This project details the construction and development of, and experimentation with a mobile service courier robot named Meercat. This robot has been built from the ground up using parts sourced from various places. The application for this service robot is the delivery of internal mail parcels between the buildings situated on the campus of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria. To achieve this, the robot has to be able to localise and navigate through indoor office and laboratory environments and over outdoor tarred roads which interconnect the various buildings. Not many robots are intended for operation in both indoor and outdoor environments, and to achieve this, multiple sensing systems are implemented on the platform, where the correct selection of sensing inputs is a key aspect. Further testing and experiments will take place with algorithms for localisation and navigation. As a limited budget was available for the development of this robot, cost-effective solutions had to be found for the mechanical, sensing and computation needs. The Mechatronics group from the Mechatronics and Micro Manufacturing (MMM) competency area at the CSIR is involved with the development of various autonomous mobile robots. The particular robot developed in this project will be an addition to the CSIR’s current fleet of robots and will be used as a stepping stone for experimentation with new sensors and electronics, and the development of further positioning and navigation algorithms. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

For mobile robots to navigate autonomously, one of the most important and challenging task is localisation. Localisation refers to the process whereby a robot locates itself within a map of a known environment or with respect to a known starting point within an unknown environment. Localisation of a robot in unknown environment is done by tracking the trajectory of a robot whilst knowing the initial pose. Trajectory estimation becomes challenging if the robot is operating in an unknown environment that has scarcity of landmarks, is GPS denied, is slippery and dark such as in underground mines. This dissertation addresses the problem of estimating a robot's trajectory in underground mining environments. In the past, this problem has been addressed by using a 3D laser scanner. 3D laser scanners are expensive and consume lot of power even though they have high measurements accuracy and wide eld of view. For this research work, trajectory estimation is accomplished by the fusion of an ego-motion provided by Time of Flight(ToF) camera and measurement data provided by a low cost Inertial Measurement Unit(IMU). The fusion is performed using Kalman lter algorithm on a mobile robot moving in a 2D planar surface. The results shows a signi cant improvement on the trajectory estimation. Trajectory estimation using ToF camera only is erroneous especially when the robot is rotating. The fused trajectory estimation algorithm is able to estimate accurate ego-motion even when the robot is rotating. / [Durban, South Africa] : University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2013.

This thesis presents advances in the state-of-the-art in legged locomotion through the development of bounding and galloping gaits as well as new modes of hybrid wheeled-leg modes of locomotion. Two four-legged running robots, Scout II and PAW, are examined, the latter of which is distinguished by actuated wheels at the ends of its legs. / First, hybrid modes of locomotion are demonstrated which use legs to dynamically reposition wheels at specific locations with respect to the body. These modes improve the stability and tire-wear of turning and braking manoeuvres and allow pitch-controlled slope ascent and descent in a wheeled-leg vehicle such as the PAW robot. / Second, through hip actuation, passive leg compliance and controlled wheel action it is possible to make the same vehicle run using a dynamically stable legged gait called the bound. Experimental evidence of this is presented and compared to similar experiments on the same robot with mechanically blocked wheels, a 3D simulation of the same, as well as bounding on a completely different quadrupedal robot, Scout II. While a casual observer finds no difference in blocked-wheel and active wheel control modes, detailed examination of the gaits reveals lower speeds and efficiency as well as decreased repeatability when the wheels are actively controlled. / A new method of forward speed control is presented for the bounding gait using liftoff, as opposed to touchdown, leg angles. The liftoff angle method of speed control is shown to be particularly suited to fine-tuning of certain gait performance indices. / Third, the underactuated bounding gait is extended to demonstrate, for the first time, that robotic galloping is possible and that it can be achieved in two underactuated quad-rupedal robots and with varying levels of decoupled control. In the Scout II robot the front leg pair and rear leg pairs function independently; while in the PAW robot galloping is achieved with no controlled coupling between any of the four legs. The rotary gallop gait demonstrated by both robots is characterized by a significant yaw component and is compared to another bound-derived turning gait which uses liftoff angles to produce yaw. In particular, the correspondence of lead leg to yaw direction in both cases is found to match results from biology. In contrast, while it is thought that animals pivot about their lead leg to turn, the rotary gallop demonstrated by these robots shows that yaw occurs primarily in the leg behind the lead leg.

The first part of this thesis documents experimental investigation into the use of vision for wheeled robot navigation problems. Specifically, using a video camera as a source of feedback to control a wheeled robot toward a static and a moving object in an environment in real-time. The wheeled robot control algorithms are dependent on information from a vision system and an estimator. The vision system design consists of a pan video camera and a visual gaze algorithm which attempts to search and continuously maintain an object of interest within limited camera field of view. Several vision-based algorithms are presented to recognize simple objects of interest in an environment and to calculate relevant parameters required by the control algorithms. An estimator is designed for state estimation of the motion of an object using visual measurements. The estimator uses noisy measurements of relative bearing to an object and object's size on an image plane formed by perspective projection. These measurements can be obtained from the vision system. A set of algorithms have been designed and experimentally investigated using a pan video camera and two wheeled robots in real-time in a laboratory setting. Experimental results and discussion are presented on the performance of the vision-based control algorithms where a wheeled robot successfully approached an object in various motions. The second part of this thesis investigates the coordination problem of flocking in multi-robot system using concepts from graph theory. New control laws are presented for flocking motion of groups of mobile robots based on several leaders. Simulation results are provided to illustrate the control laws and its applications.

Thesis (M.S.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-73).

Thesis (Ph.D)--Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010. / Committee Chair: Dr. Ayanna M. Howard; Committee Member: Dr. Charles Kemp; Committee Member: Dr. Magnus Egerstedt; Committee Member: Dr. Patricio Vela. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.

Novel algorithms in robot inverse kinematics and path planning are proposed. Emphasis is placed on real-time execution speed with multiprocessors and adaptability to unpredictable environments. The inverse kinematics algorithm is an iterative solution which is applicable to many classes of industrial robots, and is stable at and around singularities. The method is based on a simple functional analysis of each link of a manipulator and projecting vectors on the coordinate frame of each joint. Heuristic rules are used to control a mobile manipulator base and to guide the manipulator in the case of non-convergence caused by joint limits. The path planning algorithm uses a potential surface in a quantized configuration space. Paths are guaranteed to be collision-free for all parts of the robot. Local minimum regions on the potential surface are filled on demand by extending the obstacles. Arbitrarily shaped obstacles in 3-dimensions can be handled. Using a hierarchical collision detection technique, high execution speed can be maintained even with many complex shaped obstacles in the workspace. The path planning method can theoretically be applied to any manipulator with any degrees of freedom. The implementation of the inverse kinematics and path planning algorithms in a parallel hierarchical multiprocessor computer structure designed for the control of robots is proposed and investigated. Communication among the processors is by point-to-point message passing via asynchronous serial links with message buffers. Computer simulations are used to demonstrate the appropriateness and feasibility of this computer structure for robot control. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of / Graduate

No description available.

No description available.

Cette thèse présente un robot hybride parallèle spatial combiné avec (6+3) degrés de liberté, composé d'un robot de base fondamental et d'un ensemble poignet-pince intégré à 3 degrés de liberté (3-DOF). L'objectif principal del'intégration du mécanisme poignet-pince à 3 degrés de liberté est d'utiliser les degrés de liberté redondants du robot de base, étendant ainsi son espace de rotation. De plus, l'inclusion d'une pince améliore les capacités de manipulation du robot, en faisant un système polyvalent et puissant adapté à diverses applications. Pour atteindre cet objectif, le Chapitre 1 présente un poignet parallèle surcontraint à 2 degrés de liberté, mettant en avant la rigidité, la vitesse et un design léger et compact. Des solutions analytiques pour les cinématiques inverse et directe, dérivées géométriquement, facilitent l'analyse desingularité, révélant une plage de mouvement significative exempte de singularité. Les résultats de simulation dans MSC Adams valident la précision des modèles, soulignant la couverture spatiale supérieure et la masse plus légère du poignet proposé par rapport à un mécanisme comparable. De plus, une analyse d'interférence de contact est effectuée dans un logiciel CAO, et l'espace de travail pratique du mécanisme proposé est comparé à celui de l'Omni-Wrist III de dimensions similaires. Le Chapitre 2 présente un robot parallèle spatial à pince poignet à 3 degrés de liberté conçu pour la manipulation de précision dans des environnements industriels. La conception compacte du mécanisme comprend un poignet à deux rotations sphériques pures (ESPR) à torsion nulle à 2 degrés de liberté et une pince à 1 degré de liberté. Le robot démontre une grande plage de mouvement exempte de singularité grâce à des paramètres soigneusement conçus. Les résultats desimulation valident la précision des modèles cinématiques inverse et directe, avec de petites erreurs quadratiques moyennes. Ce robot, capable d'une large gamme d'orientations et de manipulation précise, offre des applications potentielles dans des contextes industriels exigeant une haute précision et une grande exactitude. Dans le Chapitre 3, un robot hybride parallèle kinématiquement redondant avec (6+3) degrés de liberté est présenté. En s'appuyant sur l'ensemble poignet-pince introduit dans le Chapitre 2, une version modifiée est intégrée à un robot hybride parallèle de base avec (6+3) degrés de liberté pour améliorer l'espace de rotation et les capacités de préhension. Le vaste mouvement exempt de singularité du poignet à 2 degrés de liberté permet une manipulation fluide et précise des objets dans diverses orientations, applicable à des tâches diverses telles que l'assemblage, la prise et le placement, et l'inspection. Des solutions analytiques pour la cinématique inverse du robot sont dérivées à l'aide d'une méthode géométrique, avec une validation réalisée via MSCAdams. Un schéma de contrôle de position PD simple est suggéré pour le contrôle du robot. Ensuite, un prototype physique est construit, et la validation expérimentale met en évidence l'efficacité du contrôleur proposé. En conclusion, le robot hybride parallèle (6+3) degrés de liberté proposé dans cette étude présente un potentiel significatif pour améliorer l'efficacité et l'adaptabilité des manipulateurs robotiques dans un large éventail d'applications industrielles et de recherche. / This thesis introduces a combined spatial hybrid parallel robot with (6+3) degrees of freedom,comprising a foundational base robot and an integrated 3-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) wristgripper assembly. The primary aim of incorporating the 3-DOF wrist-gripper mechanism isto use the redundant degrees of freedom in the base robot, there by extending its rotational workspace. Additionally, the inclusion of a gripper enhances the robot's manipulation capabilities, making it a versatile and powerful system suitable for various applications.To achieve this objective, Chapter 1 presents a dexterous overconstrained 2-DOF parallel wrist,showcasing stiness, speed, and a compact lightweight design. Closed-form solutions for inverseand forward kinematics, derived geometrically, facilitate singularity analysis, revealinga signicant singularity-free range of motion. Simulation results in MSC Adams validate the accuracy of the models, emphasizing the proposed wrist's superior workspace coverage and lighter mass compared to a comparable mechanism. Furthermore, a contact interference analysisis performed in a CAD software, and the practical workspace of the proposed mechanismis compared to that of the Omni-Wrist III with similar dimensions. Chapter 2 introduces a spatial 3-DOF wrist-gripper parallel robot designed for precision manipulationin industrial settings. The compact design of the mechanism includes a zero-torsion2-DOF equal spherical pure rotations (ESPRs) wrist and a 1-DOF gripper. The robot demonstrates a large singularity-free range of motion through carefully designed parameters. Simulation results validate the accuracy of both inverse and forward kinematics models, with small root mean square errors. This robot, capable of a wide range of orientations and precise manipulation, holds potential applications in industrial contexts requiring high precision and accuracy.In Chapter 3, a (6+3)-DOF kinematically redundant hybrid parallel robot is presented. Buildingupon the wrist-gripper assembly introduced in Chapter 2, a modied version is integrated into a base (6+3)-DOF hybrid parallel robot to enhance rotational workspace and grasping capabilities. The extensive singularity-free motion of the 2-DOF wrist enables seamless and accurate manipulation of objects in various orientations, applicable to diverse tasks such asassembly, pick-and-place, and inspection. Analytical solutions for the robot's inverse kinematics are derived using a geometric method, with validation conducted through MSC Adams. A simple PD position control scheme is suggested for robot control. Subsequently, a physical prototype is constructed, and experimental validation showcases the e cacy of the proposed controller. In conclusion, the (6+3)-DOF hybrid parallel robot proposed in this study exhibits signicant potential for improving the e ciency and adaptability of robotic manipulators across a broad spectrum of industrial and research applications.