While the robots gradually become a part of our daily lives, they already play vital roles in many critical operations. Some of these critical tasks include surgeries, battlefield operations, and tasks that take place in hazardous environments or distant locations such as space missions. In most of these tasks, remotely controlled robots are used instead of autonomous robots. This special area of robotics is called teleoperation. Teleoperation systems must be reliable when used in critical tasks; hence, all of the subsystems must be dependable even under a subsystem or communication line failure. These systems are categorized as unilateral or bilateral teleoperation. A special type of bilateral teleoperation is described as force-reflecting teleoperation, which is further investigated as limited- and unlimited-workspace teleoperation. Teleoperation systems configured in this study are tested both in numerical simulations and experiments. A new method, Virtual Rapid Robot Prototyping, is introduced to create system models rapidly and accurately. This method is then extended to configure experimental setups with actual master systems working with system models of the slave robots accompanied with virtual reality screens as well as the actual slaves. Fault-tolerant design and modeling of the master and slave systems are also addressed at different levels to prevent subsystem failure. Teleoperation controllers are designed to compensate for instabilities due to communication time delays. Modifications to the existing controllers are proposed to configure a controller that is reliable in communication line failures. Position/force controllers are also introduced for master and/or slave robots. Later, controller architecture changes are discussed in order to make these controllers dependable even in systems experiencing communication problems. The customary and proposed controllers for teleoperation systems are tested in numerical simulations on single- and multi-DOF teleoperation systems. Experimental studies are then conducted on seven different systems that included limited- and unlimited-workspace teleoperation to verify and improve simulation studies. Experiments of the proposed controllers were successful relative to the customary controllers. Overall, by employing the fault-tolerance features and the proposed controllers, a more reliable teleoperation system is possible to design and configure which allows these systems to be used in a wider range of critical missions.

Esta dissertação refere-se `a simulação de um sistema de controle em um manipulador robótico para compensação dos movimentos do coração em cirurgias cardíacas minimamente invasivas. No intuito de compensar os movimentos do batimento cardíaco utilizam-se técnicas de controle híbrido de posição/força e dados dos movimentos do coração obtidos in vivo, utilizadas como elementos básicos para a constituição deste sistema. Tópicos de modelagem de manipuladores robóticos e, em especial, a modelagem da relação entre as forças e deslocamentos na superfície do coração compõe a base estrutural. Focalizou-se, ainda, o papel do controle de força em relação `a posição da ferramenta do manipulador na superfície do coração. Pretende-se que a principal contribuição deste trabalho seja demonstrar que o controlador híbrido segue as restrições impostas pela dinâmica do sistema coração-pulmão. / This paper refers to the simulation of a control system for a robotic manipulator to compensate the movements of the heart in minimally invasive cardiac surgery. In order to compensate the motion of the beating heart techniques are used to implement a hybrid position/force controller based on data and the movements of the heart obtained in vivo, used as references to the input of the system. Topics modeling robotic manipulators, and in particular, modeling the relationship between forces and displacements on the surface of the heart comprises the structural basis. The role of power control over the position of the manipulator tool on the surface of the heart. It is intended that the main contribution of this study is to show that the hybrid controller follows the restrictions imposed by the dynamics of the heart-lung system.

Esta dissertação refere-se `a simulação de um sistema de controle em um manipulador robótico para compensação dos movimentos do coração em cirurgias cardíacas minimamente invasivas. No intuito de compensar os movimentos do batimento cardíaco utilizam-se técnicas de controle híbrido de posição/força e dados dos movimentos do coração obtidos in vivo, utilizadas como elementos básicos para a constituição deste sistema. Tópicos de modelagem de manipuladores robóticos e, em especial, a modelagem da relação entre as forças e deslocamentos na superfície do coração compõe a base estrutural. Focalizou-se, ainda, o papel do controle de força em relação `a posição da ferramenta do manipulador na superfície do coração. Pretende-se que a principal contribuição deste trabalho seja demonstrar que o controlador híbrido segue as restrições impostas pela dinâmica do sistema coração-pulmão. / This paper refers to the simulation of a control system for a robotic manipulator to compensate the movements of the heart in minimally invasive cardiac surgery. In order to compensate the motion of the beating heart techniques are used to implement a hybrid position/force controller based on data and the movements of the heart obtained in vivo, used as references to the input of the system. Topics modeling robotic manipulators, and in particular, modeling the relationship between forces and displacements on the surface of the heart comprises the structural basis. The role of power control over the position of the manipulator tool on the surface of the heart. It is intended that the main contribution of this study is to show that the hybrid controller follows the restrictions imposed by the dynamics of the heart-lung system.

Esta dissertação refere-se `a simulação de um sistema de controle em um manipulador robótico para compensação dos movimentos do coração em cirurgias cardíacas minimamente invasivas. No intuito de compensar os movimentos do batimento cardíaco utilizam-se técnicas de controle híbrido de posição/força e dados dos movimentos do coração obtidos in vivo, utilizadas como elementos básicos para a constituição deste sistema. Tópicos de modelagem de manipuladores robóticos e, em especial, a modelagem da relação entre as forças e deslocamentos na superfície do coração compõe a base estrutural. Focalizou-se, ainda, o papel do controle de força em relação `a posição da ferramenta do manipulador na superfície do coração. Pretende-se que a principal contribuição deste trabalho seja demonstrar que o controlador híbrido segue as restrições impostas pela dinâmica do sistema coração-pulmão. / This paper refers to the simulation of a control system for a robotic manipulator to compensate the movements of the heart in minimally invasive cardiac surgery. In order to compensate the motion of the beating heart techniques are used to implement a hybrid position/force controller based on data and the movements of the heart obtained in vivo, used as references to the input of the system. Topics modeling robotic manipulators, and in particular, modeling the relationship between forces and displacements on the surface of the heart comprises the structural basis. The role of power control over the position of the manipulator tool on the surface of the heart. It is intended that the main contribution of this study is to show that the hybrid controller follows the restrictions imposed by the dynamics of the heart-lung system.

A bilateral teleoperation system makes it possible for a human operator to interact with a remote environment and receive feedback from their actions. In this work, two different teleoperation architectures are studied, one well-established approach called position-force, and another approach called Model-Mediated Teleoperation (MMT). Position-force generates force feedback by measuring forces and sending them over the network, subject to network delay, while MMT generates nondelayed force feedback through a local environment model. The two architectures are compared in terms of transparency (quality of force feedback) and state consistency (equivalence of positions) under different network conditions. Up to 150 ms constant delay in Round Trip Time (RTT) is added. Both architectures are implemented as relatively simple versions of themselves. The case (teleoperation task) under consideration is pushing a cuboid object on a planar surface in a single direction. The MMT architecture is also studied in further detail, in terms of model complexity. Two versions of an MMT model are investigated, one simpler model that has a linear representation of energy loss and one less simple model that has a non-linear representation of energy loss. The purpose is to see what implications there are of increasing or decreasing model complexity. The results indicate that position-force has better performance in terms of both transparency and state consistency than both MMT models for all investigated network conditions. The simple version of MMT (linear model) performs better than the non-linear model, in terms of transparency and state consistency of cuboid positions, for all network conditions except the largest added delay. In terms of state consistency for the device positions, the non-linear model only performs better than the linear model with no added delay. / En distansstyrt system med tvåsidig kommunikation gör det möjligt för en mänsklig operatör att interragera med en avlägsen miljö och få återkoppling. I detta arbete studeras två olika arkitekturer för dessa typer av system. Ett väletablerat tillvägagångssätt som kallas position-force, och ett annat som kallas Model-Mediated Teleoperation (MMT). Position-force genererar kraftåterkoppling genom att mäta krafter och skicka dem över nätverket, utsatt för nätverksfördröjningar, medan MMT genererar en icke-fördröjd kraftåterkoppling från en lokalt modellerad miljö. De två arkitekturerna jämförs med avseende på ”transparency” (kvalitén på kraftåterkopplingen) och ”state consistency” (matchning av positioner) under olika nätverksförhållanden. De studerade förhållandena innefattar upp till 150 ms konstant fördröjning i tur och returtid. Båda arkitekturer implementeras som förhållandevis enkla versioner av sig själva. Det studerade fallet (operatörens uppgift) innefattar puttande på ett rätblock på en plan yta i en enkel riktning. MMT arkitekturen studeras även i vidare detalj med avseende på komplexitet hos den lokala modellen. Två versioner av MMT modellen undersöks, en enklare model som har en linjär representation av energiförlust, och en mer avancerad model som har en icke-linjär representation av energiförlust. Avsikten bakom detta är undersöka vilka implikationer som finns när komplexiteten hos modellen höjs eller sänks. Resultaten indikerar att position-force presterar bättre än MMT med avseende på både transparency och state consistency för alla undersökta nätverksfördröjningar. Den linjära MMT modellen presterar bättre än den icke-linjära modellen, med avseende på transparency och state consistency i rätblockspositioner, för alla nätverksförhållnaden utom den största pålagda fördröjningen. Vidare presterar den icke-linjära modellen bättre än den linjära modellen, med avseende på state consistency för styrande/styrd apparat, endast då ingen nätverksfördröjning läggs på.

Malgré le progrès de l'automatisation industrielle, les solutions robotiques ne sont pas encore couramment utilisées dans le secteur du génie civil. Plus spécifiquement, les tâches de ponçage, telles que le désamiantage, sont toujours effectuées par des opérateurs humains utilisant des outils électriques et hydrauliques classiques. Cependant, avec la diminution du coût relatif des machines par rapport au travail humain et les réglementations sanitaires strictes applicables à des travaux aussi risqués, les robots deviennent progressivement des alternatives crédibles pour automatiser ces tâches et remplacer les humains.Dans cette thèse, des nouvelles approches de contrôle de ponçage de surface sont élaborées. Le premier contrôleur est un contrôleur hybride position-force avec poignet conforme. Il est composé de 3 boucles de commande, force, position et admittance. La commutation entre les commandes pourrait créer des discontinuités, ce qui a été résolu en proposant une commande de transition. Dans ce contrôleur, la force de choc est réduite par la commande de transition proposée entre les modes espace libre et contact. Le second contrôleur est basé sur un modèle de ponçage développé et un contrôleur hybride adaptatif position-vitesse-force. Les contrôleurs sont validés expérimentalement sur un bras robotique à 7 degrés de liberté équipé d'une caméra et d'un capteur de force-couple. Les résultats expérimentaux montrent de bonnes performances et les contrôleurs sont prometteurs. De plus, une nouvelle approche pour contrôler la stabilité des manipulateurs mobiles en temps réel est présentée. Le contrôleur est basé sur le « zero moment point », il a été testé dans des simulations et il a été capable de maintenir activement la stabilité de basculement du manipulateur mobile tout en se déplaçant. En outre, les incertitudes liées à la modélisation et aux capteurs sont prises en compte dans les contrôleurs mentionnés où des observateurs sont proposés.Les détails du développement et de l'évaluation des différents contrôleurs proposés sont présentés, leurs mérites et leurs limites sont discutés et des travaux futurs sont suggérés. / Despite the advancements in industrial automation, robotic solutions are not yet commonly used in the civil engineering sector. More specifically, grinding tasks such as asbestos removal, are still performed by human operators using conventional electrical and hydraulic tools. However, with the decrease in the relative cost of machinery with respect to human labor and with the strict health regulations on such risky jobs, robots are progressively becoming credible alternatives to automate these tasks and replace humans.In this thesis, novel surface grinding control approaches are elaborated. The first controller is based on hybrid position-force controller with compliant wrist and a smooth switching strategy. In this controller, the impact force is reduced by the proposed smooth switching between free space and contact modes. The second controller is based on a developed grinding model and an adaptive hybrid position-velocity-force controller. The controllers are validated experimentally on a 7-degrees-of-freedom robotic arm equipped with a camera and a force-torque sensor. The experimental results show good performances and the controllers are promising. Additionally, a new approach for controlling the stability of mobile manipulators in real time is presented. The controller is based on zero moment point, it is tested in simulations and it was able to actively maintain the tip-over stability of the mobile manipulator while moving. Moreover, the modeling and sensors uncertainties are taken into account in the mentioned controllers where observers are proposed. The details of the development and evaluation of the several proposed controllers are presented, their merits and limitations are discussed and future works are suggested.