Showing papers on "Mobile robot published in 1981"

A Structured Approach to Robot Programming and Teaching

Abstract: A structured programming and teaching system is described for a robot manipulator where stress is laid on the consistent integration of programming and teaching. In the PAL programming system being developed at Purdue University, tasks are represented in terms of structured Cartesian coordinates. Every motion statement is a request to position and orient the manipulator such that a position equation, representing a closed kinematic chain of homogeneous transformations, is satisfied. In the teaching process, the transformation which represents the position of the end of the manipulator is defined using the manipulator itself, and an equation relating any undefined transformations is obtained. By defining these equations during the interpretation of the task program and progressively solving them, the task is taught. The method is applicable both to practical industrial robot control and to intelligent robot control.

An Orienting Robot for Feeding Workpieces Stored in Bins

Abstract: A robot system has been tested which can acquire a class of workpieces that are unoriented in bins and transport them, one at a time, to a destination with the proper orientation. This kind of robot has numerous applications in industries which manufacture discrete-part products in batches. A variety of approaches to the design of an orienting robot have been identified. For acquisition, gripper design and vision algorithms should be considered together. A vacuum gripper which adapts to surface angle and an algorithm which finds the center of smooth regions in the bin image have been shown to form an effective combination. Knowledge of the position and orientation of the workpieces near the top of the bin is not necessary for acquisition. Collisions with workpieces in the bin whose poses are not known can be avoided by having the gripper follow a line of sight approach path. To simplify the computation of workpiece orientation, it was found to be useful to employ a gripper which locked a workpiece in one of a finite number of states and which did not obscure the workpiece. For an orienting robot which is designed to service a variety of different workpieces, using an arm with six degrees of freedom greatly facilitates workpiece transportation.

Method and apparatus for robot control

Abstract: A robot control method and apparatus of the type in which robot operations are taught in advance and the robot is subsequently actuated in accordance with the robot instruction data so taught. Areas in which the robot is forbidden to enter are established and the resulting information is stored in a memory. During the teaching of the robot operations the robot instruction data is created by moving the robot without regard to the forbidden areas. Thereafter, the robot instruction data so created is modified using the forbidden area information, the robot being controlled on the basis of the data so modified.

A locomotion control system for mobile robots

Abstract: This paper discusses how to control and describe the smooth movement of a mobile robot which has two independent driving wheels (iDWs) that perform both steering and moving functions. Robots which have an IDW leg system can move to any point by using any combinations of two basic operations: revolving and going straight. It is easy to describe movement with two basic operations only, but this may not be sufficient to guarantee smooth motion. For instance, when the robot is moving, a slight modification to its track direction is impossible without stopping it. Smooth motions are also needed for minimizing the time required to complete the movement. Theoretically, an IDW leg system can draw a circular track with radius 0 - ≪ if one controls the ratio of the two wheel speeds. This principle underlies much of the design of this control system. The control system described in this paper uses three basic motion commands, supplemented by other commands that support these. A language has been designed for describing leg control algorithms. Examples of the usage of these commands and the language are shown here.

A Computer-Aided Robotic Arm/Worktable System for the High-Level Quadriplegic

Abstract: Opening the door to self-reliance for quadriplegics, this system provides manipulative capability for doing several tasks without assistance—including typing and using a computer.

The multi‐sensors which help a mobile robot find its place

Abstract: A comprehensive multi‐sensor system using three‐dimensional vision, a laser range‐finder, an ultrasonic proximity sensor, and an infra‐red radar for position location, have been built into a mobile robot.

A self adapting low cost sonair for use on mobile robots

Abstract: Developing general purpose mobile robots is very much dependent on the availability of suitable sensors. A common choice by researchers is ultrasonics and work at the Laboratory of Applied Advanced Electronic Techniques (LATEA) has resulted in a simple, self‐adapting and self‐correcting ultrasonic sensor,

Learning of sensory-motor schemas in a mobile robot

Abstract: A learning system is described which was used to control a simple robot vehicle and to autonomously learn behaviour patterns The system is loosely based on Becker's model of Intermediate Cognition

Sense-controlled flexible robot behavior

Abstract: The creation of physical behavior by computational means has been approached differently by industrial and artificial intelligence robotics. Industrial robotics, considering fast response of a robot its most important characteristic, has equipped the robot with predefined, specific behavioral trajectories resulting in fast but inflexible behavior. Artificial intelligence robotics, claiming flexibility as the paramount robot feature, has employed inferred behavior whereby the robot itself determines behavioral patterns for tasks based on the robot's general knowledge about a task domain. Response is now flexible, but the response time is commonly badly degraded. This work defines an action propensity “skill” which generates flexibleand fast behavior. Flexibility is achieved by attaching “perceptions” in skills to guide behavior; fast response results from the direct activation of skills. The acquisition and generalization of skills happens under the supervision of a human teacher in an advice-taking mode into which the robot shifts from the execution mode after recognizing lacking competence for a given task. This paper defines such skills, describes an implemented skilled robot system, and discusses some simulation results.

Clamp support for an electric welding robot

Abstract: A support for the welding tongs to a robot for performing electric welding, which comprises a device (2, 7-9) al ternatif movement of the clamp (P) adapted to allow to compensate the movement of the wrist (O) of the robot by performing temporary steady state conditions of the clamp (P) by which it can perform welds without stopping the movement of the robot arm. This limits the application of high acceleration needed for fast operation, the welding tongs (P) and a few schedules parts (2, 8-11), a glo bale weight reduced relative to that of mobile robot arm. high operative speed can be achieved with limited sollecitations on the machine, which can be projected a relatively heavy form, and improves the positioning accuracy of the clamp on the points provided for the weld.

Balancing system for a teaching-type robot arm

Abstract: Le systeme d'equilibrage est realise par disposition homothetique de la structure du pantin avec transmission d'angle (25, 26) relativement a son second axe (13) et a ses trois premiers bras (14, 17, 20) et le centre d'homothetie se trouve a l'intersection du premier axe (11) et du second axe (13). Apprentissage de la trajectoire que doit suivre un robot de peinture (se reporter a la figure 1 1).