Increasing Mobile Robot Efficiency and Versatility Through Manipulation-driven Adaptation

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Raymond Kim ◽  
Anirban Mazumdar ◽  
Varun Madabushi ◽  
Eric Dong
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Permanent Magnets ◽  
Mobile Robotics ◽  
Legged Locomotion ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Improve Energy Efficiency ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
Broad Variety ◽  
The Cost

Abstract Terrestrial mobile robotics are increasingly important to a range of missions including planetary exploration, search and rescue, logistics, and national security. Many of these missions require the robot to operate on a broad variety of terrain. Wheels are ideal for energy efficiency but can suffer catastrophic failure when presented with obstacles or complex ground. Legs can help navigate obstacles but at the cost of energy efficiency. Physical adaptation can enable a robot to benefit from both modes of locomotion. This paper describes a new approach to physical adaptation through manipulation. Specifically, this paper examines how manipulators can be used to change the vehicle's mode of locomotion and improve energy efficiency and versatility. This paper presents “swappable propulsors”, which can be easily attached/detached to adapt the vehicle through the use of permanent magnets. A new robot system that uses its manipulator to discretely switch between wheeled and legged locomotion is created. The experimental results demonstrate how this approach provides a unique combination of energy efficiency and versatility. This work describes the design of swappable propulsors, analyzes how to manipulate them, and describes how they can be used to improve performance. This work extends on prior work with additional analysis, an improved robot prototype, and new experimental results.

RESEARCH OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF TWO-CHAMBER PULSE DEVICES FOR STAMPING

2021 ◽  
pp. 128-133
Author(s):  
А.Ю. Боташев ◽  
А.А. Мусаев
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Combustion Chamber ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Energy Carrier ◽  
Thermodynamic Efficiency ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
Sheet Stamping ◽  
Fuel Mixtures ◽  
The Cost

Одной из разновидностей устройств, осуществляющих импульсные методы обработки давлением, являются двухкамерные устройства для листовой штамповки, использующие в качестве энергоносителя газовоздушные топливные смеси. Подача сжатого воздуха в камеру сгорания в рассматриваемом двухкамерном устройстве для листовой штамповки осуществляется компрессором. Проведен анализ термодинамических процессов, протекающих в камере сгорания и рабочем цилиндре двухкамерного устройства для листовой штамповки. При этом установлено, что энергия, затрачиваемая на работу компрессора, составляет около 45% от энергии, выделяющейся в камере сгорания. Получена зависимость для определения термодинамического КПД двухкамерных устройств для листовой штамповки, величина его составляет около 0,25. Установлено, что энергоэффективность двухкамерных устройств не уступает энергоэффективности традиционного штамповочного оборудования, при этом затраты на энергоносители двухкамерных устройств ниже за счет использования дешевого энергоносителя. В двухкамерном штамповочном устройстве для листовой штамповки электрическая энергия, используемая на работу компрессора, составляет менее 1/3 общей потребляемой энергии устройства. Поэтому при прочих равных условиях расходы на энергоносители будут значительно меньше, чем в штамповочном оборудовании, работающем на электрическом токе One of the types of devices that carry out pulse methods of pressure treatment are two-chamber devices for sheet stamping, using gas-air fuel mixtures as an energy carrier. The supply of compressed air to the combustion chamber in the considered two-chamber device for sheet stamping is carried out by a compressor. We carried out the analysis of thermodynamic processes taking place in the combustion chamber and the working cylinder of a two-chamber device for sheet stamping. We found that the energy spent on the operation of the compressor is about 45% of the energy released in the combustion chamber. We obtained the dependence for determining the thermodynamic efficiency of two-chamber devices for sheet stamping; its value is about 0.25. We established that the energy efficiency of two-chamber devices is not inferior to the energy efficiency of traditional stamping equipment, while the energy costs of two-chamber devices are lower due to the use of a cheap energy carrier. In a two-chamber die-forging device for sheet metal stamping, the electrical energy used to operate the compressor is less than 1/3 of the total energy consumption of the device. Therefore, all other things being equal, the cost of energy carriers will be significantly less than in stamping equipment operating on electric current

The cost of energy efficiency programs: Estimates from utility-reported datasets

Energy ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 122448
Author(s):  
Patrick Knight ◽  
Bruce Biewald ◽  
Kenji Takahashi
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
The Cost

scholarly journals Modern theoretical and practical measures to improve the energy efficiency of industrial buildings in Zaporizhzhia

2021 ◽  
pp. 21-29
Author(s):  
D.S. Ivanenko ◽  
O.S. Ishchenko ◽  
O.M. Nazarenko
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Rational Use ◽  
Improve Energy Efficiency ◽  
Industrial Enterprises ◽  
Energy Efficiency Improvement ◽  
Industrial Buildings ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
The Difference

Abstract. Problem statement. The problem of improving the energy efficiency of industry is today one of the most pressing and is being developed in several modern areas. One of the leading directions in this field is the development of the principles of sustainable architecture. The purpose of the article is to identify the main measures for the rational use of thermal resources, reducing energy consumption at industrial enterprises, which leads to a significant impact on the development of the country in the European direction. The use of foreign approaches to form a holistic methodology for assessing energy efficiency. Analysis of publications. The study of not only foreign, but also domestic modern theoretical developments and practical experience will allow to achieve the goal − to increase an energy efficiency of industrial buildings in Zaporizhzhia region. There are examples among European countries, which largely meet modern requirements, including energy efficiency in industry. Results of the study. The effectiveness of measures to improve energy efficiency is defined as the difference in the cost of energy consumed after their implementation. The first step in obtaining the results of energy efficiency is an energy survey or energy audit. Upon completion of the above operations, the customer must be provided with a report on the inspection of the facility, which includes recommendations (measures) to reduce the consumption of fuel and energy resources and their feasibility study, as well as the energy passport of the facility. Conclusions. The paper identifies the main aspects that need to be considered when drawing up an energy saving program at an industrial enterprise, which includes measures to improve energy efficiency. Also identified the main means of improving the energy efficiency of industry in Zaporizhzhia. Keywords: energy efficiency of buildings; energy efficiency improvement; rational use of energy resources; industrial construction; reconstruction of industrial enterprises; heat saving

scholarly journals Energy Losses Due to Imperfect Payment Infrastructure and Payment Instruments

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 8213
Author(s):  
Oleksandr Melnychenko
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Cost ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Strategic Objectives ◽  
Improve Energy Efficiency ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Number Of Customers

One of the strategic objectives of the European Union is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and improvement of energy efficiency by at least 32.5% in different areas of the economy by 2030. However, little is known about the impact of payment in retail on energy consumption. The purpose of this paper is to assess the chain of losses of time and energy, and therefore financial losses, that occur due to the imperfection of payment infrastructure and instruments using data of cashiers’ working time. The research is based on a regression analysis method, where the energy cost per payment transaction is considered in this study as a function of the number of customers per hour and the energy cost. The results of the panel models highlight that the number of customers per hour has a negative impact on the cost of energy per payment transaction. Furthermore, modern means and methods of payment, including cryptocurrencies, do not solve the problem of the excessive time that it takes to service payments, which entails a waste of energy and money. The empirical results give valuable insights into how to best organise payment in retail to achieve lower energy costs and improve energy efficiency in payment infrastructure.

A Casualty of Political Transformation? The Politics of Energy Efficiency in the Japanese Transportation Sector

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip Y. Lipscy
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
Liberal Democratic Party ◽  
Transportation Policy ◽  
Political Transformation ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
Transportation Sector ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The Cost

The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) came to power in 2009 promising significant transportation sector reform, but it has struggled to implement its proposals. I argue that the DPJ's initiatives faltered due to the legacy of “efficiency clientelism.” Historically, Japanese transportation policy combined two imperatives: (1) encourage efficiency by raising the cost of energy-inefficient transportation, and (2) redistribute benefits to supporters of the incumbent Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Because of the legacy of efficiency clientelism, DPJ campaign pledges—designed to appeal broadly to the general public by reducing transportation costs—ran up against the prospect of sharp declines in revenues and energy efficiency. Efficiency clientelism was well suited to political realities in Japan prior to the 1990s, but recent developments have undercut its viability. This raises profound questions about the sustainability of Japan's energy efficiency achievements.

scholarly journals AtTune: A Heuristic based Framework for Parallel Applications Autotuning

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiago Rocha ◽  
Janaina Schwarzrock ◽  
Monica Pereira ◽  
Lucas Schnorr ◽  
Philippe Navaux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Parallel Programming ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Parallel Applications ◽  
Programming Models ◽  
Data Synchronization ◽  
Input Size ◽  
Parallel Programming Models ◽  
Efficiency Performance ◽  
The Cost

Several aspects limit the scalability of parallel applications, e.g., off-chip bus saturation and data synchronization. Moreover, the high cost of cooling HPC systems, which can outweigh the cost of developing the system itself, has pushed the parallel application’s execution to another level of requirements, in terms of performance and energy. In this work, we propose AtTune: a heuristic-based framework for tuning the number of processes/threads and CPU frequency to optimize the parallel applications’ execution. AtTune is transparent for the user, independent of the input size, and it optimizes for different parallel programming models. We evaluated our proposed solution considering five well-known kernels implemented in MPI and OpenMP. Experimental results on two real multi-core systems showed that AtTune improves up to 36%, 11%, and 32% the energy efficiency, performance, and Energy-Delay Product, respectively.

The Cost of Energy Efficiency

Science ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 262 (5132) ◽  
pp. 319-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L. Joskow ◽  
D. B. Marron
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
The Cost

Feasibility Assessment of a Grid-Connected Carbon-Neutral Community in Midland, Texas

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Archan Shah ◽  
Nicholas Engler ◽  
Moncef Krarti
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Electricity Price ◽  
Pv System ◽  
Energy Efficiency Measures ◽  
Efficiency Measures ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
Energy Needs ◽  
Carbon Neutral ◽  
The Cost

Abstract Midland, Texas is one of the fastest-growing urban population centers in the country and has one of the lowest costs of electricity. This study aims to assess the potential of a grid-connected carbon-neutral community in an oil-rich city using energy efficiency measures and hybrid distributed generation (DG) systems. The community consists mostly of residential buildings including detached homes and apartment buildings. Moreover, a cost-optimization analysis of various DG technologies is carried out to meet both electrical and thermal loads of the community in Midland. The energy efficiency measures are selected for two main objectives: (i) reduce the total energy needs and (ii) electrify most of the buildings within the community. Improvement of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems and their controls are the main energy efficiency measures considered for all the buildings part of the community. DG systems are constrained by the renewable energy resources identified to be prevalent within the site of the community. It is found that photovoltaic (PV) systems are the most cost-effective, while wind and combined heat and power (CHP) would not be competitive compared to the current grid energy prices. Specifically, the optimization results indicate that PV, when implemented on a large scale, can provide adequate power to meet the energy needs of the community while also meeting carbon neutrality. A PV system size of 3400 kW is found to be required for the grid-connected community to be carbon neutral. While under this scenario a 100% reduction in carbon emissions is technically feasible, the cost of energy is estimated to be $0.194/kWh, almost double the current grid electricity price. However, if the capital cost of PV is decreased by 70% from its current level, the cost of energy due to the DG addition can be reduced significantly. In particular, a 1050-kW PV system was found to reduce the cost of energy below the grid electricity price of $0.10/kWh and achieves 31% reduction in carbon emissions for the community. Moreover, the 70% reduction in PV capital costs allows the carbon-neutral design for the community to be a cost-competitive solution with the grid.

The Cost of Energy Efficiency

Science ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 261 (5124) ◽  
pp. 969-970 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. B. Lovins
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Cost Of Energy ◽  
The Cost

Energy Efficiency of Legged Robot Locomotion With Elastically-Suspended Loads Over a Range of Suspension Stiffnesses

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Ackerman ◽  
Xingye Da ◽  
Justin Seipel
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Simple Model ◽  
Energy Cost ◽  
Legged Locomotion ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Legged Robot ◽  
Robot Locomotion ◽  
Cost Of Locomotion ◽  
Energy Cost Of Locomotion ◽  
Suspended Loads

Elastically suspending a load from humans and animals can increase the energy efficiency of legged locomotion and load carrying. Similarly, elastically-suspended loads have the potential to increase the energy efficiency of legged robot locomotion. External loads and the inherent mass of a legged robot, such as batteries, electronics, and fuel, can be elastically-suspended from the robot chassis with a passive compliant suspension system, reducing the energetic cost of locomotion. In prior work, we developed a simple model to examine the effect of elastically-suspended loads on the energy cost of locomotion from first principles. In this paper, we present experimental results showing the energy cost of locomotion for a simple hexapod robot over a range of suspension stiffness values. Elastically-suspended loads were shown to reduce the energy cost of locomotion by up to 20% versus a rigidly-attached load. We compare the experimental results to the theoretical results predicted by the simple model.

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