Showing papers on "Robot published in 1994"
08 May 1994
TL;DR: A new algorithm, D*, is introduced, capable of planning paths in unknown, partially known, and changing environments in an efficient, optimal, and complete manner.
Abstract: The task of planning trajectories for a mobile robot has received considerable attention in the research literature. Most of the work assumes the robot has a complete and accurate model of its environment before it begins to move; less attention has been paid to the problem of partially known environments. This situation occurs for an exploratory robot or one that must move to a goal location without the benefit of a floorplan or terrain map. Existing approaches plan an initial path based on known information and then modify the plan locally or replan the entire path as the robot discovers obstacles with its sensors, sacrificing optimality or computational efficiency respectively. This paper introduces a new algorithm, D*, capable of planning paths in unknown, partially known, and changing environments in an efficient, optimal, and complete manner. >
1,183 citations
01 Oct 1994
TL;DR: A fast and exact planner for the mobile robot model, based upon recursive subdivision of a collision-free path generated by a lower-level geometric planner that ignores the motion constraints, is presented.
Abstract: This paper considers the problem of motion planning for a car-like robot (i.e., a mobile robot with a nonholonomic constraint whose turning radius is lower-bounded). We present a fast and exact planner for our mobile robot model, based upon recursive subdivision of a collision-free path generated by a lower-level geometric planner that ignores the motion constraints. The resultant trajectory is optimized to give a path that is of near-minimal length in its homotopy class. Our claims of high speed are supported by experimental results for implementations that assume a robot moving amid polygonal obstacles. The completeness and the complexity of the algorithm are proven using an appropriate metric in the configuration space R/sup 2//spl times/S/sup 1/ of the robot. This metric is defined by using the length of the shortest paths in the absence of obstacles as the distance between two configurations. We prove that the new induced topology and the classical one are the same. Although we concentrate upon the car-like robot, the generalization of these techniques leads to new theoretical issues involving sub-Riemannian geometry and to practical results for nonholonomic motion planning. >
604 citations
01 Jun 1994
TL;DR: This paper presents novel and efficient kinematic modeling techniques for "hyper-redundant" robots based on a "backbone curve" that captures the robot's macroscopic geometric features and introduces a "modal" approach, in which a set of intrinsic backbone curve shape functions are restricted to a modal form.
Abstract: This paper presents novel and efficient kinematic modeling techniques for "hyper-redundant" robots. This approach is based on a "backbone curve" that captures the robot's macroscopic geometric features. The inverse kinematic, or "hyper-redundancy resolution," problem reduces to determining the time varying backbone curve behavior. To efficiently solve the inverse kinematics problem, the authors introduce a "modal" approach, in which a set of intrinsic backbone curve shape functions are restricted to a modal form. The singularities of the modal approach, modal non-degeneracy conditions, and modal switching are considered. For discretely segmented morphologies, the authors introduce "fitting" algorithms that determine the actuator displacements that cause the discrete manipulator to adhere to the backbone curve. These techniques are demonstrated with planar and spatial mechanism examples. They have also been implemented on a 30 degree-of-freedom robot prototype. >
532 citations
08 May 1994
TL;DR: This paper presents a new approach to path planning for robots with many degrees of freedom (DOF) operating in known static environments that is particularly attractive for many-DOF robots which have to perform many successive point-to-point motions in the same environment.
Abstract: This paper presents a new approach to path planning for robots with many degrees of freedom (DOF) operating in known static environments. The approach consists of a preprocessing and a planning stage. Preprocessing, which is done only once for a given environment, generates a network of randomly, but properly selected, collision-free configurations (nodes). Planning then connects any given initial and final configurations of the robot to two nodes of the network and computes a path through the network between these two nodes. Experiments show that after paying the preprocessing cost (on the order of hundreds of seconds), planning is extremely fast (on the order of a fraction of a second for many difficult examples involving a 10-DOF robot). The approach is particularly attractive for many-DOF robots which have to perform many successive point-to-point motions in the same environment. >
441 citations
TL;DR: Robotic enhancement technology creates a symbiotic relationship between the surgeon and robot and leads to great improvement in the performance of the case.
Abstract: The evolution of laparoscopy from a monocular view to the video screen has enabled all in the operating room to see the procedure. This has meant the surgeon must rely on an assistant to hold the scope, which has many drawbacks. Robotic enhancement technology creates a symbiotic relationship between the surgeon and robot and leads to great improvement in the performance of the case.
388 citations
01 Jul 1994
TL;DR: The paper describes the results of the evolutionary development of a real, neural-network driven mobile robot, and shows a number of emergent phenomena that are characteristic of autonomous agents.
Abstract: The paper describes the results of the evolutionary development of a real, neural-network driven mobile robot. The evolutionary approach to the development of neural controllers for autonomous agents has been successfully used by many researchers, but most - if not all - studies have been carried out with computer simulations. Instead, in this research the whole evolutionary process takes places entirely on a real robot without human intervention. Although the experiments described here tackle a simple task of navigation and obstacle avoidance, we show a number of emergent phenomena that are characteristic of autonomous agents. The neural controllers of the evolved best individuals display a full exploitation of non-linear and recurrent connections that make them more efficient than analogous man-designed agents. In order to fully understand and describe the robot behavior, we have also employed quantitative ethological tools [13], and showed that the adaptation dynamics conform to predictions made for animals.
386 citations
01 Feb 1994
TL;DR: This paper advocates developing complex robot systems by layering reactive behaviors onto deliberative components, and develops the Task Control Architecture (TCA), an integrated set of control constructs useful for implementing deliberative and reactive behaviors.
Abstract: To operate in rich, dynamic environments, autonomous robots must be able to effectively utilize and coordinate their limited physical and computational resources. As complexity increases, it becomes necessary to impose explicit constraints on the control of planning, perception, and action to ensure that unwanted interactions between behaviors do not occur. This paper advocates developing complex robot systems by layering reactive behaviors onto deliberative components. In this structured control approach, the deliberative components handle normal situations and the reactive behaviors, which are explicitly constrained as to when and how they are activated, handle exceptional situations. The Task Control Architecture (TCA) has been developed to support this approach. TCA provides an integrated set of control constructs useful for implementing deliberative and reactive behaviors. The control constructs facilitate modular and evolutionary system development: they are used to integrate and coordinate planning, perception, and execution, and to incrementally improve the efficiency and robustness of the robot systems. To date, TCA has been used in implementing a half-dozen mobile robot systems, including an autonomous six-legged rover and indoor mobile manipulator. >
355 citations
08 May 1994
TL;DR: This paper discusses the positioning accuracy of the authors' method with error variances for an example with three mobile robots, and proposes a new method called "cooperative positioning with multiple robots", which has inherent landmarks and therefore works in uncharted environments.
Abstract: A number of positioning identification techniques have been used for mobile robots Dead reckoning is a popular method, but is not reliable when a robot travels long distances or over an uneven surface because of variations in wheel diameter and wheel slippage The landmark method, which estimates the current position relative to landmarks, cannot be used in an uncharted environment The authors propose a new method called "cooperative positioning with multiple robots" For cooperative positioning, the authors divide the robots into two groups, A and B One group, say A, remains stationary and acts as a landmark while group B moves The moving group B then stops and acts as a landmark for group A This "dance" is repeated until the target robot position are reached Cooperative positioning has a far lower accumulated positioning error than dead reckoning, and can work in three-dimensions which is not possible with dead reckoning Also, this method has inherent landmarks and therefore works in uncharted environments This paper discusses the positioning accuracy of the authors' method with error variances for an example with three mobile robots >
321 citations
DOI•
01 Jan 1994TL;DR: Different examples of applications of evolutionary robotics to real robots are shown by describing three different approaches to develop neural controllers for mobile robots by compared with each other.
Abstract: A methodology for evolving the control systems of autonomous robots has not yet been well established. In this paper we will show different examples of applications of evolutionary robotics to real robots by describing three different approaches to develop neural controllers for mobile robots. In all the experiments described real robots are involved and are indeed the ultimate means of evaluating the success and the results of the procedures employed. Each approach will be compared with the others and the relative advantages and drawbacks will be discussed. Last, but not least, we will try to tackle a few important issues related to the design of the hardware and of the evolutionary conditions in which the control system of the autonomous agent should evolve.
276 citations
TL;DR: A memory-based local modeling approach (locally weighted regression) is used to represent a learned model of the task to be performed, and an exploration algorithm is developed that explicitly deals with prediction accuracy requirements during exploration.
Abstract: Issues involved in implementing robot learning for a challenging dynamic task are explored in this article, using a case study from robot juggling. We use a memory-based local modeling approach (locally weighted regression) to represent a learned model of the task to be performed. Statistical tests are given to examine the uncertainty of a model, to optimize its prediction quality, and to deal with noisy and corrupted data. We develop an exploration algorithm that explicitly deals with prediction accuracy requirements during exploration. Using all these ingredients in combination with methods from optimal control, our robot achieves fast real-time learning of the task within 40 to 100 trials. >
270 citations
TL;DR: This paper connects both simulated and real robots to Alecsys, a parallel implementation of a learning classifier system with an extended genetic algorithm to demonstrate that classifier systems with genetic algorithms can be practically employed to develop autonomous agents.
TL;DR: This paper designs and implements integrator backstepping controllers for a brush DC motor driving a one-link robot manipulator and shows that both of these controllers ensure "good" load position tracking despite parametric uncertainty throughout the entire electromechanical system.
Abstract: In this paper, we design and implement integrator backstepping controllers (i.e., adaptive and robust) for a brush DC motor driving a one-link robot manipulator. Through the use of Lyapunov stability-type arguments, we show that both of these controllers ensure "good" load position tracking despite parametric uncertainty throughout the entire electromechanical system. Experimental results are presented to illustrate the performance and feasibility of implementing the nonlinear control algorithms. >
Dissertation•
15 Dec 1994TL;DR: This dissertation addresses the problem of achieving fault tolerant cooperation within small- to medium-sized teams of heterogeneous mobile robots by describing a software architecture, called ALLIANCE, that facilitates robust, fault tolerant cooperative control, and examines numerous issues in cooperative team design.
Abstract: This dissertation addresses the problem of achieving fault tolerant cooperation within small- to medium-sized teams of heterogeneous mobile robots. I describe a software architecture I have developed, called ALLIANCE, that facilitates robust, fault tolerant cooperative control, and examine numerous issues in cooperative team design. ALLIANCE is a fully distributed architecture that utilizes adaptive action selection to achieve cooperative control in robot missions involving loosely coupled, largely independent tasks. The robots in this architecture possess a variety of high-level functions that they can perform during a mission, and must at all times select an appropriate action based on the requirements of the mission, the activities of other robots, the current environmental conditions, and their own internal states. Since such cooperative teams often work in dynamic and unpredictable environments, the software architecture allows the team members to respond robustly and reliably to unexpected environmental changes and modifications in the robot team that may occur due to mechanical failure, the learning of new skills, or the addition or removal of robots from the team by human intervention. In addition, an extended version of ALLIANCE, called L-ALLIANCE, incorporates a simple mechanism that allows teams of mobile robots to learn from their previous experiences with other robots, allowing them to select their own actions more efficiently on subsequent trials when working with "familiar" robots on missions composed of independent tasks. This mechanism allows a human system designer to easily and quickly group together the appropriate combination of robots for a particular mission, since robots need not have a priori knowledge of their teammates.
The development of ALLIANCE and L-ALLIANCE involved research on a number of topics: fault tolerant cooperative control, adaptive action selection, distributed control, robot awareness of team member actions, improving efficiency through learning, inter-robot communication, action recognition, and local versus global control. This dissertation describes each of these topics in detail, along with experimental results of investigating these issues both in simulated and in physical mobile robot teams.
I am not aware of any other cooperative control architecture that has exhibited the combination of fault tolerance, reliability, adaptivity, and efficiency possible with ALLIANCE and L-ALLIANCE, and which has been successfully demonstrated on physical mobile robot teams. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Book•
01 Dec 1994
TL;DR: The field of Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARS) as discussed by the authors is a promising area of research in robotics and artificial intelligence, and includes many interesting topics such as multi-robot control, distributed robotic systems design, self-organizing systems, and sensing and navigation for cooperative robots.
Abstract: Great interest is now focused on distributed autonomous robotic systems (DARS) as a new strategy for the realization of flexible, robust, and intelligent robots. Inspired by autonomous, decentralized, and self-organizing biological systems, the field of DARS encompasses broad interdisciplinary technologies related not only to robotics and computer engineering but also to biology and psychology. The rapidly growing interest in this new area of research was manifest in the first volume of Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems, published in 1994. This second volume in the series presents the most recent work by eminent researchers and includes such topics as multirobot control, distributed robotic systems design, self-organizing systems, and sensing and navigation for cooperative robots. Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems 2 is a valuable source for those whose work involves robotics and will be of great interest to those in the fields of artificial intelligence, self-organizing systems, artificial life, and computer science.
TL;DR: A new class of control algorithms—the "mirror algorithms"— gives rise to experimentally observed juggling and catching behavior in a planar robotic mechanism and the physical setup and underlying mathematical theory are reviewed.
Abstract: A new class of control algorithms—the "mirror algorithms"— gives rise to experimentally observed juggling and catching behavior in a planar robotic mechanism. The simplest of these algorithms (on which all the others are founded) is provably correct with respect to a simplified model of the robot and its environment. This article briefly reviews the physical setup and underlying mathematical theory. It discusses two significant extensions of the fundamental algorithm to juggling two objects and catching. We provide data from successful empirical verifi cations of these control strategies and briefly speculate on the larger implications for the field of robotics.
01 Aug 1994
TL;DR: A linear solution that allows a simultaneous computation of the transformations from robot world to robot base and from robot tool to robot flange coordinate frames and is noniterative, fast and robust.
Abstract: The paper presents a linear solution that allows a simultaneous computation of the transformations from robot world to robot base and from robot tool to robot flange coordinate frames. The flange frame is defined on the mounting surface of the end-effector. It is assumed that the robot geometry, i.e., the transformation from the robot base frame to the robot flange frame, is known with sufficient accuracy, and that robot end-effector poses are measured. The solution has applications to accurately locating a robot with respect to a reference frame, and a robot sensor with respect to a robot end-effector. The identification problem is cast as solving a system of homogeneous transformation equations of the form A/sub i/X=YB/sub i/,i=1, 2, ..., m. Quaternion algebra is applied to derive explicit linear solutions for X and Y provided that three robot pose measurements are available. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the uniqueness of the solution are stated. Computationally, the resulting solution algorithm is noniterative, fast and robust. >
TL;DR: Fault tolerance is increasingly important for robots, especially those in remote or hazardous environments as mentioned in this paper, and robots need the ability to effectively detect and tolerate internal failures in order to continue performing their tasks without the need for immediate human intervention.
08 May 1994
TL;DR: This paper focusses on the tele-sensor-programming approach and the predictive simulation used for remote ground control in the telerobotic ground station.
Abstract: In April 1993 for the first time in the history of space flight, a small multisensory robot performed a number of prototype tasks on-board a spacecraft (spacelab D2 on shuttle COLUMBIA) in different operational modes that are feasible today, namely preprogrammed remotely controlled operations by the astronauts using a control ball and a stereo TV-monitor, as well as remotely controlled from ground via the human operator and machine intelligence. In these operational modes the robot successfully closed and opened connector plugs (bayonet closure), assembled structures from single parts and captured a free-floating object. Several key technologies have made this space robot technology experiment ROTEX a big success: multisensory gripper technology, local (shared autonomy) sensory feedback control concepts, and the powerful delay-compensating 3D-graphics simulation (predictive simulation) in the telerobotic ground station. This paper focusses on the tele-sensor-programming approach and the predictive simulation used for remote ground control. >
12 Sep 1994
TL;DR: A novel behavior-based, fully distributed architecture that utilizes adaptive action selection to achieve fault tolerant cooperative control in robot missions involving loosely coupled, largely independent tasks is described.
Abstract: This research addresses the problem of achieving fault tolerant cooperation within small- to medium-sized teams of heterogeneous mobile robots. We describe a novel behavior-based, fully distributed architecture, called ALLIANCE, that utilizes adaptive action selection to achieve fault tolerant cooperative control in robot missions involving loosely coupled, largely independent tasks. The robots in this architecture possess a variety of high-level functions that they can perform during a mission, and must at all times select an appropriate action based on the requirements of the mission, the activities of other robots, the current environmental conditions, and their own internal states. The software architecture allows the team members to respond robustly and reliably to unexpected environmental changes and modifications in the robot team that may occur due to mechanical failure, the learning of new skills, or the addition or removal of robots from the team by human intervention. After presenting ALLIANCE, we describe in detail our experimental results of an implementation of this architecture on a team of physical mobile robots performing a cooperative box pushing demonstration. >
01 Jan 1994
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the trajectory control for a wheeled inverse pendulum type mobile robot, which has two independent driving wheels on the same axle, and a gyro type sensor to measure the inclination angular velocity of the body and rotary encoders to measure wheel rotation.
Abstract: In this paper, we discuss the trajectory control for a wheeled inverse pendulum type mobile robot. The robot has two independent driving wheels on the same axle, and a gyro type sensor to measure the inclination angular velocity of the body and rotary encoders to measure wheel rotation. The purpose of this work is to make a robot autonomously navigate in a plane while keeping its own balance. The control algorithm consists of three parts: balance and velocity control, steering control and straight line tracking control. We designed and implemented a vehicle command system for such robot to control using the proposed algorithm. Experiments of the navigation in a real indoor environment have been performed using our experimental robot “Yamabico Kurara”.
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TL;DR: This paper investigates new modes of robot land locomotion, in particular statically stable non-wheeled, non-tracked locomotion using a reconfigurable modular robot called Polypod using a control scheme combining a small number of primitive control modes for each module.
Abstract: This paper investigates new modes of robot land locomotion, in particular statically stable non-wheeled, non-tracked locomotion. These locomotion gaits are accomplished by a reconfigurable modular robot called Polypod using a control scheme combining a small number of primitive control modes for each module. The design of Polypod is first reviewed, then two and three-dimensional locomotion gaits are described along with two "exotic" gaits. These gaits have been implemented on Polypod or simulated on a graphic workstation. >
08 May 1994
TL;DR: A numerical comparison of kinematic, dynamic and electrical parameters for the PUMA 560 robot which have been reported in the literature is presented, for the first time, data from several experiments are presented in a single system of coordinates, which facilitates comparison.
Abstract: The PUMA 560 robot is the white rat of robotics research - it has been studied and used in countless experiments over many years and in many laboratories. However, it remains a challenge to assemble the complete data needed for model-based control of the robot. This paper presents a numerical comparison of kinematic, dynamic and electrical parameters for the PUMA 560 robot which have been reported in the literature. For the first time, data from several experiments are presented in a single system of coordinates, which facilitates comparison. Differences in the data and the various methods of measurement are discussed. New data have been gathered and are presented where the record was incomplete. >
12 Sep 1994
TL;DR: Detailed planning and guidance techniques for a mobile floor-cleaning robot and parts of the developed vehicle guidance system have been tested with the experimental mobile robot MACROBE.
Abstract: In the past mobile robot research was often focused on various kinds of point-to-point transportation tasks. Mobile robot application in service tasks, however, requires quite different path planning and guidance approaches. This paper introduces and discusses in detail specific planning and guidance techniques for a mobile floor-cleaning robot. A kinematic and geometric model of the robot and the cleaning units as well as a 2D-map of the indoor environment are used for planning an appropriate cleaning path. The path is represented by a concatenation of two kinds of typical motion patterns. Each pattern is defined by a sequence of discrete cartesian intermediate goal frames. These frames represent position and orientation of the vehicle and must be translated into motion commands for the robot. The steps of this semi-automatic path planning system are illustrated by a typical cleaning environment. Vehicle guidance includes execution of the planned motion commands, estimation of the robot location, path tracking, as well as detection of and reaction to (isolated) obstacles. For location estimation a least-squares fitting of corresponding geometric contours from the 2D-environment map and geometric 2D-sensor data is used. Obstacle detection is accomplished by testing geometric 2D-sensor data to be part of the preplanned cleaning path. Path planning and parts of the developed vehicle guidance system have been tested with the experimental mobile robot MACROBE. Results reported in this paper demonstrate the efficiency of the described planning, location estimation and path tracking procedures in basic floor-cleaning tasks. >
08 May 1994
TL;DR: An approach for solving the automatic generation of motion paths for several cooperating robot arms to manipulate a movable object between two configurations among obstacles is described and illustrated with a robot system made of three arms moving in a 3D environment.
Abstract: This paper considers the automatic generation of motion paths for several cooperating robot arms to manipulate a movable object between two configurations among obstacles. To avoid collisions the robots may have to change their grasp of the object, for example, by passing it from one arm to another. The case where the movable object can only be moved by two arms acting simultaneously is also considered. An approach for solving this planning problem is described and illustrated with a robot system made of three arms moving in a 3D environment. Experiments with a planner implementing this approach show that it is not only fast, but also reliable in finding collision-free paths. >
TL;DR: A technique for measuring the motion of a rigid, textured plane in the frontoparallel plane is developed and tested on synthetic and real image sequences and offers a simple, novel way of tackling the ‘aperture’ problem.
Abstract: A technique for measuring the motion of a rigid, textured plane in the frontoparallel plane is developed and tested on synthetic and real image sequences. The parameters of motion — translation in two dimensions, and rotation about a previously unspecified axis perpendicular to the plane — are computed by a single-stage, non-iterative process which interpolates the position of the moving image with respect to a set of reference images. The method can be extended to measure additional parameters of motion, such as expansion or shear. Advantages of the technique are that it does not require tracking of features, measurement of local image velocities or computation of high-order spatial or temporal derivatives of the image. The technique is robust to noise, and it offers a simple, novel way of tackling the ‘aperture’ problem. An application to the computation of robot egomotion is also described.
01 Aug 1994
TL;DR: A series of robots developed at JPL to demonstrate the feasibility of using a behavior-control approach to control small robots on planetary surfaces, using 8-bit, 1-MIP microprocessors with as little as 4 k and no more than 40 k of memory, and extremely simple sensors.
Abstract: This paper describes a series of robots developed at JPL to demonstrate the feasibility of using a behavior-control approach to control small robots on planetary surfaces. The round-trip light-time delay makes direct teleoperation of a mobile robot on a planetary surface impossible. Planetary rovers must therefore possess a certain degree of autonomy. However, small robots can only support small computers (due mostly to power, not size constraints). Behavior control provides a means of autonomous control that requires very little computation. The robots described in this paper all used 8-bit, 1-MIP microprocessors with as little as 4 k and no more than 40 k of memory, and extremely simple sensors. Despite these limitations they reliably perform both autonomous navigation and manipulation in both indoor and outdoor rough-terrain environments. >
08 May 1994
TL;DR: The technique of imposing constraint conditions is utilized to coordinate and control the formation and group stability is presented in terms of the bound of the transient response of the formation system.
Abstract: The task of coordinating and controlling a group of small mobile robots may be decomposed into five subtasks: formation of geometric pattern, alignment of each robot's orientation, coordination of the robots in the group, motion realization and stability of the formation in motion. The technique of imposing constraint conditions is utilized to coordinate and control the formation. Group stability is presented in terms of the bound of the transient response of the formation system. >
12 Sep 1994
TL;DR: The author presents the robot learning problem as a lifelong problem, in which a robot faces a collection of tasks over its entire lifetime, that provides the opportunity to gather general-purpose knowledge that transfers across tasks.
Abstract: Designing robots that learn by themselves to perform complex real-world tasks is a still-open challenge for the field of robotics and artificial intelligence. In this paper the author presents the robot learning problem as a lifelong problem, in which a robot faces a collection of tasks over its entire lifetime. Such a scenario provides the opportunity to gather general-purpose knowledge that transfers across tasks. The author illustrates a particular leaning mechanism, explanation-based neural network learning, that transfers knowledge between related tasks via neural network action models. The learning approach is illustrated using a mobile robot, equipped with visual, ultrasonic and laser sensors. In less than 10 minutes operation time, the robot is able to learn to navigate to a marked target object in a natural office environment. >
Book•
01 Jan 1994
TL;DR: Robot Evolution as discussed by the authors is a comprehensive pictorial history of robots and a technical guide to robot designs, devices, and systems, with hundreds of photographs, drawings, and illustrated tables.
Abstract: From the Publisher:
Since the creation of the first modern robots in the 1950s, robotics has developed rapidly and in diverse directions; the term robot (from the Czech word for drudgery) now applies to a spectrum of creations, from mechanical limbs bolted to factory floors to computer-driven bipeds with human-like capabilities But the urge to create "mechanical men" to perform mundane, repetitive, and even complex human tasks is nearly as old as civilization itself The ancient Greeks built automata, as did the Egyptians and the Japanese Leonardo da Vinci designed mechanical men, and entertainment robots were all the rage in eighteenth-century Europe Robot Evolution is unique in robotics literature, at once a comprehensive pictorial history of robots and a technical guide to robot designs, devices, and systems Author and robot expert Mark E Rosheim reviews and describes the gamut of robot mechanisms, from ancient to state-of-the-art, from subcomponents such as joints, grippers, and actuators to completely integrated systems equipped with artificial intelligence, sensors, and autonomous mobility Rosheim chronicles the development and increasing complexity of these systems, using the kinesiology of human body parts as a framework for evaluating the kinematics of robotic components and explaining how these components are used to emulate human motion Particular emphasis is placed on the most advanced current devices and promising experimental designs Supplemented with hundreds of photographs, drawings, and illustrated tables, Robot Evolution is written in a clear, forthright style and organized to provide quick and easy access to information Separate chapters are devoted to robot arms, wrists, hands, and legs, and each chapter contains examples of several different design approaches to the same problem or component The advantages and disadvantages of each design are discussed in detail along with preferred applications and specific functions of each device An annotated bib
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors conducted task priority surveys conducted by seven institutions across England and North America which reflect the views of over 200 potential users of rehabilitation robotic and orthotic devices, and the survey results indicated that a device must accommodate a wide range of object manipulation tasks in a variety of unstructured environments.
Abstract: Currently, none of the commercially available rehabilitation robots are widely distributed among individuals with limited use of their arms and hands. Market success requires design that achieves an acceptable tradeoff between function, appearance, ease of use, reliability, and cost. User defined task priorities are an imperative consideration within the design as devices which fail a user's functionality requirement will never succeed in the market place. Consequently, this article reviews nine different task priority surveys conducted by seven institutions across England and North America which reflect the views of over 200 potential users of such technology. They include predevelopment questionnaires that focus on user task ability and anticipated use of an orthosis or rehabilitation robot, and postdevelopment surveys that investigate task functionality with a specific robot. The survey results indicate that a device must accommodate a wide range of object manipulation tasks in a variety of unstructured environments. Specific tasks which rated highly were picking things up from the floor or off a shelf and tasks associated with eating, personal hygiene, and leisure activities. The range of functional tasks implies that interdisciplinary design teams are required for "successful" rehabilitation robotic and orthotic device design. >