There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality.

Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

I and i

Construction automation and robotics for high-rise buildings over the past decades: A comprehensive review

A control system for optimizing a shock absorber having a non-linear kinetic characteristic is described. The control system uses a fitness (performance) function that is based on the physical laws of minimum entropy and biologically inspired constraints relating to mechanical constraints and/or rider comfort, driveability, etc. In one embodiment, a genetic analyzer is used in an off-line mode to develop a teaching signal. An information filter is used to filter the teaching signal to produce a compressed teaching signal. The compressed teaching signal can be approximated online by a fuzzy controller that operates using knowledge from a knowledge base. In one embodiment, the control system includes a learning system, such as a neural network that is trained by the compressed training signal. The learning system is used to create a knowledge base for use by an online fuzzy controller. The online fuzzy controller is used to program a linear controller.

Intelligent mechatronic control suspension system based on soft computing

We wish to navigate across complicated three-dimensional structures. We describe a robot that can propel itself on a web of surfaces oriented around arbitrary directions in three-space. This robot is an inchworm-like robot with a simple, modular, and flexible design. We present control algorithms for the task-level skills that allow the robot to walk vertically, horizontally, and inverted, and the algorithms that allow the robot to make transitions between surfaces. Finally, we discuss our experiments.

Navigating 3D steel web structures with an inchworm robot

We wish for robots to manipulate objects and move flexibly in three-dimensional spaces. We describe a robot that can move on a web of surfaces oriented around arbitrary directions in three-space and a set of control algorithms that implements motion in three-dimensions. The robot can manipulate objects in three dimensions while moving, by using the same set of physical resources and control algorithms. This robot is an inchworm-like robot with a simple, modular, and flexible design. Finally, we discuss our experiments.

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The Inchworm Robot: A Multi-Functional System

Wall Climbing Robot and its Applications for Building Construction

Expert Fuzzy-Neuro Controller Design for Wall Climbing Robot for Decontamination of Nuclear-Power Station

This paper describes a kinematic model of a human arm exoskeleton for which direct and inverse kinematics are solved. The results of experimental research are also delivered.

Experimental Investigation of Human Exoskeleton Model

Wall Climbing Robots (WCR) are estimated as mobile machines having possibilities to move along horizontal, vertical surfaces and to pass from one surface to another one situated under different angles to horizon. The robots are intended for various technological operations fulfillment under extreme conditions or over complex surfaces such as walls of buildings, hulls of ships, areas of vessels or tanks. Presentation includes analysis of structure and performance of robot mechanics, control and adaptation features to environment. Mechanical composition of such robots may be variable — two platforms, multilinks sliding seal. Comparison of the methods for coupling with surfaces irregularities is under consideration. It is noted that mobile robots can be equipped with one or several technological manipulators depending on the problems to be solved. Complex control problems are solving by means of multilevel control system on strategy, tactical and executive levels with embedded microprocessors and microsensors devices. To increase effectiveness, reliability and collision avoidance with the obstacles, the adaptation to changing environment was applied by means of sensory fusion control and feedback loops. Modular system design is reserved for predicted tasks and it includes such modules as mechanical transportation, information measuring, adaptive control, and technological manipulation.

Wall climbing robots: Mechanics, control and adaptation to environment

One of the most challenging research topics in robotics is the wall climbing robot. The wall climbing robots are able to perform dangerous operation, such as cleaning the high-rise building. This paper present Trajectory Tracking of a Wheeled Wall Climbing Robot Using PID Controller. To make sure that the wheels can be always well contacted to the wall without sacrificing robot's mobility is the most important consideration for controlling the wall-climbing robot. To evaluate the performance of the robot and the proposed controller, this paper conducted experiments of several trajectory tracking. Practically, encoder sensor provides the spatial posture information for realizing PID control schemes. The sensor is connected to a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) based onboard motion controller to generate control inputs for wheel motors and suction motor according to a specific trajectory. Finally, real tests were performed with the trajectories of circle, triangle and rectangle. The results were evaluated according to the measurement of the accuracy of trajectory.

V. G. Gradetsky

Papers

Wall Climbing Robot and its Applications for Building Construction

Expert Fuzzy-Neuro Controller Design for Wall Climbing Robot for Decontamination of Nuclear-Power Station

Experimental Investigation of Human Exoskeleton Model

Wall climbing robots: Mechanics, control and adaptation to environment

Trajectory Tracking of a Wheeled Wall Climbing Robot Using PID Controller