Cooperation of human and machines in assembly lines
TL;DR: In this article, a survey about forms of human-machine cooperation in assembly and available technologies that support the cooperation is presented, including organizational and economic aspects of cooperative assembly including efficient component supply and logistics.
About: This article is published in CIRP Annals.The article was published on 2009-01-01. It has received 667 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Flexibility (engineering) & Robot.
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TL;DR: In this article, a classification of grasping phases is presented, and different principles are adopted at different scales in different applications and different releasing strategies and principles are explained, and the most recent research is reviewed in order to introduce the new trends in grasping.
Abstract: In automated production processes grasping devices and methods play a crucial role in the handling of many parts, components and products. This keynote paper starts with a classification of grasping phases, describes how different principles are adopted at different scales in different applications and continues explaining different releasing strategies and principles. Then the paper classifies the numerous sensors used to monitor the effectiveness of grasping (part presence, exchanged force, stick-slip transitions, etc.). Later the grasping and releasing problems in different fields (from mechanical assembly to disassembly, from aerospace to food industry, from textile to logistics) are discussed. Finally, the most recent research is reviewed in order to introduce the new trends in grasping. They provide an outlook on the future of both grippers and robotic hands in automated production processes.
179 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors deal with the strain measurement caused by industrial robots and discuss design criterions of robot collaboration with a human operator in a cell production assembly system, where several basic strains are experimentally measured: distance from a swinging robot to an operator, speed at robot's movement towards an operator and so on.
172 citations
TL;DR: Physical haptic feedback mechanism is introduced to result in muscle activity that would generate EMG signals in a natural manner, in order to achieve intuitive human impedance transfer through a designed coupling interface.
Abstract: It has been established that the transfer of human adaptive impedance is of great significance for physical human–robot interaction (pHRI). By processing the electromyography (EMG) signals collected from human muscles, the limb impedance could be extracted and transferred to robots. The existing impedance transfer interfaces rely only on visual feedback and, thus, may be insufficient for skill transfer in a sophisticated environment. In this paper, physical haptic feedback mechanism is introduced to result in muscle activity that would generate EMG signals in a natural manner, in order to achieve intuitive human impedance transfer through a designed coupling interface. Relevant processing methods are integrated into the system, including the spectral collaborative representation-based classifications method used for hand motion recognition; fast smooth envelop and dimensionality reduction algorithm for arm endpoint stiffness estimation. The tutor’s arm endpoint motion trajectory is directly transferred to the robot by the designed coupling module without the restriction of hands. Haptic feedback is provided to the human tutor according to skill learning performance to enhance the teaching experience. The interface has been experimentally tested by a plugging-in task and a cutting task. Compared with the existing interfaces, the developed one has shown a better performance. Note to Practitioners —This paper is motivated by the limited performance of skill transfer in the existing human–robot interfaces. Conventional robots perform tasks independently without interaction with humans. However, the new generation of robots with the characteristics, such as flexibility and compliance, become more involved in interacting with humans. Thus, advanced human robot interfaces are required to enable robots to learn human manipulation skills. In this paper, we propose a novel interface for human impedance adaptive skill transfer in a natural and intuitive manner. The developed interface has the following functionalities: 1) it transfers human arm impedance adaptive motion to the robot intuitively; 2) it senses human motion signals that are decoded into human hand gesture and arm endpoint stiffness that ia employed for natural human robot interaction; and 3) it provides human tutor haptic feedback for enhanced teaching experience. The interface can be potentially used in pHRI, teleoperation, human motor training systems, etc.
172 citations
Cites background from "Cooperation of human and machines i..."
...The experimental results have demonstrated that a human–robot team will be more efficient and flexible than human or robot working alone [1]–[3]....
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TL;DR: In this paper, a new generation of smart de- and remanufacturing systems showing higher levels of automation, flexibility and adaptability to changing material mixtures and values is emerging and there is a need for systematizing the existing approaches to support their operations.
Abstract: In the recent years, increasing attention has been posed towards enhancing the sustainability of manufacturing processes by reducing the consumption of resources and key materials, the energy consumption and the environmental footprint, while also increasing companies’ competitiveness in global market contexts. De- and remanufacturing includes the set of technologies/systems, tools and knowledge-based methods to recover and reuse functions and materials from industrial waste and post-consumer products, under a Circular Economy perspective. This new paradigm can potentially support the sustainability challenges in strategic manufacturing sectors, such as aeronautics, automotive, electronics, consumer goods, and mechatronics. A new generation of smart de- and remanufacturing systems showing higher levels of automation, flexibility and adaptability to changing material mixtures and values is emerging and there is a need for systematizing the existing approaches to support their operations. Such innovative de- and remanufacturing system design, management and control approaches as well as advanced technological enablers have a key role to support the Circular Economy paradigm. This paper revises system level problems, methods and tools to support this paradigm and highlights the main challenges and opportunities towards a new generation of advanced de- and remanufacturing systems.
161 citations
TL;DR: This paper covers the very first robotic gripper to the newest developments in grasping methods, and focuses on the applications of robotic grippers in industrial, medical, for fragile objects and soft fabrics grippers.
160 citations
References
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Book•
[...]
TL;DR: Robot Vision as discussed by the authors is a broad overview of the field of computer vision, using a consistent notation based on a detailed understanding of the image formation process, which can provide a useful and current reference for professionals working in the fields of machine vision, image processing, and pattern recognition.
Abstract: From the Publisher:
This book presents a coherent approach to the fast-moving field of computer vision, using a consistent notation based on a detailed understanding of the image formation process. It covers even the most recent research and will provide a useful and current reference for professionals working in the fields of machine vision, image processing, and pattern recognition.
An outgrowth of the author's course at MIT, Robot Vision presents a solid framework for understanding existing work and planning future research. Its coverage includes a great deal of material that is important to engineers applying machine vision methods in the real world. The chapters on binary image processing, for example, help explain and suggest how to improve the many commercial devices now available. And the material on photometric stereo and the extended Gaussian image points the way to what may be the next thrust in commercialization of the results in this area.
Chapters in the first part of the book emphasize the development of simple symbolic descriptions from images, while the remaining chapters deal with methods that exploit these descriptions. The final chapter offers a detailed description of how to integrate a vision system into an overall robotics system, in this case one designed to pick parts out of a bin.
The many exercises complement and extend the material in the text, and an extensive bibliography will serve as a useful guide to current research.
Errata (164k PDF)
3,783 citations
19 Oct 1999
TL;DR: By decoupling the haptic display control problem from the design of virtual environments, the use of a virtual coupling network frees the developer of haptic-enabled virtual reality models from issues of mechanical stability.
Abstract: This paper addresses fundamental stability and performance issues associated with haptic interaction. It generalizes and extends the concept of a virtual coupling network, an artificial link between the haptic display and a virtual world, to include both the impedance and admittance models of haptic interaction. A benchmark example exposes an important duality between these two cases. Linear circuit theory is used to develop necessary and sufficient conditions for the stability of a haptic simulation, assuming the human operator and virtual environment are passive. These equations lead to an explicit design procedure for virtual coupling networks which give maximum performance while guaranteeing stability. By decoupling the haptic display control problem from the design of virtual environments, the use of a virtual coupling network frees the developer of haptic-enabled virtual reality models from issues of mechanical stability.
703 citations
15 May 2006
TL;DR: This paper discusses the biomimetic design and assembly of a 3g self-contained crawling robot fabricated through the integrated use of various microrobot technologies and presents results of both the kinematic and static analyses of the driving mechanism that essentially consists of three slider cranks in series.
Abstract: This paper discusses the biomimetic design and assembly of a 3g self-contained crawling robot fabricated through the integrated use of various microrobot technologies. The hexapod structure is designed to move in an alternating tripod gait driven by two piezoelectric actuators connected by sliding plates to two sets of three legs. We present results of both the kinematic and static analyses of the driving mechanism that essentially consists of three slider cranks in series. This analysis confirmed the force differential needed to propel the device. We then review various other microrobot technologies that have been developed including actuator design and fabrication, power and control electronics design, programming via a finite state machine, and the development of bioinspired fiber arrays. These technologies were then successfully integrated into the device. The robot is now functioning and we have already fabricated three iterations of the proposed device. We hope with further design iterations to produce a fully operational model in the near future
623 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors considered the problem of designing joint-actuation mechanisms that can allow fast and accurate operation of a robot arm, while guaranteeing a suitably limited level of injury risk.
Abstract: This article considered the problem of designing joint-actuation mechanisms that can allow fast and accurate operation of a robot arm, while guaranteeing a suitably limited level of injury risk. Different approaches to the problem were presented, and a method of performance evaluation was proposed based on minimum-time optimal control with safety constraints. The variable stiffness transmission (VST) scheme was found to be one of a few different possible schemes that allows the most flexibility and potential performance. Some aspects related to the implementation of the mechanics and control of VST actuation were also reported.
620 citations
TL;DR: This paper describes an approach to the design of ‘interaction controllers’ and contrasts this with an Approach to the Design of Approaches toDynamic interaction with the environment is fundamental to the process of manipulation.
Abstract: Dynamic interaction with the environment is fundamental to the process of manipulation. This paper describes an approach to the design of ‘interaction controllers’ and contrasts this with an approa...
611 citations