scholarly journals A DESIGNATION OF MODULAR MOBILE RECONFIGURABLE PLATFORM SYSTEM

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (09) ◽  
pp. 2040006
Author(s):  
YUBIN LIU ◽  
RUOPENG WEI ◽  
HUIJUAN DONG ◽  
YANHE ZHU ◽  
JIE ZHAO
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Robots ◽  
Single Unit ◽  
High Mobility ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Reconfigurable Robots ◽  
Reconfigurable Robot ◽  
Reconfigurable Platform ◽  
Platform System ◽  
Multiple Units ◽  
Functional Versatility

Mobile robots working in special environment have to adapt for unknown and complex environment characteristics, so high mobility, functional versatility and robustness of mobile robots are required. Different from specialized robot designed for single function in single environment, single unit of modular reconfigurable robots has simple mechanical structure, flexible movement and maneuverability; meanwhile, the combination of multiple units has flexible and versatile configuration, combined with distributed control and swarm intelligence algorithm to gain environmental adaptability and functional versatility of the entire reconfigurable robot system. Single unit of modular mobile reconfigurable robots could complete lightweight tasks such as transporting medicines, distributing and accompanying nurses. Meanwhile, the combination of multiple units could complete heavyweight tasks such as transporting patients and large medical equipment. Modular mobile reconfigurable robot system has broad application prospects in the field of medical auxiliary robots.

RoGenSiD: A Rotary Plate Genderless Single-Sided Docking Mechanism for Modular Self-Reconfigurable Robots

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. G. M. Hossain ◽  
Carl A. Nelson ◽  
Prithviraj Dasgupta
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Self Healing ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Reconfigurable Robots ◽  
Docking Mechanism ◽  
Rotary Plate ◽  
Reconfigurable Robot ◽  
Multiple Robot ◽  
Sufficient Strength ◽  
Chain Type

Docking mechanisms are an integral part of modular self-reconfigurable robot (MSR) systems, allowing multiple robot modules to attach to each other. An MSR should be equipped with robust and efficient docking interfaces to ensure enhanced autonomy and self-reconfiguration ability. Genderless docking is a necessary criterion to maintain homogeneity of the robot modules. This also enables self-healing of a modular robot system in the case of a failed module. The mechanism needs to be compact and lightweight and at the same time have sufficient strength to transfer loads from other connected modules. RoGenSiD is a rotary-plate genderless single sided docking mechanism that was designed to perform robustly and efficiently considering its application in unstructured terrains. The design methodology followed design for manufacture (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA) guidelines as well as considerations for minimal space and weight. As a result, this docking mechanism is applicable for multi-faceted docking in lattice-type, chain-type, or hybrid MSR systems. Bench-top testing validated the system performance.

scholarly journals Power efficiency estimation based health monitoring and fault detection of modular and reconfigurable robot

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Yaun
Keyword(s):  
Fault Detection ◽  
Health Monitoring ◽  
Power Efficiency ◽  
Joint Torque ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Operation Conditions ◽  
Efficiency Estimation ◽  
Joint Torque Sensor ◽  
Reconfigurable Robot ◽  
Critical Components

Power efficiency degradation of machines often provides intrinsic indication of problems associated with their operation conditions. Inspired by this observation, in this thesis work, a simple yet effective power efficiency estimation base health monitoring and fault detection technique is proposed for modular and reconfigurable robot with joint torque sensor. The design of the Ryerson modular and reconfigurable robot system is first introduced, which aims to achieve modularity and compactness of the robot modules. Critical components, such as the joint motor, motor driver, harmonic drive, sensors, and joint brake, have been selected according to the requirement. Power efficiency coefficients of each joint module are obtained using sensor measurements and used directly for health monitoring and fault detection. The proposed method has been experimentally tested on the developed modular and reconfigurable robot with joint torque sensing and a distributed control system. Experimental results have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method.

scholarly journals Multi-modal reconfigurable robotic platform with 3d-immersive telepresence system

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Mehrabi
Keyword(s):  
Outer Space ◽  
Robotic Platform ◽  
The Past ◽  
Reconfigurable Robots ◽  
Hazardous Environments ◽  
Reconfigurable Platform ◽  
Mechanical Reconfiguration

The concept of reconfigurability and its applications in robotics have become prominent in the past few years as they provide versatility, adaptability and scalability to the systems. The reconfigurable robots can perform tasks in outer space, under the sea and in hazardous environments by rearranging their physical configurations to alter the system’s behavior and geometry. However, the concept of reconfigurable robots is not just constrained by the mechanical reconfiguration of the components, for the system should also demonstrate a modular reconfigurable behavior to newly imposed conditions. The objective of this work was to design and implement a multi-modal reconfigurable platform based on the concept of “form follows function” to be integrated with 3D-Immersive telepresence systems. The developed system was analyzed to verify the feasibility and functionality of the proposed architecture, and suggestions were made for future improvements.

Effects of Multi-Robot Team Formations on Distributed Area Coverage

2019 ◽  
pp. 1192-1219
Author(s):  
Prithviraj Dasgupta ◽  
Taylor Whipple ◽  
Ke Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Robots ◽  
Area Coverage ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Wheel Slip ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Multiple Mobile Robots ◽  
Unknown Environment ◽  
Robot Teams ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Multi Robot

This paper examines the problem of distributed coverage of an initially unknown environment using a multi-robot system. Specifically, focus is on a coverage technique for coordinating teams of multiple mobile robots that are deployed and maintained in a certain formation while covering the environment. The technique is analyzed theoretically and experimentally to verify its operation and performance within the Webots robot simulator, as well as on physical robots. Experimental results show that the described coverage technique with robot teams moving in formation can perform comparably with a technique where the robots move individually while covering the environment. The authors also quantify the effect of various parameters of the system, such as the size of the robot teams, the presence of localization, and wheel slip noise, as well as environment related features like the size of the environment and the presence of obstacles and walls on the performance of the area coverage operation.

Parameter Identification of Spatial–Temporal Varying Processes by a Multi-Robot System in Realistic Diffusion Fields

Robotica ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wencen Wu ◽  
Jie You ◽  
Yufei Zhang ◽  
Mingchen Li ◽  
Kun Su
Keyword(s):  
Parameter Identification ◽  
Mobile Robots ◽  
Sensor Network ◽  
Nonlinear Partial Differential Equation ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Diffusion Field ◽  
Recursive Least Square ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Parameterized Model ◽  
Multi Robot

SUMMARY In this article, we investigate the problem of parameter identification of spatial–temporal varying processes described by a general nonlinear partial differential equation and validate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed algorithm using a group of coordinated mobile robots equipped with sensors in a realistic diffusion field. Based on the online parameter identification method developed in our previous work using multiple mobile robots, in this article, we first develop a parameterized model that represents the nonlinear spatially distributed field, then develop a parameter identification scheme consisting of a cooperative Kalman filter and recursive least square method. In the experiments, we focus on the diffusion field and consider the realistic scenarios that the diffusion field contains obstacles and hazard zones that the robots should avoid. The identified parameters together with the located source could potentially assist in the reconstruction and monitoring of the field. To validate the proposed methods, we generate a controllable carbon dioxide (CO2) field in our laboratory and build a static CO2 sensor network to measure and calibrate the field. With the reconstructed realistic diffusion field measured by the sensor network, a multi-robot system is developed to perform the parameter identification in the field. The results of simulations and experiments show satisfactory performance and robustness of the proposed algorithms.

scholarly journals Distributed formation control of networked mobile robots in environments with obstacles

Robotica ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1403-1415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Whye Leon Seng ◽  
Jan Carlo Barca ◽  
Y. Ahmet Şekercioğlu
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Robots ◽  
Obstacle Avoidance ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Distributed Control ◽  
Formation Control ◽  
Control Mechanism ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Nonholonomic Robots ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Robot Communication

SUMMARYA distributed control mechanism for ground moving nonholonomic robots is proposed. It enables a group of mobile robots to autonomously manage formation shapes while navigating through environments with obstacles. The mechanism consists of two stages, with the first being formation control that allows basic formation shapes to be maintained without the need of any inter-robot communication. It is followed by obstacle avoidance, which is designed with maintaining the formation in mind. Every robot is capable of performing basic obstacle avoidance by itself. However, to ensure that the formation shape is maintained, formation scaling is implemented. If the formation fails to hold its shape when navigating through environments with obstacles, formation morphing has been incorporated to preserve the interconnectivity of the robots, thus reducing the possibility of losing robots from the formation.The algorithm has been implemented on a nonholonomic multi-robot system for empirical analysis. Experimental results demonstrate formations completing an obstacle course within 12 s with zero collisions. Furthermore, the system is capable of withstanding up to 25% sensor noise.

Enhance A* Searching Algorithm Applying in Multiple Robot System

2013 ◽  
Vol 479-480 ◽  
pp. 773-777 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuo Lan Su ◽  
Bo Yi Li ◽  
Cheng Yun Chung
Keyword(s):  
User Interface ◽  
Mobile Robots ◽  
Simulation Method ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Collision Problem ◽  
Chess Game ◽  
Evaluation Algorithm ◽  
Wireless Rf Interface ◽  
Motion Paths ◽  
Multiple Robot

The article programs the shortest motion paths of the multiple mobile robots to be applied in the Chinese chess game, and presents the movement scenario of the chess using mobile robots on the grid based chessboard platform. Users play the chess game using the mouse to obey the evaluation algorithm on the user interface. The user interface programs the motion paths that are the shortest displacement using enhance A* searching algorithm and solves the collision problem of the programmed motion paths for the assigned chesses to and reprogram the new motion paths using enhance A* searching algorithm, too. The supervised computer controls mobile robots according to the programmed motion paths of the assigned chess moving on the platform via wireless RF interface. In the experimental results, we use simulation method to search the motion paths of the assigned chesses on the user interface, and implement the simulation results on the chessboard platform using mobile robots. Mobile robots move on the platform according to the programmed motion paths from the start points to the target points and avoid the collision points.

Module-Based Static Structural Design of a Modular Reconfigurable Robot

2009 ◽  
Vol 132 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Phillip Mohamed ◽  
Fengfeng (Jeff) Xi ◽  
Allan Daniel Finistauri
Keyword(s):  
Structural Design ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Local Deformation ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Coordinate Frame ◽  
Reconfigurable Robots ◽  
Nonlinear Approach ◽  
Reconfigurable Robot

In this paper, the structural design of modular reconfigurable robots (MRRs) is studied. This problem is defined as the determination of proper module sizes according to the robot’s payload and end-effector deflection specifications. Because an MRR has multiple configurations, a simple design process is proposed in order to avoid performing the structural design stage at each configuration. The final structural design is only carried out at a single configuration that can guarantee the robot’s satisfactory performance for all remaining feasible configurations. It is shown that the module structural design stage can be performed at the local coordinate frame of each module. While the module local force requirement can be fully determined, the determination of the module local deformation requirement is redundant. Thus, there can exist multiple design solutions. To overcome this problem, a nonlinear approach using a genetic algorithm is used to search for an optimal solution. Finally, a design simulation is performed on an example MRR, and the results show the effectiveness of the proposed design method.

scholarly journals Robust and fault tolerant control of modular and reconfigurable robots

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajan Abdul
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Model ◽  
Distributed Control ◽  
Fault Tolerant ◽  
Joint Torque ◽  
Control Technique ◽  
Control Synthesis ◽  
Joint Control ◽  
Model Uncertainties ◽  
Reconfigurable Robots ◽  
Reconfigurable Robot

Modular and reconfigurable robot has been one of the main areas of robotics research in recent years due to its wide range of applications, especially in aerospace sector. Dynamic control of manipulators can be performed using joint torque sensing with little information of the link dynamics. From the modular robot perspective, this advantage offered by the torque sensor can be taken to enhance the modularity of the control system. Known modular robots though boast novel and diverse mechanical design on joint modules in one way or another, they still require the whole robot dynamic model for motion control, and modularity offered in the mechanical side does not offer any advantage in the control design. In this work, a modular distributed control technique is formulated for modular and reconfigurable robots that can instantly adapt to robot reconfigurations. Under this control methodology, a modular and reconfigurable robot is stabilized joint by joint, and modules can be added or removed without the need of re-tuning the controller. Model uncertainties associated with load and links are compensated by the use of joint torque sensors. Other model uncertainties at each joint module are compensated by a decomposition based robust controller for each module. The proposed distributed control technique offers a ‘modular’ approach, featuring a unique joint-by-joint control synthesis of the joint modules. Fault tolerance and fault detection are formulated as a decentralized control problem for modular and reconfigurable robots in this thesis work. The modularity of the system is exploited to derive a strategy dependent only on a single joint module, while eliminating the need for the motion states of other joint modules. While the traditional fault tolerant and detection schemes are suitable for robots with the whole dynamic model, this proposed technique is ideal for modular and reconfigurable robots because of its modular nature. The proposed methods have been investigated with simulations and experimentally tested using a 3-DOF modular and reconfigurable robot.

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