No description available.

Current physiotherapy practice relies on visual observation of the patient for diagnosis and assessment. The assessment process can potentially be automated to improve accuracy and reliability. This thesis proposes a method to recover patient joint angles and automatically extract movement profiles utilizing small and lightweight body-worn sensors. Joint angles are estimated from sensor measurements via the extended Kalman filter (EKF). Constant-acceleration kinematics is employed as the state evolution model. The forward kinematics of the body is utilized as the measurement model. The state and measurement models are used to estimate the position, velocity and acceleration of each joint, updated based on the sensor inputs from inertial measurement units (IMUs). Additional joint limit constraints are imposed to reduce drift, and an automated approach is developed for estimating and adapting the process noise during on-line estimation. Once joint angles are determined, the exercise data is segmented to identify each of the repetitions. This process of identifying when a particular repetition begins and ends allows the physiotherapist to obtain useful metrics such as the number of repetitions performed, or the time required to complete each repetition. A feature-guided hidden Markov model (HMM) based algorithm is developed for performing the segmentation. In a sequence of unlabelled data, motion segment candidates are found by scanning the data for velocity-based features, such as velocity peaks and zero crossings, which match the pre-determined motion templates. These segment potentials are passed into the HMM for template matching. This two-tier approach combines the speed of a velocity feature based approach, which only requires the data to be differentiated, with the accuracy of the more computationally-heavy HMM, allowing for fast and accurate segmentation. The proposed algorithms were verified experimentally on a dataset consisting of 20 healthy subjects performing rehabilitation exercises. The movement data was collected by IMUs strapped onto the hip, thigh and calf. The joint angle estimation system achieves an overall average RMS error of 4.27 cm, when compared against motion capture data. The segmentation algorithm reports 78% accuracy when the template training data comes from the same participant, and 74% for a generic template.

Current physiotherapy practice relies on visual observation of the patient for diagnosis and assessment. The assessment process can potentially be automated to improve accuracy and reliability. This thesis proposes a method to recover patient joint angles and automatically extract movement profiles utilizing small and lightweight body-worn sensors. Joint angles are estimated from sensor measurements via the extended Kalman filter (EKF). Constant-acceleration kinematics is employed as the state evolution model. The forward kinematics of the body is utilized as the measurement model. The state and measurement models are used to estimate the position, velocity and acceleration of each joint, updated based on the sensor inputs from inertial measurement units (IMUs). Additional joint limit constraints are imposed to reduce drift, and an automated approach is developed for estimating and adapting the process noise during on-line estimation. Once joint angles are determined, the exercise data is segmented to identify each of the repetitions. This process of identifying when a particular repetition begins and ends allows the physiotherapist to obtain useful metrics such as the number of repetitions performed, or the time required to complete each repetition. A feature-guided hidden Markov model (HMM) based algorithm is developed for performing the segmentation. In a sequence of unlabelled data, motion segment candidates are found by scanning the data for velocity-based features, such as velocity peaks and zero crossings, which match the pre-determined motion templates. These segment potentials are passed into the HMM for template matching. This two-tier approach combines the speed of a velocity feature based approach, which only requires the data to be differentiated, with the accuracy of the more computationally-heavy HMM, allowing for fast and accurate segmentation. The proposed algorithms were verified experimentally on a dataset consisting of 20 healthy subjects performing rehabilitation exercises. The movement data was collected by IMUs strapped onto the hip, thigh and calf. The joint angle estimation system achieves an overall average RMS error of 4.27 cm, when compared against motion capture data. The segmentation algorithm reports 78% accuracy when the template training data comes from the same participant, and 74% for a generic template.

This thesis deals with the usefulness of the application of quaternions in representing robot kinematics. It begins by showing the relationship of quaternions to the more commonly-known complex numbers and how it can represent rotations in three-dimensions. Then, the dual quaternions are introduced to represent both the three-dimensional rotation and translation. It will then be used to derive the forward and inverse kinematics, particularly, for the Universal Robot UR3 which is a 6-DOF robotic arm. Lastly, an actual application of dual quaternions in robot programming will be demonstrated

Robots moving about in complex environments must be capable of determining and performing difficult motion sequences to accomplish tasks. As the tasks become more complicated, robots with greater dexterity are required. An increase in the number of degrees of freedom and a desire for autonomy in uncertain environments with real-time requirements leaves much room for improvement in the current popular robot motion planning algorithms. In this thesis, state of the art robot motion planning techniques are surveyed. A solution to the general movers problem in the context of motion planning for robots is presented. The proposed robot motion planner solves the general movers problem using a sample-based tree planner combined with an incremental simulator. The robot motion planner is demonstrated both in simulation and the real world. Experiments are conducted and the results analyzed. Based on the results, methods for tuning the robot motion planner to improve the performance are proposed.

Conformal geometric algebra is defined in the thesis. Representations of geometric objects and possibilities of their geometric transformations are presented. Conformal geometric algebra is applied to the calculation of forward kinematics of a robotic manipulator UR10 from Universal Robots. It is also applied to determine the position of the machine based on the location and rotation of two cameras. Then it is used in an inverse task, where based on records from the two cameras, dimensions of the UR10 manipulator and possibilities of its movement, the mutual position of these cameras is determined. And consequently the possibilities of their location in space. Finally, the derived procedures are implemented in a custom program created in the CluCalc environment, using which a sample example verifying the correctness of these procedures is calculated.

This master thesis is focused on Modular Self-Reconfigurable Robotic Systems. Their description is made at first and then possibilities of their use are listed. The next chapter concerns Molecubes modular system. The design of similar system where the construction of the individual modules is described follows. The transformations of coordinated systems in the individual modules are described and the calculation of forward kinematics and simulation of inverse kinematics is made at the end of the thesis.

The aim of the thesis is to propose and make a robot, which is made of identical modules. These modules are able to connect or disconnect themselves and thanks to this feature new structures of robot can be achieved. This problem is solved by the design proposal of a module, which is capable to rotate in two axis and has connection connectors for other modules. Communication is carried out by Wi-fi connection to the computer and angles required for reconfiguration are calculated by inverse kinematics in Matlab program. On these modules the reconfiguration test was succesfully demonstrated.

Este trabalho trata do estudo de robôs de arquitetura paralela, focando na modelagem e otimização dos mesmos. Não foi construído nenhum tipo de protótipo físico, contudo os modelos virtuais poderão, no futuro, habilitar tal façanha. Após uma busca por uma aplicação que se beneficie do uso de um robô de arquitetura paralela, fez-se uma pesquisa por arquiteturas viáveis já existentes ou relatadas na literatura. Escolheu-se a mais apta e prosseguiu-se com os estudos e modelagem cinemática e dinâmica, dando uma maior ênfase na cinemática e dinâmica inversa, esta última utilizando a formulação de Newton - Euler. Foi construído um simulador virtual em ambiente MATLAB 6.5, dotado de várias capacidades como interpolação linear e circular, avanço e uso de múltiplos eixos coordenados. Seu propósito principal é o de demonstrar a funcionalidade e eficácia dos métodos utilizados. Depois foi incorporado ao simulador um algoritmo de cálculo do volume de trabalho da máquina que utiliza alguns dados do usuário para calcular o volume, que pode ser aquele atrelado a uma postura em particular ou o volume de trabalho de orientação total. Algoritmos para medir o desempenho da máquina quanto à uniformidade e utilização da força dos atuadores foram construídos e também incorporados ao simulador, que consegue mostrar o elipsóide de forças ao longo de quaisquer movimentos executados pela plataforma móvel. Quanto à otimização, parte do ferramental previamente construído foi utilizado para que se pudesse chegar a um modelo de uma máquina que respeitasse restrições mínimas quanto ao tamanho e forma de seu volume de trabalho, mas ainda mantendo o melhor desempenho possível dentro deste volume. / This work is about the study of parallel architecture robots, focusing in modeling and optimization. No physical prototypes were built, although the virtual models can help those willing to do so. After searching for an application that could benefit from the use of a parallel robot, another search was made, this time for the right architecture type. After selecting the architecture, the next step was the kinematics and dynamics analysis. The dynamics model is developed using the Newton ? Euler method. A virtual simulator was also developed in MATLAB 6.5 environment. The simulator?s main purpose was to demonstrate that the methods applied were correct and efficient, so it has several features such as linear and circular interpolations, capacity to use multiple coordinate systems and others. After finishing the simulator, an algorithm to calculate the machine workspace was added. The algorithm receives as input some desired requirements regarding the manipulator pose and then calculates the workspace, taking into consideration imposed constraints. Lastly, algorithms capable to measure the manipulator?s performance regarding to its actuator and end-effector force relationship were also incorporated into the simulator that calculates the machine?s force ellipsoid during any movement, for each desired workspace point. For the optimization procedures, some previously developed tools were used, so that the resulting model was capable to respect some workspace constraints regarding size and shape, but also maintaining the best performance possible inside this volume.

Este trabalho trata do estudo de robôs de arquitetura paralela, focando na modelagem e otimização dos mesmos. Não foi construído nenhum tipo de protótipo físico, contudo os modelos virtuais poderão, no futuro, habilitar tal façanha. Após uma busca por uma aplicação que se beneficie do uso de um robô de arquitetura paralela, fez-se uma pesquisa por arquiteturas viáveis já existentes ou relatadas na literatura. Escolheu-se a mais apta e prosseguiu-se com os estudos e modelagem cinemática e dinâmica, dando uma maior ênfase na cinemática e dinâmica inversa, esta última utilizando a formulação de Newton - Euler. Foi construído um simulador virtual em ambiente MATLAB 6.5, dotado de várias capacidades como interpolação linear e circular, avanço e uso de múltiplos eixos coordenados. Seu propósito principal é o de demonstrar a funcionalidade e eficácia dos métodos utilizados. Depois foi incorporado ao simulador um algoritmo de cálculo do volume de trabalho da máquina que utiliza alguns dados do usuário para calcular o volume, que pode ser aquele atrelado a uma postura em particular ou o volume de trabalho de orientação total. Algoritmos para medir o desempenho da máquina quanto à uniformidade e utilização da força dos atuadores foram construídos e também incorporados ao simulador, que consegue mostrar o elipsóide de forças ao longo de quaisquer movimentos executados pela plataforma móvel. Quanto à otimização, parte do ferramental previamente construído foi utilizado para que se pudesse chegar a um modelo de uma máquina que respeitasse restrições mínimas quanto ao tamanho e forma de seu volume de trabalho, mas ainda mantendo o melhor desempenho possível dentro deste volume. / This work is about the study of parallel architecture robots, focusing in modeling and optimization. No physical prototypes were built, although the virtual models can help those willing to do so. After searching for an application that could benefit from the use of a parallel robot, another search was made, this time for the right architecture type. After selecting the architecture, the next step was the kinematics and dynamics analysis. The dynamics model is developed using the Newton ? Euler method. A virtual simulator was also developed in MATLAB 6.5 environment. The simulator?s main purpose was to demonstrate that the methods applied were correct and efficient, so it has several features such as linear and circular interpolations, capacity to use multiple coordinate systems and others. After finishing the simulator, an algorithm to calculate the machine workspace was added. The algorithm receives as input some desired requirements regarding the manipulator pose and then calculates the workspace, taking into consideration imposed constraints. Lastly, algorithms capable to measure the manipulator?s performance regarding to its actuator and end-effector force relationship were also incorporated into the simulator that calculates the machine?s force ellipsoid during any movement, for each desired workspace point. For the optimization procedures, some previously developed tools were used, so that the resulting model was capable to respect some workspace constraints regarding size and shape, but also maintaining the best performance possible inside this volume.