Abstract

Purpose - This paper aims to provide a review of the applications of robotic technology in laboratories. Design/methodology/approach - Following a short introduction, this paper discusses a range of key applications for laboratory robots and describes a number of products. Some recent research is considered and brief conclusions are drawn. Findings - This shows that robotic laboratory automation offers a number of key economic and operational benefits and is being used in many procedures, ranging from drug discovery and toxicity testing to forensics and environmental monitoring. An intriguing possibility is the creation of new scientific knowledge by combining robotic systems with artificial intelligence. Originality/value - This paper illustrates the vital role played by robotic automation in laboratory procedures.

 Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the interdisciplinary research field Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulation (AIMM), with an emphasis on physical implementations and applications.Design/methodology/approach - Following an introduction to AIMM, this paper investigates the missing links and gaps between the research and developments efforts and the real-world application requirements, in order to bring the AIMM technology from laboratories to manufacturing environments. The investigation is based on 12 general application requirements for robotics; sustainability, configuration, adaptation, autonomy, positioning, manipulation and grasping, robot-robot interaction, human-robot interaction, process quality, dependability, and physical properties.Findings - The concise yet comprehensive review provides both researchers (academia) and practitioners (industry) with a quick and gentle overview of AIMM. Furthermore, the paper identifies key open issues and promising research directions to realize real-world integration and maturation of the AIMM technology.Originality/value - This paper reviews the interdisciplinary research field Autonomous Industrial Mobile Manipulation (AIMM).

 Abstract

Purpose - in this paper we will model a motor region named Mesencephalic Locomotors Region (MLR) which is located in the end part of the brain and first part of the spinal cord. This model will be used for a NAO soccer player humanoid robot. It consists of 3 main parts Which are High Level Decision Unit (HLDU), MLR-Learner and CPG layer. We focus on a special type of decision making named curvilinear walking. Design/methodology/approach - Our model is based on stimulation of some Programmable Central Pattern Generators (PCPGs) to generate curvilinear bipedal walking patterns. PCPGs are made from adaptive Hopfs oscillators. High level decision i.e. curvilinear bipedal walking will be formulated as a policy gradient learning problem over some free parameters of the robot CPG controller. Findings - The paper provides a basic model for generating different types of motions in humanoid robots using only simple stimulation of a CPG layer. A suitable and fast curvilinear walk has been achieved on Nao humanoid robot, which is similar to human ordinary walking. This model can be extended and used in other types of humanoid Research limitations/implications - we limit our work on a special type of biped locomotion. different types of other motions are encouraged to be tested and evaluated by this model.Practical implications - The paper introduce a bio-inspired model of skill learning for humanoid robots. It is used for curvilinear bipedal walking pattern. which is a beneficial movement in soccer-playing Nao robots in Robocup competitions.Originality/value - paper tries to use new biological motor concepts in artificial humanoid robots, which is Mesencephalic Locomotor Region.

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Purpose - This paper proposes a Screw Axis Identification (SAI) method based on the Product of Exponentials (POE) model, which is concerned with calibrating a serial robot with m joints equipped with a stereo-camera vision system.Design/methodology/approach - Different from conventional approaches, like the circle point analysis (CPA) or the system theoretic method which must collect a great deal of data, the identification of the joint parameters for the proposed method only needs to measure m+1 times for n(n=3) target points mounted on the manipulator end-effector.Findings - In this approach, the joint parameter, called a screw or twist, together with the actual value of joint angle can be obtained by linearly solving a closed- form expression. Besides, this method avoids calibrating the hand-eye relationship and the exterior parameter of the robot.Originality/value - Finally, the stability and accuracy of the SAI method are evaluated by simulation experiments, and it is also verified well in practical experiments.

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Purpose - This paper aims to provide a maximum speed algorithm for serial palletizing robots, which guarantees relatively low system modeling requirements and can be easily implemented in actual applications.Design/methodology/approach - Operation speed is an important index of palletizing robots performance. In order to improve it, features of palletizing motions are analyzed, and a refined iterative learning control algorithm for maximum speed optimization is proposed. The refined algorithm learns to increase local speed when the following error does not exceed a predefined tolerance, unlike conventional applications which make actual output identical to its reference. Furthermore, experiments were developed to illustrate the new algorithm's ability to take full advantage of motor capacity, drive ability and repetitive link couplings to improve palletizing efficiency.Findings - Experiments show that motion time decreases more than 20% after optimization.Research limitations/implications - Practical implications - Originality/value - The new iterative control algorithm can be easily applied to any repetitive handling operations where manipulating efficiency matters.

 Abstract

Purpose - A new smooth online near time-optimal trajectory planning approach is proposed in this paper to reduce the consuming time compared to the conventional dynamics trajectory planning methods.Design/methodology/approach - In the proposed method, the robot path is expressed by a scalar path coordinate. The joints torque boundary and speed boundary are transformed into the plane, which can generate the limitation curves of pseudo-velocity. The maximum pseudo-velocity curve that meets the limits of torque and speed is built up through the feature points and control points in the plane by using the cubic polynomial fitting method. Control points used for cubic polynomial construction are optimized by the Golden-Section method.Findings - The proposed method can avoid Range's phenomenon and also guarantee the continuity of torque. Practical implications - The algorithm designed in this paper is used for the controller of a new industrial robot which will be equipped for the welding automatic lines of Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. Originality/value - Compared to five-order polynomial trajectory optimization method proposed by Macfarlane and Croft (2003), our approach can effectively take advantage of joints maximum speed in the torque limits. And the calculation time of this method is shorter than conventional dynamics methods.

 Abstract

Purpose - In this paper, we aim to introduce the design and the multi-mode locomotion function of the new reconfigurable modular robotic system: UBot system, which combines the advantages from the chain-based and lattice-based self-reconfigurable robots.Design/methodology/approach - The UBot modules we have designed are based on the universal joint and of cubic shape with two rotational joints and reliable automatic connecting mechanism. The modules are compact and flexible enough for locomotion and reconfiguration. The system can move in different modes to satisfy different terrains, through changing the modules' local connections and rotation of modules' joints.Findings - The UBot system can flexibly move in the modes of cross, loop, quadruped, snake-type and other type of locomotion modes. All the locomotion has been implemented in the physical experiments.Originality/value - The UBot module is the new reconfigurable module which has two joints in one unit of regular cubic space and four reliable automatic connecting surfaces. A group of the modules is able to change its connective configuration by changing their local connections and has functionality of the corresponding traditional robotic system. Since it can travel through terrains that may not be fully characterized ahead of time, the system can be used in a large variety of tasks, such as transportation, assembly, inspection and exploration.

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Purpose - This paper aims to provide details on implementation of inexpensive and accurate automation solution for performing Brisket cutting while the sheep/lamb is hanging by Forelegs.Design/methodology/approach - The system developed uses 6 Degree of freedom (DOF) industrial manipulator, custom build tool, sterilizer, and other off the shelf products to create a machine, all the parameters in the system are designed to ensure that the highest levels of safety and hygiene standards are met. The primary system has been developed for sheep/lamb.Findings - It is shown that the system developed enhanced both the productivity and quality of the process, while adhering to the hygiene standard in the meat processing plants.Research limitations/implications - The process of precise brisket can be very challenging; the system designed uses customised tools to provide a good model for the trajectory planning. Originality/value - The system developed uses statistical tools to calculate the correct trajectories.

 Abstract

Purpose - This work proposes a calibration method that can calibrate the relationships among the robot manipulator, the camera and the workspace.Design/methodology/approach - The method uses a laser pointer rigidly mounted on the manipulator and projects the laser beam on the work plane. Nonlinear constraints governing the relationships of the geometrical parameters and measurement data are derived. The uniqueness of the solution is guaranteed when the camera is calibrated in advance. As a result, a decoupled multi-stage closed-form solution can be derived based on parallel line constraints, line/plane intersection and projective geometry. The closed-form solution can be further refined by nonlinear optimization which considers all parameters simultaneously in the nonlinear model.Findings - Computer simulations and experimental tests using actual data confirm the effectiveness of the proposed calibration method and illustrate its ability to work even when the eye can not see the hand.Originality/value - Only a laser pointer is required for this calibration method and this method can work without any manual measurement. In addition, this method can also be applied when the robot is not within the camera field of view.