This thesis implements solution for automatic docking for a mobile robot using visual markers. After initial survey of already implemented works, new docking solution is proposed. Feasibility of the solution is verified with tests of marker detection precision. The implementation is tested in a simulation and with a real robot. The functionality of the proposed solution is verified by long-term tests. The result of this work is robot’s ability to navigate known environment to find and dock a charging station. After charging the robot is able to safely disconnect from the station.

The presented work in this report is a master’s thesis at the machine design track at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The work was commissioned by Ovzon through Svea Teknik AB. The T6 antenna in Ovzons antenna terminal portfolio is as of now fully manual in terms of positioning against satellites. The problem with this is that if the operator is situated in a vehicle, they are required to exit the vehicle and place the antenna on solid ground, aim it, and then return to the vehicle. To cope with the need of manually placing and aiming the antenna, a solution which enables the operator to fully control the antenna from within a vehicle is therefore desired. This work aims to develop a conceptual design that lets the antenna be mounted and automatically aimed against satellites while following tight dimension requirements. The work centered around a concept generating- and evaluation process where different main functions were identified, and to which concepts were formulated by brainstorming. The concepts were mapped with the help of a Functions/Means-Tree and then later evaluated with Pugh’s matrices in order to find a suitable one. The result was two conceptual designs out of which one was chosen by Ovzon for manufacturing. The chosen concept consists of a docking station which is positioned in elevation using a stepper motor connected to a planetary precision gearbox and in azimuth using a direct drive rotary table. The antenna is placed in the docking station and secured into place using latches. The manufactured proof of concept was constructed out of primarily 3D-printed parts but also some that were turned in steel. The resulting concept proved to solve the challenges and given requirements while still being small in size and robust to use. / Följande arbete är ett examensarbete inom spåret maskinkonstruktion vid KTH, Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan i Stockholm. Arbetet utfördes på uppdrag av Ovzon genom Svea Teknik AB. En av produkterna som ingår i Ovzons produktsortiment av antennterminaler är T6-antennen. Den är nuvarande helt manuell när det kommer till att positionera och rikta in sig mot satelliter. Problemet med detta är att om antennoperatören sitter i ett fordon så måste denne gå ut från fordonet och placera antennen på solid mark för att sedan manuellt rikta in antennen mot satelliten och därefter återvända till fordonet. En lösning som låter operatören helt och hållet kontrollera antennen från fordonet istället för att manuellt placera och rikta in den är därför efterfrågat. Detta arbete har som avsikt att konstruera en konceptuell design som låter antennen bli monterad och automatiskt inpekad mot satelliter, samtidigt som den uppfyller strikta krav gällande storlek. Arbetet är centrerat kring en konceptgenererings- och utvärderingsprocess där olika huvudfunktioner hos enheten var identifierade och till vilka koncept var formulerade genom diskussion. Koncepten var sedan kartlagda med hjälp av en Function/Means-Tree och sedan utvärderade med hjälp av Pugh’s-matriser för att på så vis hitta den optimala lösningen. Resultatet var två konceptuella konstruktioner varav en blev vald av Ovzon för att bli tillverkad som prototyp. Det valda konceptet bestod av en dockningsstation som riktas i elevation med hjälp av en stegmotor som är kopplad till en precisionsplanetväxellåda och i azimut med hjälp ett direktdrivet rotationsbord. Antennen placeras i dockningsstationen och hålls fast med hjälp av spännen. Den tillverkade prototypen bestod till största del av additivt tillverkade komponenter men även några av svarvat stål. Det slutgiltiga konceptet visade sig lösa många av de initial autmaningarna och givna kraven medan den samtidigt var liten i storlek och robust att använda.

The aim of this diploma thesis is design of docking station for an autonomous mobile robot Breach. The task of docking station is to connect this robotic device to power supply without human intervention in order to charge its batteries. The theoretical part of diploma thesis contains research study about autonomous charging of robots. After that it is assessed suitability of using different types of docking stations and it was chosen optimal solution. The practice part of diploma thesis contains design of docking mechanism, which takes account of inaccurate navigation of robot with deviation of several centimeters. One part of this design deals with connector system, which is dimensioned for long-term transmission of electric current with minimal value of 20 A. At the end of diploma thesis there was created 3D model of the complete docking station including connectors for charging in program called SolidWorks.

Denna rapport behandlar arbetet med att ta fram en ny produkt med ändamålet att underlätta för jägare som jagar med hund. I ungefär tio år har så kallade GPS-pejlar använts av jägare. Hunden utrustas med ett sändarhalsband och hundföraren tar med sig en handenhet på vilken denne kan se vart hunden befinner sig. Genom en undersökning riktad mot hundförare som görs i projektets startskede klargörs dock ett behov av ett nytt sätt att bära handenheten vid jakt, någon typ av dockningsstation. Något som tillåter hundföraren att kunna utnyttja pejlens praktiska funktioner och fortfarande ha båda händer fria till att exempelvis hålla i sitt vapen eller klättra i branta sluttningar. En målsättning skapas för projektet, att ta fram ett produktkoncept vilket utgör en dockningsstation för en pejl av modellen Astro 320 från tillverkaren Garmin. Produkten skall vara tillförlitlig i fält, tillåta hundföraren att i alla lägen ha båda händer tillgängliga och inte begränsa varken rörlighet eller skytte. Utifrån den undersökning som görs skapas även en kravspecifikation vilken används som riktlinje i arbetet med dockningsstationen. I projektets slutskede genereras ett koncept bestående av tre delsystem, ett enhetsfäste vilket fäster i handenheten, ett armfäste vilket sitter som ett armband runt hundförarens underarm samt en länk vilken kopplar samman de två övriga delsystemen. Länken består av två separata delar vilka enkelt kan docka stabilt i varandra och lika enkelt tas isär och erbjuder hundföraren val av vart denne vill bära handenheten samt vilken vinkel handenheten har gentemot underarmen. Armfästet är utrustat med ett särskilt designat klickspänne vilket genom två lägen både erbjuder stabil fastspänning av dockningsstationen och snabb justeringsmöjlighet av handenhetens placering på underarmen. En fysisk funktionsprototyp tillverkas för att utföra tester på och utvärdera resultatet av projektet. Efter tester kan det konstateras att samtliga krav i kravspecifikationen uppfyllts, att projektets målsättning har nåtts och att konceptet anses ha god potential för vidareutveckling till en färdig välfungerande produkt. / This report reviews the process of designing a new product with the purpose of aiding hunters using dogs. Since approximately 10 years GPS tacking devices have been used by hunters using dogs. The dog is equipped with a transmitting collar and the hunter brings a hand held receiver unit. The hunter can keep track of the dog’s current position through the handheld units display. But through a survey targeted at hunters, which is done in the first phase of the project, a desire for a new method of carrying the unit, some sort of docking system, is made clear. A device which would allow the user to utilize the handheld unites practical features while retaining full capability to use both hands to hold their weapon or climb steep slopes. An objective for the project is formed, to design a product concept for a docking station made to fit the product Garmin Astro 320. The docking station should be reliable during hunting, allow the user to always retain the possibility of using both hands and it shouldn’t decrease neither movement nor the ability to shoot. Based on the survey a list of requirements is made which acts as guidelines during the design process. In the later phases of the project a product concept is designed consisting of three subsystems, a unit attachment which attaches to the handheld unit, an arm attachment which mounts the users forearm and a link connecting the other subsystems. The link consists of two separate parts that easily dock with each other and as easily are separated allowing the user to choose where to carry the unit and at what angle it sits on the forearm. The arm attachment is equipped with a specially designed clip buckle with two modes, offering both a stabile attachment to the arm and the possibility to quickly adjust the attachments positioning around the forearm. A physical prototype is made for testing in order to evaluate the projects results. After completed tests the results establish that all the requirements have been met, the project obtained its objective and the product concept has a lot of potential to further develop into a functioning product.

<p dir="ltr">The technological advancements in marine robotics led to the expansion of the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) fleet. Depending on the applications, the type of the AUV ranges across various shapes and sizes. It seeks a solution for the issue of limited power capacity, often in terms of underwater docking systems. Underwater docking poses a significant challenge for AUVs, especially when considering the diverse shapes and sizes of these vehicles. Existing solutions usually are task specific, and do not address the idea of scalable underwater docking system design.<br>This thesis investigates the adaptability of the specific docking system design, previously validated for torpedo-shaped AUVs, to boxed-shaped AUVs in a nonlinear open water environment. In order to achieve this goal, the scalability of the docking system design of choice was tested in an open water non-linear underwater environment and validated. The scalability of the robust docking system was adapted to the box-shaped AUV, encompassing path planning, path following, and docking maneuver. The adapted docking system was based on the optic methods for docking station detection and subsequent docking. Additionally, the simulated environment was developed for the AUV model, for testing and debugging purposes. In the simulation, a custom PID controller was developed along with integrating the navigation and guidance package, to fully simulate the real life behavior of the AUV. </p><p dir="ltr">Furthermore, this work introduces a recurrent neural network-based architecture for investigating temporal dependencies of the sequential data input. The proposed architecture is based on CNN for spatial feature extraction and LSTM/GRU for temporal feature detection. The dataset collection is based on the simulation environment, by enhancing the artificial images with imposed realism. The dataset was gathered on different levels of turbidity and the collection process was automated.</p>