Modeling of Reconfigurable Modular Redundant Robotic Systems

This paper deals with the dynamical modeling and control of modular redundant robots. The robots under consideration consist of modular actuators (brushless DC motors with Harmonic Drive gears) connected by rigid links. Different configurations can be designed by rearranging these subsystems. In order to fulfill the requirement for an efficient dynamical modeling, the Projection Equation in subsystem representation is used. The subsystems are connected via the kinematical chain. The Projection Equation offers the possibility to calculate the minimal accelerations recursively, leading to an O(n) computational effectiveness. To validate the proposed method, the model of an articulated robot arm with seven joints is considered. Simulation results are compared to measurements. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The Lightweight Robot ElRob: Interesting Aspects in Modeling and Control

The articulated robot ElRob, consisting of flexible links and joints, is considered in several publications. Recent developments are presented in this work. The overall goal of the research is to decrease the effects of structural elasticities in lightweight robots. For this purpose model-based control concepts are investigated and very accurate and efficient kinematic and dynamic models are necessary. The robot is split into groups of bodies, the so called subsystems, with separated describing velocities and coordinate systems. To obtain structured equations of motion the Projection Equation is used. The beams are modelled using the floating frame of reference formulation and a Ritz-approach. Because of its flexibility, the examined robot is an underactuated system leading to special difficulties. As an example is it not possible to compute the desired joint angles with respect to a reference path in task space for the flexible system (inverse kinematic problem). Different methods to solve this drawback and other problems resulting from flexibility are discussed with special focus on feed forward control and different feedback control concepts. The resulting end point error, the necessary control input and other interesting results for the laboratory experiment are presented and compared. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Control Strategies for a Hybrid Articulated Robot

Due to higher requirements in productivity and cost efficiency of production lines, robots and other manipulators have to move faster. One possibility to fulfill the mentioned goals is to build lightweight constructions having elastic deformations in joints and links. The elastic components tend to vibrations and static deflections. Methods that compensate or minimize these drawbacks are the focus of this paper. An articulated robot with 6 joints and flexibility in joints and links is under consideration. The joints are actuated by DC motors combined with Harmonic Drive gears which offer high gear ratios but undergo elastic deformations. The links are flexible in two bending directions and in torsional sense. To achieve ordinary differential equations, a Ritz approach together with the projection equation is used. The obtained model is used for feedforward and feedback control design. Based on reference trajectories and on a rigid body model, estimations for the elastic deflections are calculated. These deflections are used to alter the reference trajectory in order to minimize the error of the tool center point. For basic active damping, non-local curvature feedback is used. Together with PD joint control and the feedforward control, satisfying results are obtained. Additionally, a sliding control approach is presented. The stiffness of the tool center point is enhanced with the drawback of less active damping. Simulation results and measured data are presented and compared. (© 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Recursive Methods in Modeling and Control of Modular Robotic Systems

This paper addresses the dynamical modeling and control of reconfigurable modular robots. The modular actuators (brushless DC motors with Harmonic Drive gears) for the robots under consideration are connected by rigid links. This way the robot can be assembled in different configurations by rearranging these components. For dynamical modeling the Projection Equation in Subsystem representation is used, taking advantage of its modular structure. Due to the lack of position sensors at the gearbox output shaft, deflections caused by the elasticities in the gears can not be compensated by the PD motor joint controller. Therefore, a correction of the motor trajectory is needed, which can be calculated as part of a flatness based feed-forward control using the exact model of the robot. With the recursive approach proposed in this paper the concept of reconfigurability is retained. For validation a redundant articulated robot arm with seven joints is regarded and results are presented. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Computed torque control of an under-actuated service robot platform modeled by natural coordinates

The paper investigates the motion planning of a suspended service robot platform equipped with ducted fan actuators. The platform consists of an RRT robot and a cable suspended swinging actuator that form a subsequent parallel kinematic chain and it is equipped with ducted fan actuators. In spite of the complementary ducted fan actuators, the system is under-actuated. The method of computed torques is applied to control the motion of the robot.The under-actuated systems have less control inputs than degrees of freedom. We assume that the investigated under-actuated system has desired outputs of the same number as inputs. In spite of the fact that the inverse dynamical calculation leads to the solution of a system of differential–algebraic equations (DAE), the desired control inputs can be determined uniquely by the method of computed torques.We use natural (Cartesian) coordinates to describe the configuration of the robot, while a set of algebraic equations represents the geometric constraints. In this modeling approach the mathematical model of the dynamical system itself is also a DAE.The paper discusses the inverse dynamics problem of the complex hybrid robotic system. The results include the desired actuator forces as well as the nominal coordinates corresponding to the desired motion of the carried payload. The method of computed torque control with a PD controller is applied to under-actuated systems described by natural coordinates, while the inverse dynamics is solved via the backward Euler discretization of the DAE system for which a general formalism is proposed. The results are compared with the closed form results obtained by simplified models of the system. Numerical simulation and experiments demonstrate the applicability of the presented concepts.     

Comparative study on control concepts of a robot manipulator with multiple-link/joint flexibilities

If one is dealing with active vibration suppression on a highly nonlinear flexible system, various techniques are needed. On the one hand a suitable dynamic model of the system is required. And on the other hand intelligent model based control concepts are necessary for active vibration damping. We deal with a basic model, where the flexibilities are approximated with linear springs and dampers, a so called lumped element model (LEM). For the control design we propose a control structure with two degrees of freedom (2DoF) for solving the tracking problem, based on the LEM. Such an approach allows designing the feedforward part independently of the feedback part. Hereby the feedforward control is based on the flatness approach, while for the feedback control several strategies are studied using acceleration- and gyrosensor-measurements. The contribution is completed with a validation by measurements from a very fast trajectory on an articulated robot with two flexible links and three elastic joints. (© 2012 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Computational implementation of the rigid finite element method in the statics and dynamics analysis of forest cranes

A general mathematical model of a forest crane for statics and dynamics analysis is presented in the paper. This model allows to take into account the crane's flexible connections with the ground, the flexibility of its links and drives. The rigid finite element method is used to discretize the flexible links. Joint coordinates and homogeneous transformation matrices are used to describe the geometry of the system. Equations of motion are derived using the formalism of Lagrange equations. As an example, a forest crane built of eight links is presented. It is assumed that only one selected link of the crane is flexible. The influence of the flexibility of the link on the movements of load and driving torques in the revolute joints and the driving force in the prismatic joint are analyzed. The results may have practical significance, e.g. in terms of the selection of drives.     

Method for solving the Boltzmann kinetic equation for polyatomic gases

A method is proposed for computing the collision operator of a generalized Boltzmann kinetic equation with allowance for energy transfer from translational to vibrational or rotational degrees of freedom. The collision operator is computed using a projection method on a uniform velocity grid. The operator satisfies the mass, momentum, and energy conservation laws and vanishes for an equilibrium velocity distribution function. Approximate models are suggested that provide savings on the computation of rotational-translational relaxation. Numerical examples are presented.     

Mathematical modeling and trajectory planning of mobile manipulators with flexible links and joints

This paper is concerned with mathematical modeling and optimal motion designing of flexible mobile manipulators. The system is composed of a multiple flexible links and flexible revolute joints manipulator mounted on a mobile platform. First, analyzing on kinematics and dynamics of the model is carried out then; open-loop optimal control approach is presented for optimal motion designing of the system. The problem is known to be complex since combined motion of the base and manipulator, non-holonomic constraint of the base and highly non-linear and complicated dynamic equations as a result of the flexible nature of both links and joints are taken into account. In the proposed method, the generalized coordinates and additional kinematic constraints are selected in such a way that the base motion coordination along the predefined path is guaranteed while the optimal motion trajectory of the end-effector is generated. This method by using Pontryagin’s minimum principle and deriving the optimality conditions converts the optimal control problem into a two point boundary value problem. A comparative assessment of the dynamic model is validated through computer simulations, and then additional simulations are done for trajectory planning of a two-link flexible mobile manipulator to demonstrate effectiveness and capability of the proposed approach.     

Dynamic PDE parametric curves

Dynamic partial differential equation (PDE) parametric curves which can be expressed as a coupled system of two hyperbolic equations are developed. In curve design, dynamic PDE parametric curves can be modified intuitively and are more flexible than ordinary differential equation (ODE) curves. The calculation of dynamic PDE parametric curves must recur to numerical methods and a three-level finite difference scheme is proposed. Approximation and stability properties for the scheme are proved and convergence property is derived. An example of interpolating PDE curves is presented as an application of dynamic PDE parametric curves.     

Control of flexible joint robots using neural networks

The objective of this paper is to present a new controller designfor robot manipulators with elastic joints. The model, whichis used to represent the dynamics of elastic joint manipulators,is derived under two assumptions regarding the dynamic couplingbetween the actuators and the links. This model is useful forcases where the elasticity in the joints represents the dominantdynamic characteristic, and especially when it is of greatersignificance than gyroscopic interactions between the motorsand the links. The analysis of the problem is based on resultsin nonlinear control theory and particularly on the feedbacklinearization technique, and the controller design is achievedusing dynamic neural networks.     

Error analysis and applications of the Fourier-Galerkin Runge-Kutta schemes for high-order stiff PDEs

An integrating factor mixed with Runge-Kutta technique is a time integration method that can be efficiently combined with spatial spectral approximations to provide a very high resolution to the smooth solutions of some linear and nonlinear partial differential equations. In this paper, the novel hybrid Fourier-Galerkin Runge-Kutta scheme, with the aid of an integrating factor, is proposed to solve nonlinear high-order stiff PDEs. Error analysis and properties of the scheme are provided. Application to the approximate solution of the nonlinear stiff Korteweg-de Vries (the 3rd order PDE, dispersive equation), Kuramoto-Sivashinsky (the 4th order PDE, dissipative equation) and Kawahara (the 5th order PDE) equations are presented. Comparisons are made between this proposed scheme and the competing method given by Kassam and Trefethen. It is found that for KdV, KS and Kawahara equations, the proposed method is the best.     

A new formalism for the dynamic modelling of cables

This article proposes a new formalism for the dynamic modelling of cables that can even be applied when they are submitted to cross flow of water or air. An important application is the case of umbilical cables used in remotely operated vehicles. The primary basis for the formulation is to assume that the continuous flexibility is represented by a discrete approach, consisting of rigid links connected by elastic joints, allowing movement in three dimensions. Each elastic joint allows three independent movements, called elevation, azimuth and torsion (twist). A significant contribution of the proposed formalism is the development of a compact equation that allows obtaining the Lagrangian of the system directly and automatically, regardless of the number of links chosen to form a chain of rigid bodies connected by flexible joints to represent the continuous flexibility of the cable. This formulation allows the construction of an algorithm for obtaining the equations of the dynamic model of flexible cables.     

Geometry of a five link mechanism with two degrees of freedom

The paper is devoted to the solution of straight and inverse geometrical tasks of five link mechanism with two degrees of freedom. The solution of the mentioned problem is very important in order to determine kinematic parameters of actuators. The problem can be divided into two parts. The first part is considered when we are given the coordinates of the output link of the mechanism and the necessity arises of determining the angles of rotation of actuators. On the other hand, it is very important to determine the position of the output link when the angles of rotation of the actuators are known. Here we consider that the mechanism is composed only of five classes of rotating kinematic pairs and the actuators are situated at the junctions of frames and links of the examined mechanism. The solution of the said problem is based on utilization of homogenous coordinates. On the basis of the obtained equations of motion, one can calculate the trajectories of motion of the output link as well angles of rotation of the actuators by taking into consideration preliminary given kinematic parameters of the mechanism. Here we also obtain equations for calculating values of speed and acceleration of the links of the mechanism. The calculations differ from known methods in simplicity and high performance, which would be useful for programming actuators mounted in the joints of the linkage.     

First steps toward formal controller synthesis for bipedal robots with experimental implementation

Bipedal robots are prime examples of complex cyber–physical systems (CPSs). They exhibit many of the features that make the design and verification of CPS so difficult: hybrid dynamics, large continuous dynamics in each mode (e.g., 10 or more state variables), and nontrivial specifications involving nonlinear constraints on the state variables. In this paper, we propose a two-step approach to formally synthesize controllers for bipedal robots so as to enforce specifications by design and thereby generate physically realizable stable walking. In the first step, we design outputs and classical controllers driving these outputs to zero. The resulting controlled system evolves on a lower dimensional manifold and is described by the hybrid zero dynamics governing the remaining degrees of freedom. In the second step, we construct an abstraction of the hybrid zero dynamics that is used to synthesize a controller enforcing the desired specifications to be satisfied on the full order model. Our two step approach is a systematic way to mitigate the curse of dimensionality that hampers the applicability of formal synthesis techniques to complex CPS. Our results are illustrated with simulations showing how the synthesized controller enforces all the desired specifications and offers improved performance with respect to a classical controller. The practical relevance of the results is illustrated experimentally on the bipedal robot AMBER 3.     

Optimization of the Internal Dynamics of Underactuated Robots

A robot is underactuated if it possesses less control inputs than degrees of freedom, e.g. due to passive joints. The analysis of the mechanical design of these kinds of underactuated robots often shows that they are non-minimum phase, i.e. they have an internal dynamic which is not asymptotically stable. Therefore, feedback linearization is not possible, and output trajectory tracking becomes a very challenging task. It is shown that through an optimization procedure the mechanical design of an underactuated robot can be altered in such a way that the internal dynamics becomes stable. Thus feedback linearization of the underactuated robot becomes possible. In the optimization procedure, the design parameters are additional masses which are added to defined locations at different un-actuated links of the robot. The optimization criteria is two-stage and firstly requires that all eigenvalues of the linearized zero-dynamics are in the left half-plane and secondly that initial errors in the zero-dynamics decay rapidly. Due to the two-stage criteria computation the optimization problem is discontinuous. Also there might be many local minima. Therefore a particle swarm optimization procedure is used. The efficiency of this optimization approach is demonstrated by simulation of an underactuated robot. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The contributions regarding the conception,designing, modelling and the implementation in a flexible cell of fabrication of a modular serial robot

The authors of the presented paper are propose to relief the calculus, modelling and construction of the translation module of an industrial robot which possess in his cinematic chain five degrees of freedom, type TTRTR. It is propose a choosing variant of the direct current driving engine of the translation module, knowing the output momentum and calculating the input momentum. This is realized by equalize of an equation which results from dynamic modeling of the robot with a designing equation which keep in view the component elements of the structure of the module. The robot is composed by: module of translation on horizontal to the base of the robot (MTB-Sil), module of translation on vertical (MTV-Sil), module of rotation round the vertical axis from the robot's arm, module of translation from the structure of the robot's arm (MT-Sil) and module of orientation assembled with clamping device. In the paper, also is presented an economic study regarding the implementation of the analyzed robot in a manufactural cell concerning the manufacturing and assembling of some types of car radiators. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)