Transformation Design Principles as Enablers for Designing Reconfigurable Robots

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Kalimuthu ◽  
A. A. Hayat ◽  
M. R. Elara ◽  
K. L. Wood
Keyword(s):  
System Performance ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Design Principles ◽  
Robotic Systems ◽  
System Level ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Vacuum Suction ◽  
Reconfigurable Robots ◽  
Cleaning Robot ◽  
Suction And Blowing

Abstract The design of cleaning and maintenance (CaM) robots are generally limited by their fixed morphologies. Contrary to the fixed robotic systems, design for reconfiguration in robots presents unique challenges. Reconfigurable robots pose the challenge of designing their subsystems and functionalities such that a robot meets its system, performance, and other fixed requirements, while providing reconfiguration capabilities to increase functionality and to provide innovative operational scenarios. Established transformation or reconfiguration principles, namely, expand/collapse, expose/cover, and fuse/divide, observed in several products-services-systems, can be adopted to design subsystems and system for reconfiguration in robots. Essentially these principles in many robots may be governed and implemented. The heuristic approach to design the reconfigurable robotic systems using three layers namely input, formulation and output layer is proposed. This paper used the design principles and associated facilitators and abstracts them to build a reconfigurable pavement cleaning robot named Panthera. Moreover, need, challenges, and design strategies for system and subsystem levels are presented. The system-level reconfiguration is to expand/collapse, whereas the subsystems, namely, i) Varying footprint, ii) Transmission, iii) Storage bin, iv) Cleaning brushes, v) Vacuum/Suction and blowing, and vi) Outer skin or cover are explained. The step-by-step illustration for reconfiguring the system and subsystem of Panthera is done by referring to the transformation principles, precedence, and mechanism adopted to achieve reconfiguration requirements.

To err is system; a comparison of methodologies for the investigation of adverse outcomes in healthcare

2021 ◽  
pp. 251604352199026
Author(s):  
Peter Isherwood ◽  
Patrick Waterson
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
System Performance ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
System Level ◽  
Future Performance ◽  
System A ◽  
Regulatory Bodies

Patient safety, staff moral and system performance are at the heart of healthcare delivery. Investigation of adverse outcomes is one strategy that enables organisations to learn and improve. Healthcare is now understood as a complex, possibly the most complex, socio-technological system. Despite this the use of a 20th century linear investigation model is still recommended for the investigation of adverse outcomes. In this review the authors use data gathered from the investigation of a real life healthcare near incident and apply three different methodologies to the analysis of this data. They compare both the methodologies themselves and the outputs generated. This illustrates how different methodologies generate different system level recommendations. The authors conclude that system based models generate the strongest barriers to improve future performance. Healthcare providers and their regulatory bodies need to embrace system based methodologies if they are to effectively learn from, and reduce future, adverse outcomes.

Knowledge management for library building design

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 2-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhixian Yi
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Tacit Knowledge ◽  
Explicit Knowledge ◽  
Continuous Process ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Design Principles ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Innovative Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – In the digital age, constant changes in libraries inform contemporary building design. An innovative library building design is a complicated process and can be viewed as a continuous process of the use of tacit and explicit knowledge and innovative tools and approaches. Knowledge management (KM) can bring about the much needed innovation, and transform tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge. For the design of a library to be successful, it is necessary to apply KM to library building design. The purpose of this paper is to look at key change impacts, to explore how to manage knowledge in building design and to identify key design principles. Design/methodology/approach – This paper looks at key change impacts, explores how to manage knowledge in library building design and pinpoints design principles. Findings – This paper finds that KM can be vital to library building design, and it can be used in all stages: to examine the internal and external environments, transform tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge by using portals, and analyze existing and future issues and trends. When effectively used, KM will result in innovative design strategies and also will reduce the time and costs of the building design and plan processes. The main principles of library building design are flexibility, accessibility, safety and security, applicability, adaptability, efficiency, and sustainability. Practical implications – This paper provides a useful overview of how to manage knowledge in library building design and design principles. Originality/value – The views, discussions, and suggestions will be of value to improve the effectiveness of library building design.

A Screw-Theoretic Analysis Framework for Payload Manipulation by Mobile Manipulator Collectives

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajankumar Bhatt ◽  
Chin Pei Tang ◽  
Michel Abou-Samah ◽  
Venkat Krovi
Keyword(s):  
System Performance ◽  
Single Agent ◽  
Physical Nature ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
System Level ◽  
Mobile Manipulator ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Tight Coupling ◽  
Constrained Mechanical Systems ◽  
The Individual

In recent times, there has been considerable interest in creating and deploying modular cooperating collectives of robots. Interest in such cooperative systems typically arises when certain tasks are either too complex to be performed by a single agent or when there are distinct benefits that accrue by cooperation of many simple robotic modules. However, the nature of the both the individual modules as well as their interactions can affect the overall system performance. In this paper, we examine this aspect in the context of cooperative payload transport by robot collectives wherein the physical nature of the interactions between the various modules creates a tight coupling within the system. We leverage the rich theoretical background of analysis of constrained mechanical systems to provide a systematic framework for formulation and evaluation of system-level performance on the basis of the individual-module characteristics. The composite multi-d.o.f wheeled vehicle, formed by supporting a common payload on the end-effectors of multiple individual mobile manipulator modules, is treated as an in-parallel system with articulated serial-chain arms. The system-level model, constructed from the twist- and wrench-based models of the attached serial chains, can then be systematically analyzed for performance (in terms of mobility and disturbance rejection.) A 2-module composite system example is used through the paper to highlight various aspects of the systematic system model formulation, effects of selection of the actuation at the articulations (active, passive or locked) on system performance and experimental validation on a hardware prototype test bed.

To the Anniversary of the Department of "Robotic Systems and Mechatronics" of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 563-566
Author(s):  
V. V. Serebrennyj ◽  
A. A. Boshlyakov ◽  
A. S. Yuschenko
Keyword(s):  
Technical Progress ◽  
Autonomous Robots ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Educational Programs ◽  
Robotic Systems ◽  
State Technical ◽  
Engineering School ◽  
School Based ◽  
Scientists And Engineers ◽  
Technical Systems

This year we celebrate the 70-th year of the chair founded in BMSTU in 1951 which name today is "Robotic Systems and Mechatronics". Evolution of the chair during the last 70 years is completely reflected the technical progress in the field of automation. From automatic drives to autonomous robots. Again with the improvement of the educational programs in accordance with the vital demands the chair managed to keep the basic traditions of the Russian engineering school based on the combination of the fundamental scientific background with the practical competence in the new technical systems design. The prominent scientists and engineers made a major contribution to the content and methods of training of future specialists in robotics and mechatronics which are acknowledged both in Russia and abroad. Nowadays robotics is transforming from perspective direction to urgent needs. The chair "Robotic Systems and Mechatronics" is completely ready to reply the new challenge of time.

Controlling Modular Reconfigurable Robots With Handheld Smart Devices

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Ko ◽  
Nalaka Kahawatte ◽  
Harry H. Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Graphical User Interface ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Robotic Systems ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Smart Devices ◽  
Modular Robots ◽  
Reconfigurable Robots ◽  
Processing Power ◽  
Static Data ◽  
Remote Controller

Highly reconfigurable modular robots face unique teleoperation challenges due to their geometry, configurability, high number of degrees of freedom and complexity. Current methodology for controlling reconfigurable modular robots typically use gait tables to control the modules. Gait tables are static data structures and do not readily support realtime teleoperation. Teleoperation techniques for traditional wheeled, flying, or submerged robots typically use a set of joysticks to control the robots. However, these traditional methods of robot teleoperation are not suitable for reconfigurable modular robotic systems which may have dozens of controllable degrees of freedom. This research shows that modern cell phones serve as highly effective control platforms for modular robots because of their programmability, flexibility, wireless communication capabilities, and increased processing power. As a result of this research, a versatile Graphical User Interface, a set of libraries and tools have been developed which even a novice robotics enthusiast can use to easily program their mobile phones to control their hobby project. These libraries will be beneficial in any situation where it is effective for the operator to use an off-the-shelf, relatively inexpensive, hand-held mobile phone as a remote controller rather than a considerably heavy and bulky remote controllers which are popular today. Several usage examples and experiments are presented which demonstrate the controller’s ability to effectively control a modular robot to perform a series of complex gaits and poses, as well as navigating a module through an obstacle course.

scholarly journals Elegance as Complexity Reduction in Systems Design

Complexity ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Iandoli ◽  
Letizia Piantedosi ◽  
Alejandro Salado ◽  
Giuseppe Zollo
Keyword(s):  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Visual Art ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Gestalt Psychology ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Good Design ◽  
Effective Level ◽  
Systems Effectiveness

Elegance is often invoked as a characteristic of good design, but it cannot be pursued as a design objective because of the absence of actionable definitions that can be translated into design strategies and metrics. In this work, we analyze elegance in the context of systems engineering using a perspective that integrates visual art, Gestalt psychology, neuroscience, and complexity theory. In particular, we measure elegance as effective complexity and theorize that it can be achieved by a process of complexity resolution based on the adoption of eight visual heuristics. We present an empirical study in which a sample of systems engineers were asked to assess alternative representations of a same system and show that effective complexity is strongly correlated to perceived elegance and systems effectiveness. Our results are consistent with independent findings obtained in other fields including design and psychology of perception showing that good design must embed an effective level of complexity achievable through a mix of familiarity and novelty.

Teaching Classical Control System Course With Portable Student-Owned Mechatronic Kits

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eniko T. Enikov ◽  
Estelle Eke
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Fiber ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Circuit Board ◽  
System Level ◽  
Linear Feedback ◽  
Phase System ◽  
Phase Lead ◽  
Controls Systems

Teaching classical controls systems design to mechanical engineering students presents unique challenges. While most mechanical engineering programs prepare students to be well-versed in the application of physical principles and modeling aspects of physical systems, implementation of closed loop control and system-level analysis is lagging. It is not uncommon that students report difficulty in conceptualizing even common controls systems terms such as steady-state error and disturbance rejection. Typically, most courses focus on the theoretical analysis and modeling, but students are left asking the questions…How do I implement a phase-lead compensator? …What is a non-minimum phase system? This paper presents an innovative approach in teaching control systems design course based on the use of a low-cost apparatus that has the ability to directly communicate with MATLAB and its Simulink toolbox, allowing students to drag-and-drop controllers and immediately test their effect on the response of the physical plant. The setup consists of a DC micro-motor driving a propeller attached to a carbon-fiber rod. The angular displacement of the rod is measured with an analog potentiometer, which acts as the pivot point for the carbon fiber rod. The miniature circuit board is powered by the USB port of a laptop and communicates to the host computer using the a virtual COM port. MATLAB/Simulink communicates to the board using its serial port read/write blocks to command the motor and detect the deflection angle. This presentation describes a typical semester-long experimental protocol facilitated by the low-cost kit. The kit allows demonstration of classical PID, phase lead and lag controllers, as well as non-linear feedback linearization techniques. Comparison between student gains before and after the introduction of the mechatronic kits are also provided.

scholarly journals Biased Information Passing Between Subsystems Over Time in Complex System Design

2015 ◽  
Vol 138 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Austin-Breneman ◽  
Bo Yang Yu ◽  
Maria C. Yang
Keyword(s):  
Complex System ◽  
System Design ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
System Level ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Early Stage Design ◽  
Complex System Design ◽  
Biased Information

During the early stage design of large-scale engineering systems, design teams are challenged to balance a complex set of considerations. The established structured approaches for optimizing complex system designs offer strategies for achieving optimal solutions, but in practice suboptimal system-level results are often reached due to factors such as satisficing, ill-defined problems, or other project constraints. Twelve subsystem and system-level practitioners at a large aerospace organization were interviewed to understand the ways in which they integrate subsystems in their own work. Responses showed subsystem team members often presented conservative, worst-case scenarios to other subsystems when negotiating a tradeoff as a way of hedging against their own future needs. This practice of biased information passing, referred to informally by the practitioners as adding “margins,” is modeled in this paper with a series of optimization simulations. Three “bias” conditions were tested: no bias, a constant bias, and a bias which decreases with time. Results from the simulations show that biased information passing negatively affects both the number of iterations needed and the Pareto optimality of system-level solutions. Results are also compared to the interview responses and highlight several themes with respect to complex system design practice.

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