<p> The problems of dimensional synthesis and of balancing of linkages are formulated as multifactor optimization problems. Using the new techniques developed in the thesis to solve these problems, a general computer program has been written to be a design aid for such problems. A guide to usage and a complete documentation for this computer program are included in the thesis. </p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

This research investigates and proposes methods to be used for the automation of the conceptual design phases of variational mechanisms. It employs the concept of feature-based modeling approaches. A method is proposed for integrating the dimensional synthesis, mechanical design and CAD generation phases with minimal designer intervention. Extended feature definitions are used in this research to create a smooth data transfer platform between different engineering tools and applications. This paper also introduces another method by which a set of dimensional data collected from a family of existing products is used to predict possible solutions for a new design. This method, based on artificial neural networks for training and solution generation, is used with optimization algorithms for the dimensional synthesis of mechanisms. An excavator arm mechanism is used as a case study to demonstrate these methods. The design of this mechanism is carried out based on its digging mode configurations. / Engineering Design

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Ces travaux de thèse apportent plusieurs contributions à la conception de dispositifs d'assistance robotisés pour la réalisation de procédures d'insertion d'aiguille sous imageur à rayons X. Partant de la tâche de positionnement et d'orientation d'une aiguille, plusieurs architectures mécaniques inédites à quatre degrés de liberté ont été proposées. Un algorithme de synthèse dimensionnelle a été conçu pour calculer les paramètres structuraux de ces mécanismes en étudiant leurs singularités, tout en tenant compte des contraintes antagonistes de compacité du système, de capacité d'actionnement et de taille d'espace de travail. Une décomposition modulaire du dispositif d'assistance a permis de proposer des solutions pour un outil dédié à l'insertion d'aiguille avec retour d'effort. Cet outil comporte un dispositif d'insertion, un système de préhension d'aiguille et un capteur d'effort spécifique pour le retour d'effort. / This thesis focuses on finding solutions for the design and the technological bottlenecks involving development of a slave robotic assistant for needle insertion procedures. The needed functionalities for the slave device were sought to be achieved by adopting a modular approach. This required the design and the development of different devices which satisfy targeted functionalities. A study of needle positioning devices was carried out which led to the synthesis of novel mechanisms for the task of needle axis translation and the needle axis orientation. A novel dimensional synthesis algorithm was developed to calculate the structural parameters of these mechanism while studying their singularities and considering the antagonistic constraints of system compactness, actuation torques and workspace size. The modular decomposition also allowed to offer solutions for an insertion tool dedicated to needle insertion with force feedback. This insertion tool consists of a device for inserting the needle, a device for grasping the needle and a force sensor for force feedback.

The objective of this thesis is to analyze the kinematics of a mobile parallel robot with contribution that pertain to the singularity analysis, the optimization of geometric parameters and the optimal control to avoid singularities when navigating across singular geometric configurations. The analysis of the workspace and singularities is performed in a prescribed reference workspace regions using discretization method. Serial and parallel singularities are analytically analyzed and all possible singular configurations are presented. Kinematic conditioning index is used to determine the robot’s proximity to a singular configuration. A method for the determination of a continuous and singularity-free workspace is detailed. The geometric parameters of the system are optimized in various types of pipe-like structures with respect to a suitable singularity index, in order to avoid singularities during the navigation across elbows. The optimization problem is formulated with an objective to maximize the reachable workspace and minimize the singularities. The objective function is also subjected to constraints such as collision avoidance, singularity avoidance, workspace continuity and contact constraints imposed between the boundaries and the wheels of the robot. A parametric variation method is used as a technique to optimize the design parameters. The optimal design parameters found are normalized with respect to the width of the pipe-like structures and therefore the results are generalized to be used in the development phase of the robot. An optimal control to generate singularity-free trajectories when the robotic device has to cross a geometric singularity in a sharp 90◦ elbow is proposed. Such geometric singularity inherently leads to singularities in the Jacobian of the system, and therefore a modified device with augmented number of degrees of freedom is introduced to be able to generate non-singular trajectories.

Dans cette thèse, nous apportons la contribution à la conception de robots médicaux, en proposant une démarche de conception simultanée de la structure mécanique du robot. Par opposition à une vision séquentielle naturelle de la conception, la formalisation du processus créatif permet une simultanéité, ouvrant la voie à des structures innovantes dédiées : en robotique médicale, faible masse et faible compacité de la structure mécanique sont souvent recherchées. A partir d’un descriptif de démarches existantes, nous effectuons la conception d’un robot de télé-échographie et d’un robot de chirurgie mini-invasive. Pour les deux applications, de fortes contraintes sont présentes. En télé-échographie, la portabilité est très recherchée, requérant une faible compacité. Pour la chirurgie mini-invasive, les moto-réducteurs du robot in vivo doivent être dimensionnés au plus juste. Ici, nous avons formalisé l’amélioration de la compacité d’une structure parallèle pour la télé-échographie. Les résultats montrent une amélioration de la compacité de l’ordre de 5%. Dans le même esprit, nous avons formalisé la synthèse dimensionnelle de deux robots 2R-R-R de chirurgie mini-invasive in vivo. Nous réalisons l’optimisation simultanée entre le dimensionnement des moto-réducteurs et des longueurs des corps pour tendre vers une simultanéité totale du processus créatif, ce qui nous permet d’améliorer les performances en termes de force et vitesse à l’effecteur. Ces expériences de conception montrent les limites à une simultanéité stricte. Nous indiquons le besoin d’adapter outils et méthodes de conception mécatronique pour une simultanéité en conception robotique tenant compte de l’aspect imparfait du processus créatif. / In this thesis, we propose a contribution to the design of medical robots, by offering a concurrent design or simultaneous approach. As opposed to a natural sequential view of the design process, the formalization of the creative process allows simultaneity, paving the way for innovative structures, dedicated: in the medical robotic field, low mass and low compactness of the mechanical structure are often sought. From a description of existing approaches, we design a tele-ultrasound robot and a minimally invasive surgery robot. For both applications, high physical integration is required. For tele-ultrasound robots, portability is highly sought, requiring low compactness. For minimally invasive surgery, geared motors of the in vivo robot must be sized correctly. Here, we formalized the improvement of compactness of an existing parallel structure for remote ultrasound application. The results show an improvement of compactness of around 5%. In the same way, we formalize the dimensional synthesis of two robots 2R-R-R for in vivo minimally invasive surgery. The results show the under-sizing of some actuators. We perform simultaneous optimization between the design of geared motors and lengths of the body of a robot 2R-RR, tendering towards full simultaneity of the creative process, allowing to improve minimal force and velocity at the end-effector of the robot. These experiments of design show limits to a strict simultaneity. We indicate the need to adapt the tools and methods of mechatronic design for simultaneous robotics design, taking into account the imperfect aspect of the creative process.

The objective of this thesis is to analyze the kinematics of a mobile parallel robot with contribution that pertain to the singularity analysis, the optimization of geometric parameters and the optimal control to avoid singularities when navigating across singular geometric configurations. The analysis of the workspace and singularities is performed in a prescribed reference workspace regions using discretization method. Serial and parallel singularities are analytically analyzed and all possible singular configurations are presented. Kinematic conditioning index is used to determine the robot’s proximity to a singular configuration. A method for the determination of a continuous and singularity-free workspace is detailed. The geometric parameters of the system are optimized in various types of pipe-like structures with respect to a suitable singularity index, in order to avoid singularities during the navigation across elbows. The optimization problem is formulated with an objective to maximize the reachable workspace and minimize the singularities. The objective function is also subjected to constraints such as collision avoidance, singularity avoidance, workspace continuity and contact constraints imposed between the boundaries and the wheels of the robot. A parametric variation method is used as a technique to optimize the design parameters. The optimal design parameters found are normalized with respect to the width of the pipe-like structures and therefore the results are generalized to be used in the development phase of the robot. An optimal control to generate singularity-free trajectories when the robotic device has to cross a geometric singularity in a sharp 90◦ elbow is proposed. Such geometric singularity inherently leads to singularities in the Jacobian of the system, and therefore a modified device with augmented number of degrees of freedom is introduced to be able to generate non-singular trajectories.

Dans un contexte d’Industrie 4.0, on perçoit de nouveaux usages possibles des manipulateurs mobiles (MMs), des robots généralement obtenus par l’association d’un bras manipulateur et d’une plate-forme mobile. Ce travail de thèse se focalise sur la synthèse et la commande de nouveaux MMs coopératifs en définissant trois défis à relever. Le premier défi concerne l’élargissement des domaines d’utilisation des robots par la possibilité de leur utilisation coopérative. Nous définissons ainsi un système robotique modulaire basé sur l’utilisation d’entités robotiques appelés mono-robots (m-bots). Ceux-ci sont des MMs qui peuvent se réarranger sous forme de poly-robot (p-bot) pour réaliser une tâche en collaboration. Le deuxième défi se focalise sur la définition de l’architecture cinématique élémentaire de ces robots. Ainsi, nous proposons une démarche générique de synthèse structurale qui permet l’obtention de plusieurs architectures de m-bots respectant les cahiers des charges relatifs à la tâche en tant que m-bot, mais aussi en tant que p-bot pour un environnement considéré. Cette démarche est basée sur l’analyse structurale des MMs à l’aide des paramètres structuraux des mécanismes (connectivité, mobilité, redondance et hyperstatisme). Le troisième défi proposé est d’arriver à modéliser et contrôler les architectures de MMs synthétisées pour la tâche. Deux lois de commande (PID et hybride force-position) sont proposées pour la réalisation de la tâche considérée. Leur validation a été réalisée grâce à des simulations avancées. / In recent years, the concept of Industry 4.0 has led to new possibilities of use for mobile manipulators (MMs) that are generally made of a manipulator arm mounted on a mobile base. The current Ph.D. is focused on the synthesis and control of new cooperative MMs by defining three challenges. The first challenge concerns the widening of the fields of application of robots. Therefore, we define a modular robotic system based on the use of multiple MMs (mono robots or m-bots) that can be used as a global system (poly-robot or p-bot) for collaborative tasks. The second challenge concerns the definition of the kinematic structure of the MMs. We propose a new generic method of structural synthesis that allows to obtain multiple kinematic architectures for m-bots that respect the constraints imposed by the task and the workspace. This method is based on structural analysis of MMs by the evaluation of the structural parameters (connectivity, mobility, redundancy and overconstraint). The last challenge concerns the modelling and control of the new architectures for the new fields of application. Two control laws (PID control and hybrid force-position control) are proposed in order to realise the considered task. Their validation is done with advanced simulations.