Modeling and Design of a Linkage-Based Suspension for Tracked-Type Climbing Mobile Robotic Systems

Author(s):  
Padmanabhan Kumar ◽  
Tristan W. Hill ◽  
D. Andrew Bryant ◽  
Stephen L. Canfield

Skid steer tracked-based robots are popular due to their mechanical simplicity, zero-turning radius and greater traction. This architecture also has several advantages when employed by mobile platforms designed to climb and navigate ferrous surfaces, such as increased magnet density and low profile (center of gravity). However, the suspension design plays a critical and unique role in track-based climbing systems relative to their traditional counterparts. In particular, the suspension must both accommodate irregularities in the climbing surface as well as transfer forces to the robot chassis required to maintain equilibrium. Furthermore, when properly designed, the suspension will distribute the climbing forces in a prescribed manner over the tractive elements. This paper will present a model for analysis and design of a linkage-type suspension for track-based climbing robot systems. The paper will further propose a set of requirements termed “conditions of climbing” that must be met to ensure stable (no falling) climbing for a given robot design over a range of climbing surface geometries. A recursive strategy is proposed to implement these conditions and yield a factor of safety in the current climbing state. This model will be compared through empirical testing with several prototype climbing robot systems. A method will also be demonstrated to use this model in the design of a preferred suspension system.

Author(s):  
Aaron T. O’Toole ◽  
Stephen L. Canfield

Skid steer tracked-based robots are popular due to their mechanical simplicity, zero-turning radius and greater traction. This architecture also has several advantages when employed by mobile platforms designed to climb and navigate ferrous surfaces, such as increased magnet density and low profile (center of gravity). However, creating a kinematic model for localization and motion control of this architecture is complicated due to the fact that tracks necessarily slip and do not roll. Such a model could be based on a heuristic representation, an experimentally-based characterization or a probabilistic form. This paper will extend an experimentally-based kinematic equivalence model to a climbing, track-based robot platform. The model will be adapted to account for the unique mobility characteristics associated with climbing. The accuracy of the model will be evaluated in several representative tasks. Application of this model to a climbing mobile robotic welding system (MRWS) is presented.


2017 ◽  
Vol 107 (09) ◽  
pp. 594-599
Author(s):  
A. Magaña ◽  
G. Prof. Reinhart

Industrieroboter sind zu einer Schlüsseltechnologie in der Produktion geworden. Mit dem steigenden Einsatz von diversen Robotersystemen wächst das Bedürfnis, deren Kompatibilität zu steigern. Heutzutage gibt es keine Technologie in der Industrie, die eine standardisierte Programmierung und Steuerung von verschiedenen Robotersystemen gewährleisten kann. Dieser Fachbeitrag präsentiert ein einheitliches Konzept, welches die Anwendung von herstellerneutralen Roboterapplikationen ermöglicht.   Industrial robots have become a key technology in production. The increasing use of various robotic systems, raises the need to enhance their compatibilit.y Nowadays, there is no technology in the industry to guarantee a standardized programming and control of different robot systems. This article presents a concept enabling the use of manufacturer-independent robot applications.


2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Eckenstein ◽  
Mark Yim

Two new designs for gravity compensated modular robotic systems are presented and analyzed. The gravity compensation relies on using zero-free-length springs approximated by a cable and pulley system. Simple yet powerful parallel four-bar modules enable the low-profile self-contained modules with sequential gravity compensation using the spring method for motion in a vertical plane. A second module that is formed as a parallel six-bar mechanism adds a horizontal motion to the previous system that also yields a complete decoupling of position and orientation of the distal end of a serial chain. Additionally, we introduce the concept of vanishing effort where as the number of modules that comprise an articulated serial chain increases, the actuation authority required at any joint reduces. Essentially, this results in a method for distributing actuation along the length of an articulated chain. Prototypes were designed and constructed validating the analysis and accomplishing the functions of a general serial-type manipulator arm.


Author(s):  
Muhammed Oguz Tas ◽  
Ugur Yayan ◽  
Hasan Serhan Yavuz ◽  
Ahmet Yazici

Robotic systems are used many areas where it is dangerous or difficult for people to do. The importance of autonomous robots increased with the Industry 4.0, and the concept of reliability needed more attention for long term operability of robotic systems. In this study, reliability based task allocation analysis is performed for robots by using fuzzy logic. With the help of fuzzy inference system, the result of reliability based task allocation are obtained using the amount of carried load and load carrying distances. In the study, cases of task allocation based on nearest and reliability were analyzed and compared. Experimental results showed that, the system reliability that occurs with reliability based task allocation is higher than the system reliability that occurs with nearest based task allocation.


Author(s):  
Hendrik Beck ◽  
Johanna J Schultz ◽  
Christofer J Clemente

Abstract Robotic systems for complex tasks, such as search and rescue or exploration, are limited for wheeled designs, thus the study of legged locomotion for robotic applications has become increasingly important. To successfully navigate in regions with rough terrain, a robot must not only be able to negotiate obstacles, but also climb steep inclines. Following the principles of biomimetics, we developed a modular bio-inspired climbing robot, named X4, which mimics the lizard’s bauplan including an actuated spine, shoulders, and feet which interlock with the surface via claws. We included the ability to modify gait and hardware parameters and simultaneously collect data with the robot’s sensors on climbed distance, slip occurrence and efficiency. We first explored the speed-stability trade-off and its interaction with limb swing phase dynamics, finding a sigmoidal pattern of limb movement resulted in the greatest distance travelled. By modifying foot orientation, we found two optima for both speed and stability, suggesting multiple stable configurations. We varied spine and limb range of motion, again showing two possible optimum configurations, and finally varied the centre of pro- and retraction on climbing performance, showing an advantage for protracted limbs during the stride. We then stacked optimal regions of performance and show that combining optimal dynamic patterns with either foot angles or ROM configurations have the greatest performance, but further optima stacking resulted in a decrease in performance, suggesting complex interactions between kinematic parameters. The search of optimal parameter configurations might not only be beneficial to improve robotic in-field operations but may also further the study of the locomotive evolution of climbing of animals, like lizards or insects.


Author(s):  
Gen'ichi Yasuda

This chapter provides a practical and intuitive way of cooperative task planning and execution for complex robotic systems using multiple robots in automated manufacturing applications. In large-scale complex robotic systems, because individual robots can autonomously execute their tasks, robotic activities are viewed as discrete event-driven asynchronous, concurrent processes. Further, since robotic activities are hierarchically defined, place/transition Petri nets can be properly used as specification tools on different levels of control abstraction. Net models representing inter-robot cooperation with synchronized interaction are presented to achieve distributed autonomous coordinated activities. An implementation of control software on hierarchical and distributed architecture is presented in an example multi-robot cell, where the higher level controller executes an activity-based global net model of task plan representing cooperative behaviors performed by the robots, and the parallel activities of the associated robots are synchronized without the coordinator through the transmission of requests and the reception of status.


2017 ◽  
Vol 260 ◽  
pp. 20-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikos A. Aspragathos

In this paper, methodologies are presented for the development of intelligent robot systems for the manipulation of linear and sheet like objects with low and/or very low bending rigidity. In the introduction the non-rigid objects are defined and classified considering their shape, bending rigidity and extensibility. The industrial and service applications of these systems are presented and the state of the art approaches for the manipulation of various categories of the non-rigid objects are presented. A brief State-of the-Art on the manipulation of the deformable objects with relatively low bending rigidity and presenting elastic behavior like foam, sheet metal is presented as well.The main part of the paper is devoted to the robotic manipulation of the sheet-like objects with very low rigidity such as fabrics and leather. Laboratory demonstrators accompany the presentation of the developed intelligent robotic systems for manipulation of non-rigid objects and the paper concludes with hints for the future directions of the research and development in robotic systems for handling non-rigid objects.


2014 ◽  
Vol 573 ◽  
pp. 394-399
Author(s):  
R. Manikandan ◽  
P.K. Jawahar

In recent years, the demand for compact handheld communication devices has grown significantly. For device miniaturization antenna size is to be reduced. Micro strip and PIFA have been used for past few years. Since it has low profile geometry it can be embedded into devices. This project is to develop a Quad band small size Planar Inverted F Antenna (PIFA) for the operation in modern multi-band mobile transceiver system. Various techniques for analysis and design of such antenna investigated in this project. The design curve is used to design Quad band Planar inverted F Antenna to operate at the 900, 1800, 2100 and 3500 MHz bands. Since High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) simulation result agrees well with the theoretical predictions, this project also designed through HFSS. An antenna designed at the four desired band and optimized to adjust the four resonance frequencies using HFSS simulation. The substrate FR4 (εr=4.4 & tanδ = 0.02) are in good agreement with the simulation result. Further bandwidth enhancements by making defects in the substrate at particular area were need of much reflection.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei-Luen Patrick Rau ◽  
Ye Li ◽  
Jun Liu

Social attributes of intelligent robots are important for human-robot systems. This paper investigates influences of robot autonomy (i.e., high versus low) and group orientation (i.e., ingroup versus outgroup) on a human decision-making process. We conducted a laboratory experiment with 48 college students and tested the hypotheses with MANCOVA. We find that a robot with high autonomy has greater influence on human decisions than a robot with low autonomy. No significant effect is found on group orientation or on the interaction between group orientation and autonomy level. The results provide implications for social robot design.


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