GENERALIZED CRITERIA FOR LOADING CAPACITY OF INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

The analysis of the correspondence of the set of functional indicators of industrial robots to the criteria of criteria similarity conditions is carried out. Using the methods of the theory of dimensions, criteria for the similarity of the functional properties of carrying capacity, speed-action and dynamism of industrial robots in terms of rotational and translational degrees of mobility have been determined. The necessary set of criteria has been created and a concept has been proposed for determining the generalized criterion complexes of the load capacity for modules, aggregates and the entire structure of the robot as a whole using the method of defragmentation and averaging the corresponding criteria by degrees of mobility. The proposed performance criterion makes it possible to compare the performance of a group of robots in terms of three kinematic indicators: speed, acceleration and the range of permissible displacements. For robots of light load capacity, the technical evolution of the considered criterion complexes is presented. It is noticed that with an increase in the reach of the robot, the criterion of load-carrying capacity for all robots decreases. The developed criteria make it possible to assess the speed action and loading capacity of a robot of any design and can be used to determine the technical level of robots and identify reserves for increasing it. Key words: degrees of mobility; manipulation system; homogeneous functions; dynamic parameters

A novel aerial manipulator system compensation control based on ADRC and backstepping

This paper proposes a fully-actuated control method for a novel aerial manipulation system (AMS). A customized carbon frame structure supports the servo actuators, on which eight propellers group into pairs located. We present kinematics and dynamics modeling of the AMS based on Craig parameter method and recursive Newton–Euler equation, respectively. Then, an Active disturbance rejection control (ADRC)—Backstepping—Compensation controller is designed to control the exact position and orientation of the manipulator in the Cartesian space. Finally, the performance of the system is demonstrated through simulations and virtual experiments.

Expansion of CRISPR Targeting Sites Using an Integrated Gene-Editing System in Apis mellifera

CRISPR/Cas9, a predominant gene-editing tool, has been utilised to dissect the gene function in Apis mellifera. However, only the genomic region containing NGG PAM could be recognised and edited in A. mellifera, seriously hampering the application of CRISPR technology in honeybees. In this study, we carried out the bioinformatics analysis for genome-wide targeting sites of NGG, TTN, and NNGRRT to determine the potential expansion of the SpCas9, SaCas9, Cpf1, and it was found that the targetable spectrum of the CRISPR editing system could be markedly extended via the integrated gene manipulation system. Meanwhile, the single guide RNA (sgRNA)/crRNA of different novel gene editing systems and the corresponding CRISPR proteins were co-injected into honeybee embryos, and their feasibility was tested in A. mellifera. The sequencing data revealed that both SaCas9 and Cpf1 are capable of mediating mutation in A. mellifera, albeit with relatively lower mutagenesis rates for Cpf1 and unstable editing for SaCas9. To our knowledge, our results provide the first demonstration that SaCas9 and Cpf1 can function to induce genome sequence alternation, which extended the editing scope to the targets with TTN and NNGRRT and enabled CRISPR-based genome research in a broader range in A. mellifera.

Shared Control of an Aerial Cooperative Transportation System with a Cable-suspended Payload

This paper presents a novel bilateral shared framework for a cooperative aerial transportation and manipulation system composed by a team of micro aerial vehicles with a cable-suspended payload. The human operator is in charge of steering the payload and he/she can also change online the desired shape of the formation of robots. At the same time, an obstacle avoidance algorithm is in charge of avoiding collisions with the static environment. The signals from the user and from the obstacle avoidance are blended together in the trajectory generation module, by means of a tracking controller and a filter called dynamic input boundary (DIB). The DIB filters out the directions of motions that would bring the system too close to singularities, according to a suitable metric. The loop with the user is finally closed with a force feedback that is informative of the mismatch between the operator’s commands and the trajectory of the payload. This feedback intuitively increases the user’s awareness of obstacles or configurations of the system that are close to singularities. The proposed framework is validated by means of realistic hardware-in-the-loop simulations with a person operating the system via a force-feedback haptic interface.