotica","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140926098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
RoboticaPub Date : 2024-05-09DOI: 10.1017/s0263574724000699
Jun Wei, Shizhao Zhang, Jianjun Zhang
{"title":"Biofusion design and parameter optimization for a novel passive assisted knee exoskeleton robot based on eight-bar mechanism","authors":"Jun Wei, Shizhao Zhang, Jianjun Zhang","doi":"10.1017/s0263574724000699","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/s0263574724000699","url":null,"abstract":"In an effort to alleviate the issue of knee joint fatigue and injury during lower limb ambulation, a novel passive assisted exoskeleton robot with human–machine interaction is investigated to assist the movement of the human knee joint. The design of the exoskeleton configuration takes into consideration the physiological structure and gait function of the knee joint, ensuring that it satisfies the requirements for motion, force, and gait function of the knee joint. To explore the interaction between the wearer and the exoskeleton, a human–machine kinematic model after wearing exoskeleton is established, which is instrumental in analyzing the integration motion of the wearer and exoskeleton. In addition, the dynamic and static models of the knee joint after wearing the exoskeleton are established, utilizing the Newton–Euler method and force polygon method, respectively, to evaluate the effectiveness of the exoskeleton. Moreover, the size parameters and spring stiffness of the exoskeleton are optimized, using both human body kinematic model and mechanic model. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the exoskeleton in proving assistance is evaluated through human body simulation, using OpenSim. The results indicate that the exoskeleton significantly reduces the knee joint torque by 48.42%.","PeriodicalId":49593,"journal":{"name":"Robotica","volume":"96 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140926317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}