[pt] Neste trabalho, apresenta-se diferentes esquemas de controle servovisuais para tarefas robóticas de colheita de fruta, na presença de incertezas paramétricas nos modelos do sistema. O primeiro esquema combina as abordagens de servovisão baseada em posição (PBVS) e servovisão baseada em imagem (IBVS) para realizar, respectivamente, a aproximação até a fruta e, em seguida, um ajuste fino para a colheita. O segundo esquema usa uma abordagem de servovisão híbrida (HVS) para realizar a tarefa de colheita completa, projetando uma lei de controle adequada que combina vetores de erro definidos no espaço operacional e no espaço da imagem. A fase de detecção utiliza um algoritmo baseado no espaço de cores OTHA e limiar da imagem Otsu para um rápido reconhecimento de frutos maduros em cenários complexos. Além disso, um método de detecção mais preciso emprega uma Rede Neural Convolucional Profunda (DCNN) pré-treinada baseada em uma versão Segnet minimizada para uma inferência rápida durante a execução da tarefa. A localização do objeto é realizada empregando uma técnica de triangulação de imagem, que combina os algoritmos SURF e RANSAC ou ORB e BF-Matcher para extrair a característica da imagem da fruta e associa-lo com o seu ponto correspondente na outra visualização. No entanto, como esses algoritmos exigem um elevado custo computacional para os requisitos da tarefa, um método de estimativa mais rápido utiliza o centróide da fruta e transformação homogênea para descobrir os pontos correspondentes. Finalmente, um esquema de controle em modos deslizantes (SMC) baseado em visão e uma função de monitoramento de comutação são empregados para lidar com incertezas nos parâmetros de calibração do sistema de câmera-robô. Nesse sentido, é possível garantir a estabilidade assintótica e a convergência do erro da característica da imagem, mesmo que o ângulo de desalinhamento, em torno do eixo z, entre os sistemas de coordenadas da câmera e do efetuador seja incerto. / [en] In this work, we present different eye-in-hand visual servoing control schemes applied to a robotic harvesting task of soft fruits in the presence of parametric uncertainties in the system models. The first scheme combines position-based visual servoing (PBVS) and image-based visual servoing (IBVS) approaches in order to perform respectively an approach phase to the fruit and then a fine tuning of the end-effector to harvest. The second scheme uses a hybrid visual servoing (HVS) approach to fulfill the complete harvesting task, by designing a suitable control law which combines error vectors defined in both the image and operational spaces. For detecting the fruits, an algorithm based on the combination of the OHTA color space and Otsu’s threshold method for a fast recognition of mature fruits in complex scenarios. In addition, a more accurate detection method employs a pre-trained deep encoder-decoder algorithm based on a minimized Segnet version for a fast and cheap inference during the task execution. The object localization is accomplished by employing an image triangulation technique, which combines the speeded-up-robust-features (SURF) and the-randomsample-consensus (RANSAC) or the Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF and the Brute-Force Matcher (BF-Matcher) algorithms to extract the fruit image feature and match it to its correspondent feature-point into the other view of the stereo camera. However, since these algorithms are computationally expensive for the task requirements, a faster estimation method uses the fruit centroid and a homogeneous transformation for discovering matching points. Finally, a vision-based sliding-mode-control scheme and a switching monitoring function are employed to cope with uncertainties in the calibration parameters of the camera-robot system. In this context, it is possible to guarantee the asymptotic stability and convergence of the image feature error, even if the misalignment angle, around the z-axis, between the camera and end-effector frames is uncertain. 3D computer simulations and preliminary experimental results, obtained with a Mitsubishi robot arm RV-2AJ carrying out a simple strawberry picking task, are included to illustrate the performance and effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-05-21Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:40:23Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 calvo_ap_me_rcla.pdf: 8289286 bytes, checksum: f85345fb284e19be0f6978c8ace4bfd6 (MD5) / A escrita é uma forma de comunicação importante que se desenvolve com a idade e com a escolarização. Algumas crianças apresentam dificuldade em desenvolver uma escrita proficiente. Do ponto de vista do controle motor, uma escrita não proficiente pode estar vinculada à dificuldade da criança ativar adequadamente as sinergias motoras que dão suporte a esta habilidade. Portanto, estimular as sinergias motoras dos dedos pode proporcionar melhora na cinética e cinemática da escrita e, conseqüentemente, na qualidade da escrita. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi verificar os efeitos de um programa de intervenção, para crianças com dificuldades na escrita, composto por atividades manipulativas e pré-caligráficas que estimularam as sinergias motoras dos dedos por meio da variação da produção de força dos dedos. Trinta e duas crianças foram indicadas por suas professoras de classe para participarem do estudo. Dezesseis crianças, de 7 a 12 anos de idade, com baixa qualidade na escrita, formaram o Grupo Experimental (GE), e outras 16 crianças com boa qualidade na escrita, e com idade, gênero e preferência manual correspondentes ao GE, formaram o Grupo Controle (GC). O desempenho motor de todos os participantes foi avaliado pelo Movement Assessment Battery for Children, M-ABC (HENDERSON; SUDGEN, 1992). Todos os participantes tiveram a qualidade da escrita avaliada pelo Minnesota Handwriting Assessment (REISMAN, 1999) adaptado à língua portuguesa. Além disso, todos os participantes foram testados na produção gráfica e escrita sobre uma mesa digitalizadora (Wacom, Intuos2). Ambos, o Minnesota Handwriting Assessment adaptado e a produção gráfica e escrita sobre uma mesa digitalizadora foram administrados antes (pré-teste) e após (pós-teste) o programa de intervenção. Somente o GE foi submetido ao programa de intervenção. O programa de intervenção... / Handwriting is an essential manner of human communication which develops with the process of aging and schooling. Some children present difficulties in developing a proficient handwriting. From the motor control perspective, a non-proficient handwriting may be associated with the difficulty to appropriately activate specific motor synergies. Thus, the stimulation of motor synergies of the fingers can improve the kinetic, and kinematic parameters of handwriting, and consequently the quality of the product of handwriting. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of an intervention program involving manipulative and pre-calligraphic activities. The intervention activities were based on variation in the force production of the fingers for children with handwriting difficulties. A total of 32 children aged between 7 and 12 years were selected to participate in the study by the classroom teachers. The Experimental Group (EG) was composed by 16 children displaying poor quality of handwriting, and other 16 children matched by age, gender and handedness showing high quality of handwriting composed the Control Group (CG). The motor performance of the participants was assessed by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, M-ABC (HENDERSON; SUDGEN, 1992). All participants had the quality of the handwriting assessed by the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment (REISMAN, 1999) adapted to the Portuguese language. Furthermore, participants were tested in the handwriting and graphic production on a digitizing tablet (WACOM - Intuos2). Both the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment adapted and the handwriting and graphic production on a digitizing tablet were administered before (i.e., pretest) and after (i.e., post test) the intervention program. Only the EG was submitted to the intervention program. The intervention program consisted of 27 sessions... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

La simulation du geste humain est une thématique de recherche importante et trouve notamment une application dans l'analyse ergonomique pour l'aide à la conception de postes de travail. Le sujet de cette thèse concerne la génération automatique de tâches d'atteinte dans le plan horizontal pour un humanoïde. Ces dernières, à partir d'un objectif exprimé dans l'espace de la tâche, requièrent une coordination de l'ensemble des liaisons. L'une des principales difficultés rencontrées lors de la simulation de gestes réalistes est liée à la redondance naturelle de l'humain. Notre démarche est focalisée principalement sur deux aspects : - le mouvement de la main dans l'espace opérationnel (trajectoire spatiale et profil temporel), - la coordination des différentes sous-chaînes cinématiques. Afin de caractériser le mouvement humain, nous avons mené une campagne de capture de mouvements pour des gestes d'atteinte contraignant la position et l'orientation de la main dans le plan horizontal. Ces acquisitions nous ont permis de connaître l'évolution spatiale et temporelle de la main dans l'espace de la tâche, en translation et en rotation. Ces données acquises couplées à une méthode de rejeu ont également permis d'analyser les relations intrinsèques qui lient l'espace de la tâche à l'espace articulaire du mannequin. Le schéma de génération automatique de mouvements réalistes est basé sur une pile de tâche avec une approche cinématique. L'hypothèse retenue pour simuler le geste est de suivre le chemin le plus court dans l'espace de la tâche tout en bornant le coût dans l'espace articulaire. Un ensemble de paramètres permet de régler le schéma. Il en résulte une cartographie de réglages qui permet de simuler une classe de mouvements réalistes. Enfin, ce schéma de génération automatique de mouvements réalistes est validé par une comparaison quantitative et qualitative entre la simulation et le geste humain. / The simulation of human movement is an active theme of research, particularly in ergonomic analysis to aid in the design of workstations. The aim of this thesis concerns the automatic generation of reaching tasks in the horizontal plane for a virtual humanoid. An objective expressed in the task space, requires coordination of all joints of the mannequin. The main difficulties encountered in the simulation of realistic movements is related to the natural redundancy of the human. Our approach is focused mainly on two aspects: - Motion of the hand's operator in the task space (spatial and temporal aspect), - Coordination of all kinematic chains. To characterize human movement, we conducted a set of motion capture with position and orientation constraints of the hand in the horizontal plane. These acquisitions allowed to know the spatial and temporal evolution of the hand in the task space, for translation and rotation aspects. These acquired data were coupled with a playback method to analyze the intrinsic relations that link the task space to joint space of the model. The automatic generation scheme of realistic motion is based on a stack of task with a kinematic approach. The assumption used to simulate the action is to follow the shortest path in the task space while limiting the cost in the joint space. The scheme is characterized by a set of parameters. A global map of parameter adjustment enables the simulation of a class of realistic movements. Finally, this scheme is validated quantitatively and qualitatively with comparison between the simulation and the human gesture.

Ce travail de recherche a été réalisé au sein du Laboratoire de Tribologie et Dynamique des Systèmes de l’École Centrale de Lyon (FRANCE) en cotutelle avec l’Unité de Mécanique, Modélisation et Productique (U2MP) à l’École Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Sfax (TUNISIE) dans le cadre du projet européen "Mid-Frequency". La prédiction du comportement dynamique des structures est une tâche importante dans la phase de conception de tout produit mécanique. Le choix de l’outil ou de la méthode utilisée dépend de plusieurs facteurs. Pour un système dynamique, la bande de fréquence d’étude est l’un des paramètres essentiels étant donné qu’il existe des approches appropriées pour chaque domaine fréquentiel. Ces derniers seront rapidement inapplicables en changeant le domaine d’application. Par exemple, les méthodes dites hautes fréquences ou globales sont très limitées dans la partie basse du spectre. De même, les méthodes dites basses fréquences deviennent, numériquement, très lourdes et peu performantes si l’on monte en fréquence. Les moyennes fréquences représentent alors les hautes fréquences pour les méthodes globales et les basses fréquences pour les méthodes locales. Comme les incertitudes jouent un rôle important dans les comportements vibratoires en moyennes fréquences, le travail présenté de ce mémoire est une contribution à la recherche d’une approche peu coûteuse en temps de calcul permettant l’extension d’une méthode locale : la méthode des éléments finis ondulatoires, à cette bande de fréquence pour les systèmes à caractère non déterministe. Cette contribution consiste à tenir compte des incertitudes présentes dans le système étudié pour évaluer la dispersion des différents paramètres (spectraux, de diffusion, dynamiques, etc.) et leurs effets sur la réponse globale (cinématique et énergétique) de la structure. Le travail présenté peut être partagé en deux parties. La première concerne le développement des formulations explicites et directes des dispersions des différents paramètres. Cette partie se base sur l’utilisation de la méthode de perturbation à l’ordre un. La deuxième partie est une généralisation de la première. En effet, l’utilisant de la projection des variables aléatoires sur la base des polynômes de chaos permet une évaluation plus générale des effets des incertitudes sur la dynamique des structures périodiques en moyennes fréquences. / The prediction of dynamic behavior of structures is an important task in the design step of any mechanical product. There are many factors affecting the choice of the used methods. For a dynamic system, the frequency band under study is one of the important parameters since for each frequency range exists its appropriate approach which can be quickly inapplicable in other domains. For example, the high frequency methods are very limited in the lower part of the spectrum. Similarly, the so-called low-frequency methods become numerically inefficient if it goes up in frequency range. The mid-frequencies then represent the high-frequencies for global and low frequencies for local methods. Knowing that uncertainties play an important role on the vibro-acoustics behavior in mid-frequencies, the presented work is a contribution to the research approach, with inexpensive computing time, allowing the extension of a local method, called ’the wave finite element method’, in this frequency band. These contributions consist in taking into account uncertainties in the studied system to evaluate the dispersion of all parameters (spectral, diffusion, dynamics, etc.) and their effects on the global response (kinematic and energetic) of the structure. The presented work can be divided into two main parts. The first one involves the development of an explicit and direct formulation describing the dispersion of different parameters; this part is based on the first-order perturbation method. The second part is a generalization of the first one; indeed, using the chaos polynomial projection of all random variables allows a more general assessment of the effects of uncertainties on the dynamics of periodic structure in mid-frequency range.

Com o crescimento da população, os países, estados e cidades identificam a necessidade de realizar investimentos em infraestrutura, transporte e outros. A proposta do presente trabalho é apresentar uma ferramenta, utilizada para atender a demanda de um edital de licitação, expondo à Companhia de Trens Metropolitanos de São Paulo, um exemplo da parte de um edital internacional para aquisição de um meio de transporte rápido e eficiente. Para tal finalidade, são analisadas e filtradas as informações contidas no edital para realizar a simulação de marcha de uma composição ferroviária, através de um software específico. Por fim, na forma gráfica ilustram-se os cálculos cinemáticos e elétricos do comportamento que o sistema de potência irá desempenhar, mostrando que atende aos requisitos do edital de licitação. / With growing of population, countries, states and cities have identified the necessity to perform investiments in infrastructure, transportation, among others. The purpose of this dissertation is to present a tool, used to meet the request of a bidding document, presenting to Metropolitan Train Company of São Paulo one example of part of an international bidding to an acquisition of a rapid and efficient transportation. For this purpose, information of bidding document are analised and filtered to make a running simulation of a train composition throught a specific software. Finally, one application of this method is presented in a graphical form containing kinematic and electrical calculations of the behavior that power system will perform, showing that system meets the requiriments of bidding document.

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Le prochain secteur à être fortement automatisé est sans doute celui du transport routier. D’abord en environnement peu complexe comme c’est déjà le cas sur autoroute, puis à terme dans les scénarios les plus difficiles, comme ceux rencontrés au coeur du trafic urbain. Une étape intermédiaire consiste à introduire des véhicules autonomes en milieu urbain, mais hors du trafic, comme sur des sites fermés. Ces environnements présentent des caractéristiques particulières, comme un encombrement important. Alors, pour être en mesure de naviguer en toute autonomie, les véhicules doivent être à la fois agiles, précis et sûrs, mais aussi efficaces, donc rapides. Ce travail de thèse adresse deux problématiques clés de la navigation autonome en milieu encombré : la planification et le suivi de chemin pour les véhicules à deux trains directeurs (4WS). En effet, la cinématique 4WS est la réponse des constructeurs au besoin d’agilité et nécessite le développement de techniques de commande adaptées. La planification de chemin en temps-réel permet l’évitement d’obstacles, de façon à rendre le service robuste aux aléas de l’environnement. Le contrôle automatique de la direction permet ensuite de suivre ces chemins avec précision. La principale difficulté concernant la planification de chemin est le contraste entre la faible puissance de calcul embarquée sur le véhicule et la forte contrainte temporelle qu’impose le besoin de réactivité. Il s’agit donc de choisir l’approche adéquate et de mettre en place les simplifications algorithmiques les plus efficaces, c’est-à-dire qui réduisent la quantité de calculs nécessaires sans réduire la qualité des chemins générés. De plus, la planification de chemin en milieu encombré pose le problème des impasses dans lesquelles les méthodes les plus réactives restent coincées. De fait, l’approche retenue consiste à construire une fonction de navigation en deux dimensions dont est extrait le chemin. Au sens des critères choisis, il est optimal pour un véhicule circulaire. Des stratégies sont alors mises en place pour adapter cet algorithme aux véhicules 4WS de forme rectangulaire, comme la notion centrale de double-chemin qui permet de représenter la trajectoire d’un mobile à trois degrés de liberté dans un espace en deux dimensions. Enfin, d’autres stratégies et heuristiques sont introduites pour optimiser les performances de l’algorithme de planification et lui permettre de générer des manoeuvres efficaces. Concernant le développement du contrôleur de direction, il s’agit de choisir le modèle d’évolution qui retranscrit au mieux le comportement du véhicule vis-à-vis du double chemin qu’il doit suivre, puis d’en déduire les lois de commande des trains avant et arrière. Ayant été éprouvé par de nombreux travaux, le modèle bicyclette 4WS a été choisi. Ce modèle cinématique permet d’introduire facilement des angles de dérive utiles à la compensation des glissements des pneus sur le sol, qu’ils soient dus à un manque d’adhérence ou à une géométrie imparfaite des trains. Des lois de commande par retour d’état sont ensuite synthétisées et une stratégie de gestion de la saturation des actionneurs est proposée. Enfin, ce premier contrôleur est décliné en une version prédictive qui apporte un suivi de chemin d’une grande stabilité sur les véhicules réels. Les contributions ont toutes été évaluées en simulation et lors d’expérimentations en vraie grandeur sur l’EZ10, une navette électrique 4WS industrielle. Enfin, il se trouve que les performances obtenues dépassent les attentes initiales. / The next sector to be highly automated is probably road transport. First in an uncomplicated environment as is already the case on highway, then eventually in the most difficult scenarios, such as those encountered at the heart of the urban traffic. An intermediate step is to introduce autonomous vehicles in urban areas, but outside traffic, as on closed sites. These environments have particular characteristics, they can be very cluttered. So to be able to navigate autonomously, the vehicles have to be agile, precise and safe, but also efficient, i.e. fast. This thesis addresses two key issues of autonomous navigation in cluttered environments: path planning and tracking for bi-steerable (4WS) vehicles. Indeed, the 4WS kinematics is the response of the manufacturers to the need for agility and requires the development of adapted control techniques. Real-time path planning allows the avoidance of obstacles in order to make the service robust to the vagaries of the environment. The automatic control of the direction then makes it possible to follow these paths with precision. The main difficulty about path planning is the contrast between the low onboard computing power and the high temporal constraints imposed by the need for reactivity. It is thus necessary to choose the appropriate approach and to implement the most efficient algorithmic simplifications, i.e. reducing the amount of calculations without reducing the quality of the generated paths. In addition, path planning in cluttered environment raises the problem of dead-ends in which the most reactive methods remain stuck. Then, the adopted approach consists in constructing a navigation function in two dimensions from which the path is extracted. In the sense of the chosen criteria, it is optimal for a circular vehicle. Strategies are then put in place to adapt this algorithm to 4WS vehicles of rectangular shape, such as the central dual-path concept which allows to represent the trajectory of a mobile with three degrees of freedom in a two-dimensional space. Finally, other strategies and heuristics are introduced to optimize the performance of the planning algorithm and allow it to generate efficient maneuvers. Concerning the development of the controller, it is about choosing the evolution model which best reflects the behavior of the vehicle with respect to the dual-path that it must follow and then deducing the front and rear control laws. The 4WS bicycle model has shown itself to be very effective. This kinematic model makes it possible to easily introduce useful side-slip angles allowing to compensate the slippage of the tires on the ground, whether due to a lack of grip or an imperfect geometry of the axles. State feedback control laws are then synthesized and a strategy for managing the saturation of the actuators is proposed. Finally, this first controller is declined in a predictive version that provides a very stable tracking on real vehicles.The contributions were all evaluated in simulation and in full-scale experiments on the EZ10, an industrial 4WS electric shuttle. Finally, it turns out that the performances exceed initial expectations.

Dans la partie Nord de la zone de subduction des Petites Antilles, la convergence est fortement oblique alors qu’au Sud elle est frontale. Cette étude vise à comprendre les conséquences de l’entrée en subduction du plateau des Bahamas fortement flottant par l’étude de l'évolution du champ de contrainte dans le NE de la plaque Caraïbes, depuis l’Eocène. Ce travail montre que sur les îles les plus anciennes, l’arc volcanique s'initie à l’Eocène. La migration de l’arc vers sa position actuelle se produit durant la période Miocène inférieur – Miocène supérieur. La période Oligo-Miocène est charnière : le champ de contrainte évolue d'une extension pure parallèle à la fosse de subduction, à une extension radiale. Après une restauration de la déformation régionale, j'attribue ce changement d’état de contrainte, à l’initiation du partitionnement de la déformation dans le NE de la plaque Caraïbe qui accommode la courbure de la fosse faisant suite à l’entrée en subduction du banc des Bahamas. Dans l’archipel Guadeloupéen, les analyses structurales à terre et en mer montrent des régimes en extension pure perpendiculaire à la fosse. Les orientations des failles similaires depuis l’Eocène confirment un fort héritage structural. À l’actuel, dans le coin NE des Petites Antilles, le régime tectonique est décrochant avec une direction d’extension principale orientée NO-SE soit parallèle à la fosse. Dans l’archipel Guadeloupéen le régime tectonique est purement extensif orienté NE-SO perpendiculairement à la fosse. Cette rotation est interprétée comme résultant de l’augmentation vers le Nord de l’obliquité de la convergence du fait de la courbure de la zone de subduction. / To the north of the Lesser Antilles subduction zone, from North to South, the obliquity of the subduction is decreasing. This study is focus on the consequences of the entrance of Bahamas bank buoyant plateau into the subduction by studying stress field evolution in the NE of the Caribbean plate since Eocene. This work show that the volcanic arc activity on Anguilla bank islands begin at the Eocene. The volcanic arc migration toward his actual localisation occurs during early Miocene – late Miocene period. The Oligo-Miocene period is transitional as a switch in the stress field from pure parallel-to-the-trench to radial extension occurs. A restoration of the regional deformation shows that this switch is related to strain partitioning initiation in the upper Caribbean Plate in response to trench bending that followed the entrance of the Bahamas Bank in the subduction zone. In the Guadeloupean archipelago, kinematic analyses onshore and offshore show a pure extension with a perpendicular-to-the-trench σ3. The similar faults orientations since Eocene confirm that inherited structures control strain localisation. At present day, in NE corner of the Lesser Antilles, the NW-SE main extensional direction of strike-slip stress regime is trench-parallel. In the Guadeloupean archipelago, the pure extensive stress regime is trench-perpendicular (NE-SW). These different orientations of the stress field are interpreted to be the result of increasing trench bending to the North responsible for a northern increase of subduction obliquity

To stay competitive internationally, the Swedish forestry sector must increase its productivity by 2 to 3% annually. There are a variety of ways in which productivity can be increased. One option is to develop remote-controlled or unmanned machines, thus reducing the need for operator intervention. Another option—and one that could be achieved sooner than full automation—would be to make some functions semi-automatic. Semi-automatic operation of the knuckle boom and felling head in particular would create “mini-breaks” for the operators, thereby reducing mental and physiological stress. It would also reduce training time and increase the productivity of a large proportion of operators. The objective of this thesis work has been to develop and evaluate algorithms for simplified boom control on forest machines. Algorithms for so called boom tip control, as well as automatic boom functions have been introduced. The algorithms solve the inverse kinematics of kinematically redundant knuckle booms while maximizing lifting capacity. The boom tip control was evaluated – first by means of a kinematic simulation and then in a dynamic forest machine simulator. The results show that boom tip control is an easier system to learn in comparison to conventional control, leading to savings in production due to shorter learning times and operators being able to reach full production sooner. Boom tip control also creates less mental strain than conventional control, which in the long run will reduce mental stress on operators of forest machines. The maximum lifting capacity algorithm was then developed further to enable TCP path-tracking, which was also implemented and evaluated in the simulator. An evaluation of the fidelity of the dynamic forest machine simulator was performed to ensure validity of the results achieved with the simplified boom control. The results from the study show that there is good fidelity between the forest machine simulator and a real forest machine, and that the results from simulations are reliable. It is also concluded that the simulator was a useful research tool for the studies performed in the context of this thesis work. The thesis had two overall objectives. The first was to provide the industry and forestry sector with usable and verified ideas and results in the area of automation. This has been accomplished with the implementation of a simplified boom control and semi-automation on a forwarder in a recently started joint venture between a hydraulic manufacturer, a forest machine manufacturer and a forest enterprise. The second objective was to strengthen the research and development links between the forestry sector and technical university research. This has been accomplished through the thesis work itself and by a number of courses, projects and Masters theses over the last three years. About 150 students in total have been studying forest machine technology in one way or the other. / QC 20100729

In this thesis, the inertial parameters of a spatial mechanism are used in order to optimize various aspects of the dynamic behaviour of the mechanism (such as minimizing actuator torque/ force fluctuations, shaking force/moment balancing, etc.) while the effects of loads are considered as well. Here, inertial parameters refer to the mass, 6 elements of the inertia tensor and coordinates of the center of mass of the links. The concept of Force Fluctuation Number (FFN) is utilized to optimize the dynamic behaviour of the mechanism. By using the FFN concept, one obtains a number of linear equations to be satisfied by the optimal inertial parameters. In general, the number of such equations is less than the number of the inertial parameters. Therefore, some of the inertial parameters may be selected freely in order to satisfy other design constraints. Using MATHEMATICA, a program has been developed to obtain the linear equations to be satisfied by the optimal inertial parameters. The developed program includes a kinematic and force analysis module, which can be used independently for a complete kinematic and dynamic analysis of any one degree of freedom, single loop, spatial mechanism. The different closures of the mechanism may be identified by using the developed package and these analyses can be performed on any selected closure of the mechanism.