Design Of Robot Research Articles

Design and Implementation of the Soft Robot's End-Effecter

Design and Implementation of the Soft Robot's End-Effecter

Research Progress on Pole-Climbing Robots: A Review

Background: Pole-climbing robots are a type of application robot commonly used for quality inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of utility poles, high voltage lines, bridge cables, transmission pipelines, and other important facilities with a certain height. The working conditions are often harsh and dangerous, making manual participation unsafe. The pole-climbing robot can provide a platform for maintenance and cleaning work. Remote control operation of the pole-climbing robot is achieved through communication and control technology. It has been created to improve efficiency and reduce personnel accidents greatly. At the same time, the continuous development of science and technology has led to the expansion of robot design concepts. It has also brought about great changes and growth in the development of pole-climbing robots. Objective: The purpose of this paper is to report the latest progress in the research of pole-climbing robots from bionic and non-bionic perspectives and to provide a research reference for researchers in this field. Method: By analyzing academic theses and published patents, this paper presents a new classification of pole-climbing robots from the perspective of bionic and non-bionic. By summarizing the literature, the structural characteristics of various pole-climbing robots and their differences and applications are summarized. Results: The performance of the pole-climbing robots is analyzed from the viewpoint of structural characteristics and action execution methods. In turn, the characteristics of various types of pole-climbing robots are summarized. Finally, based on the above discussion, the future problems and development directions of pole-climbing robots are predicted. Conclusion: The pole-climbing robots can be divided into two categories, bionic and non-bionic, based on the analysis of design features. Both bionic and non-bionic pole-climbing robots have good development and applications in their respective directions. Also, bionic and non-bionic pole-climbing robots have different detailed classifications based on material, structure, and other perspectives. They have different advantages and disadvantages in terms of the performance of pole-climbing action execution. It provides a research reference for future researchers in this field.

A Morphological Transfer-Based Multi-Fidelity Evolutionary Algorithm for Soft Robot Design

A Morphological Transfer-Based Multi-Fidelity Evolutionary Algorithm for Soft Robot Design

Research on Motion Patterns of Soft Robots Based on Bionic Structure

Bionic soft robot is a new type of robot whose main body is composed of flexible material, with the advantages of adjustable size and strong environmental adaptability, which has a broad application prospect in logistics, medical care, resource exploration and other fields. Novel smart materials also shine in the design of soft robots. This paper highlights the research advancements in the locomotion patterns of bionic soft robots. The mechanism of movement of animals such as inchworms, starfish, earthworms, etc. and the soft robots designed to imitate them are introduced. Novel smart materials required to realise these designs, such as Shape Memory Alloy (SMA), dielectric elastomer (DE), a collapsible actuator (PFA), pNIPAM/CNTs hydrogel composite, are also presented. Methods to drive and control the motion of these soft robots are presented, including thermally driven shape memory alloys, pneumatic airbags, and laser-driven, magnetic field-driven, and electrically driven dielectric materials, among other types. After discussing the materials and methods, the current challenges to the innovation of motion patterns for bionic soft robots are analyzed.

Mechanical Design of SCARA Robot for Hospital Waste Disposal Robot

Mechanical Design of SCARA Robot for Hospital Waste Disposal Robot

Finite Element Analysis and Design Optimisation of Welding robot base using ANSYS

The study on Finite Element Analysis and Design Optimization of a welding robot base using ANSYS explores the crucial role of welding robots in enhancing industrial productivity and quality. It addresses the challenges of structural integrity, operational efficiency, and durability under harsh conditions. The research focuses on optimizing the robot base design to withstand high production demands, using ANSYS for detailed modelling and simulation. It reviews previous studies highlighting the importance of vibrational characteristics and structural dynamics in robot design. The methodology involves creating a geometric model, defining material properties, meshing, and applying boundary conditions and loading scenarios. The results indicate that the optimized design significantly improves stress distribution, reduces deformation, and enhances the dynamic response, making the robot base more robust and reliable. The study concludes with recommendations for broader applications in robotic systems to improve safety and productivity in industrial settings.

Why robot embodiment matters: questions of disability, race and intersectionality in the design of social robots.

A growing minority of those with disabilities are people of color (POC), with, for example, autism diagnosis rates now higher for children of color than for white children in the USA. This trend underscores the need for assistive technologies, especially socially assistive robots, to be designed with intersectional users in mind. Outside of Japan, most robots are designed with white synthetic skin and able-bodied features, failing to reflect the diverse users they are meant to assist. This paper explores the concept of the "engineering imaginary," the historical and cultural influences that shape these designs, and which tend to limit robot embodiment to white, able-bodied forms. Drawing on work from scholars like Lucy Suchman, Jennifer Rhee, Neda Atanasoski and Kalindi Vora, the paper critiques this engineering bias. A key historical moment in the production of the engineered imaginary of artificial humans is provided by Ovid's myth of Pygmalion and its influence on representations across literature, film, and then robotics. Furthermore, the physicality of the robot, and its role in the production of nonverbal communication (NVC) for more inclusive interaction with humans is explored, seeing these as steps toward what some roboticists are calling Artificial Empathy (AE). Through case studies like Bestic, Bina48, and HuggieBot 3.0, the paper explores what I call the poverty of the engineering imaginary, how current robotics design fails to properly address issues of race, gender, and disability. Ultimately, the paper argues for more inclusive robot designs that accommodate diverse bodies and social dynamics, questioning the pervasive norm of white, able-bodied robotic embodiment.

An analytical study of Euler angle and Rodrigues parameter representations of $\mathbb{SO}(3)$ towards describing subsets of ${\mathbb{SO}}(3)$ geometrically and establishing the relations between these

Abstract Descriptions of various subsets of $\mathbb{SO}(3)$ are encountered frequently in robotics, for example, in the context of specifying the orientation workspaces of manipulators. Often, the Cartesian concept of a cuboid is extended into the domain of Euler angles, notwithstanding the fact that the physical implications of this practice are not documented. Motivated by this lacuna in the existing literature, this article focuses on studying sets of rotations described by such cuboids by mapping them to the space of Rodrigues parameters, where a physically meaningful measure of distance from the origin is available and the spherical geometry is intrinsically pertinent. It is established that the planar faces of the said cuboid transform into hyperboloids of one sheet and hence, the cuboid itself maps into a solid of complicated non-convex shape. To quantify the extents of these solids, the largest spheres contained within them are computed analytically. It is expected that this study would help in the process of design and path planning of spatial robots, especially those of parallel architecture, due to a better and quantitative understanding of their orientation workspaces.

Design of a Bionic Spider Robot with a Two-Degrees-of-Freedom Leg Structure and Body Frame

Spiders have unique biological characteristics and excellent maneuverability, making them an ideal model for bionic robot design. However, traditional bionic spider robot designs usually have multiple degrees of freedom and confront many challenges. These challenges include complex control requirements, higher energy consumption, larger size and weight, higher risk of failure, and higher cost. This study proposes a leg design with two degrees of freedom to reduce its control and manufacturing costs. It can better control leg movement and improve leg force through a multi-link mechanism and a dual-motor system. In addition, the triangular gait and hexagonal body structure align the weight of the body with the support point, thereby enhancing stability. This study offers a comprehensive and organized approach to bio-inspired robot design, providing a valuable reference for future bionic robot development.

Nature redux: interrogating biomorphism and soft robot aesthetics through generative AI.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly become a widespread design aid through the recent proliferation of generative AI tools. In this work we use generative AI to explore soft robotics designs, specifically Soft Biomorphism, an aesthetic design paradigm emphasizing the inherent biomorphic qualities of soft robots to leverage them as affordances for interactions with humans. The work comprises two experiments aimed at uncovering how generative AI can articulate and expand the design space of soft biomorphic robotics using text-to-image (TTI) and image-to-image (ITI) generation techniques. Through TTI generation, Experiment 1 uncovered alternative interpretations of soft biomorphism, emphasizing the novel incorporation of, e.g., fur, which adds a new dimension to the material aesthetics of soft robotics. In Experiment 2, TTI and ITI generation were combined and a category of hybrid techno-organic robot designs discovered, which combined rigid and pliable materials. The work thus demonstrates in practice the specific ways in which AI image generation can contribute towards expanding the design space of soft robotics.

Modeling, Simulation, and Kinematic Validation of Transfemoral Prosthetic Mechanism With Ankle Varus–Valgus Characteristic

Abstract Inspired by the kinesiology of human bionic joints, a transfemoral prosthetic mechanism based on a functional structure of parallel mechanism is developed for the transfemoral amputees. The walking interactive simulation is implemented based on human-prosthesis modeling to verify the kinematics of the designed prosthetic mechanism, as well as to explore compatibility between the amputees and prosthesis. Then, simulation-based prosthetic optimization is performed to pursue an optimized human-prosthesis model with economic metabolic consumption while eliminating compatibility errors including the joints' misalignment error between the affected limb and healthy limb, and the assembly error between human and prosthesis, so that the potential physical health problems can be avoided efficiently. This method is valuable for the optimal design of interactive rehabilitation robots. Finally, a developed proportional-integral-derivative-based (PID-based) finite-state machine (FSM) strategy is used, and the kinematic validation is carried out. The results show that the designed prosthesis possesses ankle varus–valgus characteristic, and it has a high human-like motion accuracy due to the FSM control can track prosthetic motion in each gait event. What's more, the prosthetic optimization can be an efficient method to enhance the biomechanical performance of human-prosthetic model so that the amputees have a more natural and symmetry gait.

Identification of Technical Requirements for the Initial Design of an Autonomous Fruit-Harvesting Robot

Automation in agriculture is revolutionizing the management of field tasks. This paper focuses on identifying the essential needs and preliminary technical requirements for designing an autonomous robot specifically for fruit harvesting. The study examines the integration of advanced machine vision technologies and neural networks for the accurate detection of ripe fruits and obstacles, optimizing harvesting efficiency. Key features such as proximity and touch sensors are also evaluated to ensure the safe handling of fruits, minimizing damage during harvesting. The technical specifications, including traction, speed, and the robot’s ability to operate on uneven terrain, are analyzed to ensure adaptability across various crops and ground conditions. Perception systems, incorporating cameras and sensors, are crucial for crop inspection and route planning. The main findings of this review establish a set of technical requirements that serve as a foundation for developing efficient and economically viable fruit-harvesting robots. These systems offer significant potential to transform agriculture by addressing labor shortages and improving harvesting precision. However, challenges remain, particularly in adapting to diverse crops and environments, emphasizing the need for further research and development.

Design and modeling of a novel mobile cable robot with dual-stage end effector

Design and modeling of a novel mobile cable robot with dual-stage end effector

Robotically steerable intraluminal imaging probe with side-viewing 3D photoacoustic computed tomography.

This Letter presents, for the first time to our knowledge, a continuum robotic-steered endoluminal volumetric photoacoustic tomography probe. With regard to the design of the probe, a coaxial optical and acoustic imaging system has been developed that employs a custom designed piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT). The dimensions of the system are constrained within a cylindrical housing with a diameter of 12 mm and a length of 30 mm. In regard to the robot design, the motion capabilities of the continuum robot have been successfully modeled and characterized. Based on the proposed system, the potential for early detection and screening of gastrointestinal cancers through phantoms has been validated. The experimental results demonstrate that the robotic-assisted photoacoustic system performs well in localizing unknown lesions and characterizing deep-seated abnormalities, exhibiting promising clinical applications.

PID Controller with an Override Mode for a Wall-Following Robot with a Rotating Sensor Compartment

This paper presents the design of a wall-following robot (WFR) with a rotating sensor compartment to reduce the number of distance sensors used. Two infrared (IR) sensors were fitted in the compartment that rotates back and forth at 45°, producing four measurement values at each rotation cycle. The WFR was regulated using a novel control scheme of PID controller with an override mode. A discrete PID controller in position form was used to run the WFR to follow straight wall segments or walls turning left, while an override mode governed the WFR to follow walls turning right. The sampling time was set to 300 ms. The parameters of the PID controller were tuned using a trial-and-error method. The Mean Absolute Errors (MAE) was selected as the cost function. The WFR conducted twelve trial runs along a trial track with a length of 200 cm, consisting of one right turn and one left turn. The parameters that yielded the lowest MAE of 0.90 cm were used for further tests. Subsequently, a closed track for testing was constructed with a length of 845 cm, consisting of 7 right turns and 2 left turns. The WFR completed five test runs successfully, each elapsing the test track twice. The lowest MAE during the tests was 1.06 cm. The favorable performance of the proposed WFR strengthens future development efforts to equip the robot with more hardware to fulfill specific tasks and to put the completion time into optimization consideration.

Design of a robust intelligent controller based neural network for trajectory tracking of high-speed wheeled robots

The control design of wheeled mobile robots is often accomplished based on the robot’s kinematics which imposes critical challenges in the motion tracking control of such systems. In the related literature, most works designed dynamic controllers based on the terms of voltage or torque; however, the velocity is often utilized in industrial and commercial applications. To address this issue, this paper focuses on the design of a velocity-based control for the trajectory-tracking problem of mobile robots in practical applications including measurement acquisition. The control design of the mobile robot is realized in two separate parts using kinematic control and dynamic control. The design of kinematic control is carried out based on the robot’s kinematics where the motion is described without considering the forces and torques. A radial basis function (RBF) neural network (NN) based on the model-free controller is designed for the dynamic controller of mobile robots without relying on the system dynamics. In the proposed dynamic control, a time-delay estimation is adopted to estimate the disturbances and noises in the mobile robot and remove them from the feedback loop control. Several typical scenarios of mobile robots with high-speed movements are conducted to assess the feasibility of the proposed NN controller-based time-delay estimation under noises and disturbances. To show the supremacy of the suggested controller, the dynamic responses of the mobile robot test system are compared with the prevalent controllers. The extensive simulation and real-time examinations reveal the capability of the proposed NN controller-based time-delay estimation to control high-speed mobile robots under high-level noises and disturbances.

Design and tension distribution optimization of a 9-DOF cable-driven parallel spray-painting robot with 3 degrees of redundancy

This paper presents a 9-DOF cable-driven parallel spray-painting robot (CDPSR) with 3 ° of redundancy (DORs) for automated spraying on large, curved surfaces and proposes a feasible cable tension region (FCTR) calculation algorithm for multi-redundant robots. The end effector of the CDPSR consists of two moving platforms connected by a spherical hinge and driven by 12 cables, enabling 9 DOFs of motion (3 for translation and 6 for rotation). Given that the CDPSR has three DORs, a multi-dimensional FCTR vertex calculation algorithm is introduced. The FCTR is an adjacent, continuous, and closed convex hull in every dimension; therefore, the vertices of the FCTR can be determined sequentially and dimensionally. For DOR=3, the vertices on one face of the convex polyhedron are first determined and then extended to adjacent faces until the polyhedron is closed. An experimental prototype of the proposed robot was constructed and experiments on spray trajectory planning and FCTR calculation validation were conducted. The results of the simulations and experiments verified the motion performance of the CDPSR and the accuracy and efficiency of the FCTR calculation algorithm.

Robotic Assembly – Mobile Platform for Construction Field

"Construction sites often involve the manual transportation of heavy objects, posing risks to workers' safety and efficiency. In this paper, it was proposed a design, development, and evaluation of a service robot specifically created for carrying heavy objects in the construction field. The robot is equipped with robust locomotion capabilities, intelligent perception systems, and efficient control mechanisms to navigate through complex environments and handle various types of loads. It was presented the technical design of the robot, including its hardware components, sensing modalities, and software architecture. Furthermore, it was discussed the experimental validation of the robot's performance in real-world construction scenarios, highlighting its effectiveness in improving productivity, reducing labor costs, and enhancing workplace safety. Through this research, the aim is to demonstrate the potential of service robots as valuable assets in the construction industry, paving the way for future advancements in robotic assistance technologies. Keywords: human-robot collaboration, manipulation, autonomous systems, object transportation, mechanics."

Patient Preferences Concerning Humanoid Features in Healthcare Robots

In this paper, I argue that patient preferences concerning human physical attributes associated with race, culture, and gender should be excluded from public healthcare robot design. On one hand, healthcare should be (objective, universal) needs oriented. On the other hand, patient well-being (the aim of healthcare) is, in concrete ways, tied to preferences, as is patient satisfaction (a core WHO value). The shift toward patient-centered healthcare places patient preferences into the spotlight. Accordingly, the design of healthcare technology cannot simply disregard patient preferences, even those which are potentially morally problematic. A method for handling these at the design level is thus imperative. By way of uncontroversial starting points, I argue that the priority of the public healthcare system is the fulfillment of patients’ therapeutic needs, among which certain potentially morally problematic preferences may be counted. There are further ethical considerations, however, which, taken together, suggest that the potential benefits of upholding these preferences are outweighed by the potential harms.

Design and kinematics of a novel rigid-flexible coupling hybrid robot for aeroengine blades in situ repair

PurposeThis paper aims to present the mechanical design and kinematics of a novel rigid-flexible coupling hybrid robot to develop a promising aeroengine blades in situ repair technology.Design/methodology/approachAccording to requirements analysis, a novel rigid-flexible coupling hybrid robot is proposed by combining a three degrees of freedom (DOF) parallel mechanism with a flexible continuum section. Then the kinematics models of both parallel mechanism and flexible continuum section are derived respectively. Finally, based on equivalent joint method, a two-step numerical iterative inverse kinematics algorithm is proposed for the whole robot: (1) the flexible continuum section is equivalently transformed to a 2-DOF spherical joint, thus the approximate analytical inverse kinematic solution can be obtained; (2) the accurate solution is derived by an iterative derivation of both parallel mechanism and flexible continuum section.FindingsTo verify structure scheme and the proposed kinematics modeling method, numerical simulations and prototype experiments are implemented. The results show that the proposed kinematics algorithm has sufficient accuracy and computational efficiency in the whole available workspace, that is end-effector position error and orientation error are less than 0.2 mm and 0.01° respectively, and computation time is less than 0.22s.Originality/valueA novel rigid-flexible coupling hybrid robot for aeroengine blades in situ repair is designed. A two-step numerical iterative inverse kinematics algorithm is proposed for this unique hybrid robots, which has good accuracy and computational efficiency.