A Spatial Grammar Method for the Computational Design Synthesis of Virtual Soft Locomotion Robots

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Merel van Diepen ◽  
Kristina Shea
Keyword(s):  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Simulation Method ◽  
Search Space ◽  
Search Process ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Spatial Grammar ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Computational Design Synthesis ◽  
Simulation Feedback

Soft locomotion robots are intrinsically compliant and have a large number of degrees of freedom. They lack rigid components that provide them with higher flexibility, and they have no joints that need protection from liquids or dirt. However, the hand-design of soft robots is often a lengthy trail-and-error process. This work presents the computational design of virtual, soft locomotion robots using an approach that integrates simulation feedback. The computational approach consists of three stages: (1) generation, (2) evaluation through simulation, and (3) optimization. Here, designs are generated using a spatial grammar to explicitly guide the type of solutions generated and exclude infeasible designs. The soft material simulation method developed and integrated is stable and sufficiently fast for use in a highly iterative simulated annealing search process. The resulting virtual designs exhibit a large variety of expected and unexpected gaits, thus demonstrating the method capabilities. Finally, the optimization results and the spatial grammar are analyzed to understand and map the challenges of the problem and the search space.

A Method for Visualizing the Relations Between Grammar Rules, Performance Objectives and Search Space Exploration in Grammar-Based Computational Design Synthesis

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinna Königseder ◽  
Kristina Shea
Keyword(s):  
Design Space Exploration ◽  
Design Space ◽  
Space Exploration ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Search Space ◽  
Synthesis Process ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Grammar Rules ◽  
Computational Design Synthesis

Design grammars have been successfully applied in numerous engineering disciplines, e.g. in electrical engineering, architecture and mechanical engineering. A successful application of design grammars in Computational Design Synthesis (CDS) requires a) a meaningful representation of designs and the design task at hand, b) a careful formulation of grammar rules to synthesize new designs, c) problem specific design evaluations, and d) the selection of an appropriate algorithm to guide the synthesis process. Managing these different aspects of CDS requires not only a detailed understanding of each individual part, but also of the interdependencies between them. In this paper, a new method is presented to analyze the exploration of design spaces in CDS. The method analyzes the designs generated during the synthesis process and visualizes how the design space is explored with respect to a) design characteristics, and b) objectives. The selected algorithm as well as the grammar rules can be analyzed with this approach to support the human designer in successfully understanding and applying a CDS method. The case study demonstrates how the method is used to analyze the synthesis of bicycle frames. Two algorithms are compared for this task. Results demonstrate how the method increases the understanding of the different components in CDS. The presented research can be useful for both novices to CDS to help them gain a deeper understanding of the interplay between grammar rules and guidance of the synthesis process, as well as for experts aiming to further improve their CDS application by improving parameter settings of their search algorithms, or by further refining their design grammar. Additionally, the presented method constitutes a novel approach to interactively visualize design space exploration considering not only designs objectives, but also the characteristics and interdependencies of different designs.

Comparing Strategies for Topologic and Parametric Rule Application in Automated Computational Design Synthesis1

2015 ◽  
Vol 138 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinna Königseder ◽  
Kristina Shea
Keyword(s):  
Search Algorithm ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Search Process ◽  
Graph Grammars ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Design Task ◽  
Rule Application ◽  
Bicycle Frame ◽  
Computational Design Synthesis

Graph grammars are used for computational design synthesis (CDS) in which engineering knowledge is formalized using graphs to represent designs and rules that describe their transformation. Most engineering tasks require both topologic and parametric rules to generate designs. The research presented in this paper compares different strategies for rule application to combine topologic and parametric rules during automated design synthesis driven by a search process. The presented strategies are compared considering quantity and quality of the generated designs. The effect of the strategies, the selected search algorithm, and the initial design, from which the synthesis is started, are analyzed for two case studies: gearbox synthesis and bicycle frame synthesis. Results show that the effect of the strategy is dependent on the design task. Recommendations are given on which strategies to use for which design task.

A Spatial Grammar for the Computational Design Synthesis of Vise Jaws

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Gmeiner ◽  
Kristina Shea
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Industry Standard ◽  
Solid Models ◽  
Spatial Grammar ◽  
Cylindrical Parts ◽  
Batch Sizes ◽  
Computational Design Synthesis ◽  
3D Solid

For the machining and assembly of mechanical parts, their secure fixation in a defined position is crucial. To achieve this task, flexible fixture devices (FFDs) are the industry standard for small and medium batch-sizes. Unlike dedicated fixtures, FFDs allow for the fixation of different part shapes, increasing their applicability and economic efficiency. Aiming to create a low-cost and autonomous FFD, a reconfigurable vise with adaptable jaws was developed. The jaws can be machined to a variety of shapes to securely hold prismatic and cylindrical parts. In this paper, a spatial grammar approach for the computational design synthesis of these customizable jaws is presented. Different sets of rules for the generation of 3D solid models of vise jaws based on the model of the workpiece to be held are developed and realized in a CAD environment. The approach is verified by generating jaw designs for example parts.

A Spatial Grammar Method for the Computational Design Synthesis of Virtual Soft Robots

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merel van Diepen ◽  
Kristina Shea
Keyword(s):  
Objective Function ◽  
Solution Space ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Synthesis Process ◽  
Generation Process ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Spatial Grammar ◽  
Computational Design Synthesis ◽  
Mass Spring

Soft robots are intrinsically compliant, which makes them suitable for interaction with delicate objects and living beings. The vast design space and the complex dynamic behavior of the elastic body of the robots make designing them by hand challenging, often requiring a large number of iterations. It is thus advantageous to design soft robots using a computational design approach that integrates simulation feedback. Since locomotion is an essential component in many robotic tasks, this paper presents the computational design synthesis of soft, virtual, locomotion robots. Methods used in previous work give little insight into and control over the computational design synthesis process. The generated solutions are also highly irregular and very different to hand-designed solutions. Also, the problem requirements are solely modeled in the objective function. Here, designs are generated using a spatial grammar with a rule set that is deduced from known locomotion principles. Spatial grammars make it possible to define the type of morphologies that are generated. The aim is to generate gaits based on different locomotion principles, e.g. walking, hopping and crawling. By combining a spatial grammar with simulated annealing, the solution space is searched for locomotive designs. The designs are simulated using a mass-spring model with stable self-collision so that all generated designs can be evaluated. The resulting virtual designs exhibit a large variety of expected and unexpected gaits. The grammar is analyzed to understand the generation process and assess the performance. The main contribution of this research is modeling of some of the results in the spatial grammar rather than the objective function. Thus, the process is guided towards a class of designs with extremities for locomotion, without having to define the class explicitly. Further, the simulation approach is new and results in a stable method that accounts for self-collision.

Visualizing Relations Between Grammar Rules, Objectives, and Search Space Exploration in Grammar-Based Computational Design Synthesis1

2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinna Königseder ◽  
Kristina Shea
Keyword(s):  
Method Development ◽  
Search Algorithm ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Search Space ◽  
Synthesis Process ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Grammar Rules ◽  
Computational Design Synthesis ◽  
Design Characteristics ◽  
Selection Of

Design grammars have been successfully applied in numerous engineering disciplines, e.g., in electrical engineering, architecture, and mechanical engineering. A successful application of design grammars in computational design synthesis (CDS) requires (a) meaningful representation of designs and the design task at hand, (b) careful formulation of grammar rules to synthesize new designs, (c) problem-specific design evaluation, and (d) selection of an appropriate algorithm to guide the synthesis process. Determining these different components of a CDS method requires not only a detailed understanding of each individual part but also of the interdependencies between them. In this paper, a new method is presented to support both CDS method development and application. The method analyzes the designs generated during the synthesis process and visualizes how the design space is explored with respect to design characteristics and objectives. The search algorithm as well as the grammar rules are analyzed with this approach. Two case studies, the synthesis of gearboxes and of bicycle frames, demonstrate how the method can be used to analyze the different components of CDS methods. The presented research can analyze the interplay between grammar rules and the search process during method development.

scholarly journals Closed Shell Iron(IV) Oxo Complex with an Fe–O Triple Bond: Computational Design, Synthesis, and Reactivity

2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (51) ◽  
pp. 23137-23144
Author(s):  
Erik Andris ◽  
Koen Segers ◽  
Jaya Mehara ◽  
Lubomír Rulíšek ◽  
Jana Roithová
Keyword(s):  
Triple Bond ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Closed Shell ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Computational Design Synthesis

Computational design, synthesis and utilization of a magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer on graphene oxide nanosheets for highly selective extraction and determination of buprenorphine in biological fluids and tablets

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (43) ◽  
pp. 5214-5226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farideh Ganjavi ◽  
Mehdi Ansari ◽  
Maryam Kazemipour ◽  
Leila Zeidabadinejad
Keyword(s):  
Biological Fluids ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Selective Extraction ◽  
Graphene Oxide Nanosheets ◽  
Imprinted Polymer ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Molecularly Imprinted ◽  
Plasma And Urine Samples ◽  
Computational Design Synthesis

A magnetic MIP for the selective extraction of buprenorphine (BUP) from real plasma and urine samples and tablets based on computational design as a novel procedure has been developed.

Toward an automated approach to the design of sheet metal components

2003 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 187-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
ADITYA SOMAN ◽  
SWAPNIL PADHYE ◽  
MATTHEW I. CAMPBELL
Keyword(s):  
Sheet Metal ◽  
User Interaction ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Design Synthesis ◽  
Manufacturing Operations ◽  
Grammar Rules ◽  
Computational Design Synthesis ◽  
Representation Scheme ◽  
Sheet Metal Component ◽  
Synthesis Approach

The design of sheet metal components is perhaps one of the more challenging concurrent activities for design and manufacturing engineers. To aid this design process, a method is developed to encapsulate the constraints of sheet metal that make designing such components a tedious and iterative procedure. This project involves the implementation and testing of a geometric representation scheme for building feasible sheet metal components through the use of 17 grammar rules that capture manufacturing operations like cutting and bending. The implemented system has benefits both as a user interaction tool and as the basis for a computational design synthesis approach for designing sheet metal components. An example of a constructed sheet metal component is shown along with the method for invoking the sheet metal grammar to create this component.

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