Robotic Systems - Agriculture and Forestry

Walking Forestry Manipulator

Plustech Oy Finland

Innovative technology is used among

agriculture and forestry in order to increase the
work´s efficiency. The Finnish company
Plustech Oy has developed the world´s first
walking forestry manipulator whose ingenious
walking kinematics were copied from examples
that Mother Nature provides. The computer-
controlled, six-legged walking mechanism
suits any of the various kinds of ground
conditions that may be found in forests around
the world. Yet it is designed not to harm the
environment it is working in, e.g. its weight is at
all times evenly distributed on the forest floor,
and it prevents soil erosion. The device is
controlled by a joystick and its claw is used to
handle and move tree trunks.
 Robotic Systems - Care / Rehabilitation

FRIEND - Functional Robot Arm with User

Friendly Interface for Disabled People
University of Bremen
Germany
The aim of FRIEND is the development of a
robot system which supports people with
severe physical impairment in daily life and in
the work environment. The system consists of
an electric powered wheelchair, a MANUS
robot arm and a standard PC which is attached
in a rugged case to the back side of the
wheelchair. A tray and a flat screen are
mounted at the left side of the wheelchair. The
structure of the entire control system is
coarsely divided up into the components robot
controller, command interpreter, administration
module for pre-programmed motions and man-
machine interface. The user-oriented man-
machine interface can be operated in two
different modes: pre-programmed motions and
user-controlled robot movements.
 Robotic Systems - Cleaning

SKYWASH
AEG, Dornier, Fraunhofer Institute,
Putzmeister - Germany
Using 2 Skywash robots for cleaning a Boeing
747-400 jumbo jet, its grounding time is
reduced from 9 to 3.5 hours. The world´s
largest cleaning brush travels a distance of
approximately 3.8 kilometers and covers a
surface of around 2,400 m² which is about
85% of the entire plane´s surface area. The
kinematics consist of 5 main joints for the
robot´s arm, and an additional one for the
turning circle of the rotating washing
brush.The Skywash includes database that
contains the aircraft-specific geometrical
data. A 3-D distance camera accurately
positions the mobile robot next to the aircraft.
The 3-D camera and the computer determine
the aircraft´s ideal positioning, and thus the
cleaning process begins.
 Robotic Systems - Construction

The Road Robot

ESPRIT program European Union
The Road Robot is self-navigating, self-
steering and completely computerized road
finisher. The goal was for road engineers to
build road surfaces more rationally, more
environmentally-friendly. The entire process
consists of four subsystems, yet each one has
its own module: the logistics of coated
materials, the traveling mechanism, the
geometry of the road surface and the plank.
There are two different ways of operating the
device: either by radio from the engineers´
office or with the on-board computer touch
screen. The Road Robot´s diesel-electric drive
decreases the noise up to 12 dB (A), produces
50% less exhaust fumes and requires 50%
less gasoline than a conventional road finisher
of an equal performance level.
 Robotic Systems - Master / Slave Teleoperator

Master / Slave Robot

Sarcos
Puppeteers in the entertainment business, turn
master-slave robots into interactive actors that
react in real-time. Controlling an
anthropomorphic robot requires only one
person to operate, even though these man-like
robots may possess up to 56 degrees of
freedom which may all have to be directed
simultaneously. An Exoskeleton equipped with
position sensors registers the master´s
movements and transfer them to the robot´s
control system. The control algorithms ensure
similar movements of the robot.

www.sarcos.com
 Robotic Systems - Hazardous Duties

Telerob
Ostfildern, Germany

• Fire Fighting
• Nuclear Reactor
• Explosives

http://www.telerob.com
 Robotic Systems - Medical

ZEUS
Computer Motion, Inc.
Goleta, CA

The ZEUS Robotic Surgical System is

comprised of an ergonomic surgeon console
and three table-mounted robotic arms, which
act as the surgeon's hands and eyes during
minimally invasive surgery. While sitting at the
console, the surgeon controls the right and left
robotic arms that translate to real-time
manipulation of the surgical instruments within
the patient's body. The third arm incorporates
the AESOP technology, providing the surgeon
with a controlled and steady view of the
internal operative field.

www.computermotion.com
 Robotic Systems - Medical

da Vinci
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Mountain View, CA

The da Vinci™ Surgical System consists of a

surgeon's console, a patient-side cart, a high
performance vision system and our proprietary
instruments. Using the da Vinci Surgical
System, the surgeon operates while seated
comfortably at a console viewing a 3-D image
of the surgical field. The surgeon's fingers
grasp the instrument controls below the display
with wrists naturally positioned relative to his or
her eyes. Our technology seamlessly
translates the surgeon's movements into
precise, real-time movements of our surgical
instruments inside the patient.

www.intuitivesurgical.com
 Robotic Systems - Medical

Integrated Surgical Systems, Inc.

Davis, CA
ROBODOC
Total hip replacement- The robot mills a
cavity in the femur for a prosthetic implant. The
system is designed to accurately shape the
cavity for a precise fit with the implant.
Total knee replacement - The robot planes
knee surfaces on the femur and tibia to
achieve a precise fit for the implant.

NeuroMate is a computer-controlled, image-

directed robotic system for stereotactic
functional brain surgeries. The Frameless
NueroMate System eliminates the need to use
the cumbersome and very painful frames that
are traditionally used for many brain surgeries.
The system orients and positions a variety of
surgical tools.
www.robodoc.com
 Robotic Systems - Underwater

Diabolo
HYDROVISION
Scotland

Diabolo works in depths of up to 2,000 m and

carries a payload of 300kg. Its weight is
2800Kg and it can be adapted to carry up to
450 kg. Assembly and monitoring are the
areas of employment which Diablo has been
designed for. The main areas of employment
are drilling platforms and underwater pipeline
construction works. In addition to its high
performance level, the robot can be equipped
with manipulator arms and up to five different
camera systems.

http://www.hydrovision.co.uk
 Robotic Systems - Mobile (Biologically Inspired)

P3
HONDA

Origin of Name: Prototype 3

Purpose: To cultivate a new dimension in
mobility as an automobile company
Vision: Digital video cameras
Sensors: Gyrometer, G-Sensors, 6-Axis force
sensors on wrists and feet
Batteries: Ni-Zn batteries, 25 minute duration
External Power: DC 136v
Project Status: Ongoing

Type / Year P1 / 93 P2 / 96 P3 / 97 Asimo /00

Height [m] 1.915 1.820 1.6 1.2
Weight [Kg] 175 210 130 43
Walking Speed [km/h] * 2.0 2.0 1.6
Payload per Hand * 5.0 2.0 0.5

http://world.honda.com/robot/
 Robotic Systems - Mobile (Biologically Inspired)

ROBONAUT
NASA

Origin of Name: Robotic astronaut

Purpose: Help humans work and explore in
space
Height: 1.9 m
Weight:182 kg
Vision: Stereo cameras
Sensors: 150 per limb - position, velocity,
torque, force, temperature
Frame Composition: Aluminum (body padded
with Kevlar and Teflon to make robonaut
fireproof and bulletproof - space junk is a big
threat )
Project Status: Ongoing

http://vesuvius.jsc.nasa.gov/er_er/html/robonaut/robonaut.html
 Robotic Systems - Mobile (Biologically Inspired)

AIBO
SONY

Origin of Name: The first two letters of the

word AIBO stand for Artificial Intelligence.
AIBO is also a robot with eyes, so [it is] an
eyebo(t). Finally, AIBO is also named after the
japanese word for 'pal.'
Height:266 mm
Length: 274 mm
Weight: 1.6 kg
Vision: Digital camera
Sensors: Contact, infrared, acceleration,
angular velocity, microphone
Batteries: Lithium ion External Power AC
recharger
Cost: $850 -$1,500
Project Status: Just the beginning
http://www.aibo.com/
 Robotic Systems - Mobile - Space

Mars Pathfinder
NASA

Spacecraft
Launch: December 4, 1996
Landing: July 4, 1997
Mass: 895 kilograms (1,973 pounds) at launch,
fueled
Science instruments: Imager; Magnets for
measuring magnetic properties of soil; Wind
socks; Atmospheric structure
instrument/meteorology package
Rover (Sojourner)
Mass: 10.6 kilograms (23 pounds)
Science instruments: Alpha Proton X-ray
Spectrometer, three Cameras (also technology
experiments)
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/past/pathfinder.html
 Robotic History - 1920 - 1940

www.trueforce.com/Articles/Robot_History.htm

1920 Czechoslovakian playwright Karel Capek introduces the

word robot in the play R.U.R. - Rossum's Universal
Robots. The word comes from the Czech robota, which
means tedious labor.
1938 The first programmable paint-spraying mechanism is
designed by Americans Willard Pollard and Harold
Roselund for the DeVilbiss Company.
1942 Isaac Asimov publishes Runaround, in which he defines
the Three Laws of Robotics.
1946 Emergence of the computer: George Devol patents a
general purpose playback device for controlling machines,
using magnetic recording; J. Presper Eckert and John
Mauchly build the ENIAC at the University of Pennsylvania
- the first electronic computer; At MIT, Whirlwind, the first
digital general purpose computer, solves its first problem.
1948 Norbert Wiener, a professor at M.I.T., publishes
Cybernetics or Control and Communication in the Animal,
a book which describes the concept of communications
and control in electronic, mechanical, and biological
systems.
 Robotic History - 1950 - 1960

1951 In France, Raymond Goertz designs the first teleoperated

articulated arm for the Atomic Energy Commission. The
design is based entirely on mechanical coupling between
the master and slave arms (using steel cables and
pulleys). Derivatives of this design are still seen in places
where handling of small nuclear samples is required. This
is generally regarded as the major milestone in force
feedback technology.
1954 George Devol designs the first programmable robot and
coins the term Universal Automation, planting the seed for
the name of his future company - Unimation.
1959 Marvin Minsky and John McCarthy establish the Articifical
Intelligence Laboratory at MIT.
 Robotic History - 1960 - 1970

1960 Unimation is purchased by Condec Corporation and

development of Unimate Robot Systems begins.
American Machine and Foundry, later known as AMF
Corporation, markets the first cylindrical robot, called the
Versatran, designed by Harry Johnson and Veljko
Milenkovic.
1962 General Motors purchases the first industrial robot from
Unimation and installs it on a production line. This
manipulator is the first of many Unimates to be deployed.
1963 John McCarthy heads up the new Artificial Intelligence
Laboratory at Stanford University.
1964 Artificial intelligence research laboratories are opened at
M.I.T., Stanford Research Institute (SRI), Stanford
University, and the University of Edinburgh.
1964 C&D Robotics founded.
1965 Carnegie Mellon University establishes the Robotics
Institute.
1965 Homogeneous transformations applied to robot kinematics
- this remains the foundation of robotics theory today
1967 Japan imports the Versatran robot from AMF (the first
robot imported into Japan).
1968 Kawasaki licenses hydraulic robot design from Unimation
and starts production in Japan.
1968 SRI builds Shakey, a mobile robot with vision capability,
controlled by a computer the size of a room.
 Robotic History - 1970 - 1980

1970 Professor Victor Scheinman of Stanford University

designs the Standard Arm. Today, its kinematic
configuration remains known as the Standard Arm.
1973 Cincinnati Milacron releases the T3, the first commercially
available minicomputer-controlled industrial robot
(designed by Richard Hohn).
1974 Professor Victor Scheinman, the developer of the Stanford
Arm, forms Vicarm Inc. to market a version of the arm for
industrial applications. The new arm is controlled by a
minicomputer.
1976 Robot arms are used on Viking 1 and 2 space probes.
Vicarm Inc. incorporates a microcomputer into the Vicarm
design.
1977 ASEA, a European robot company, offers two sizes of
electric powered industrial robots. Both robots use a
microcomputer controller for programming and operation.
1977 Unimation purchases Vicarm Inc.
1978 Using technology from Vicarm, Unimation develops the
PUMA (Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly).
The PUMA can still be found in many research labs today.
1978 Brooks Automation founded
1979 Sankyo and IBM market the SCARA (selective compliant
articulated robot arm) developed at Yamanashi University
in Japan
 Robotic History - 1980 - 1990

1981 Cognex founded.

1981 CRS Robotics Corp. founded.
1982 Fanuc of Japan and General Motors form joint venture in
GM Fanuc to market robots in North America.
1983 Adept Technology founded.
1984 Joseph Engelberger starts Transition Robotics, later
renamed Helpmates, to develop service robots.
1986 With Unimation license terminated, Kawasaki develops
and produces its own line of electric robots.
1988 Stäubli Group purchases Unimation from Westinghouse.
1989 Computer Motion founded.
1989 Barrett Technology founded
 Robotic History - 1990 - 2001

1993 Sensable Technologies founded.

1994 CMU Robotics Institute's Dante II, a six-legged walking
robot, explores the Mt. Spurr volcano in Alaska to sample
volcanic gases.
1995 Intuitive Surgical formed by Fred Moll, Rob Younge and
John Freud to design and market surgical robotic systems.
Founding technology based on the work at SRI, IBM and
MIT.
1997 NASA's Mars PathFinder mission captures the eyes and
imagination of the world as PathFinder lands on Mars and
the Sojourner rover robot sends back images of its travels
on the distant planet.
1997 Honda showcases the P3, the 8th prototype in a
humanoid design project started in 1986.
2000 Honda showcases Asimo, the next generation of its series
of humanoid robots.
2000 Sony unveils humanoid robots, dubbed Sony Dream
Robots (SDR), at Robodex.
2001 Sony releases the second generation of its Aibo robot
dog.
2001 Built by MD Robotics of Canada, the Space Station
Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) is successfully
launched into orbit and begins operations to complete
assembly of International Space Station
 Kinematic Chain - Joint / Link - Definition

Kinematic Chain consists of nearly rigid links (members) which are connected with
joints (kinematics pair) allowing relative motion of the neighboring links.
Closed Loop Chain - Every link in the kinematic chain is connected to any other
link by at least two distinct paths
Open Loop Chain - Every link in the kinematic chain is connected to any other link
by one and only one distinct path

Parallel (Close Loop) Robot Serial (Open Loop) Robot

Anatomical Joints
 End Effector (EE)

At the free end of the chain of links which make up the manipulator is the end
effector. Depending on the intended application of the robot the end effector may be
a gripper welding torch, electromagnet or other tool.

ROBONAUT - Hand (NASA) Stanford / JPL- Hand (Salsilbury) Utha / MIT Hand

NIST - Advanced Welding Manufacturing System

 Degrees of Freedom (DOF)

The number of Degree of Freedom that a manipulator possesses is the number

independent position variable which would have to be specified in order to locate all
parts of the mechanism.

Ideally, a manipulator should poses 6 DOF in order to manipulate an object in a 3D

space

• General Purpose Robot - # DOF = 6

• Redundant Robot - # DOF >7

• Deficient Robot - # DOF < 6

Human Arm - DOF
 Workspace - Definition

• Workspace - The volume of space that the end-effector can

reach

• Reachable Workspace - The volume of the space which every

point can be reach by the end effector in at least one orientation.

• Dexterous Workspace - The volume of the space which every

point can be reach by the end effector in all possible
orientations.
 Workspace - Cartesian

• Joint 1 - Prismatic
• Joint 2 - Prismatic
• Joint 3 - Prismatic
 Workspace - Cylindrical

• Joint 1 - Revolute
• Joint 2 - Revolute
• Joint 3 - Prismatic
 Workspace - Spherical

• Joint 1 - Revolute (Intersect with 2)

• Joint 2 - Revolute (Intersect with 1)
• Joint 3 - Prismatic
 Workspace - Articulated

• Joint 1 - Revolute
• Joint 2 - Revolute
• Joint 3 - Revolute
 Description of Positioning Task (1/10)

Problem

Given: The manipulator geometrical

parameters
Specify: The position and orientation of
manipulator

Solution

Coordinate system or “Frames” are attached to

the manipulator and objects in the environment
 Forward Kinematics (2/10)

Problem

Given: Joint angles and links geometry

Compute: Position and orientation of the end
effector relative to the base frame

Solution

Kinematic Equations - Linear Transformation

(4x4 matrix) which is a function of the joint
positions (angles & displacements) and
specifies the EE configuration in the base
frame.
 Inverse Kinematics (3/10)

Problem

Given: Position and orientation of the end

effector relative to the base frame
Compute: All possible sets of joint angles and
links geometry which could be
used to attain the given position and
orientation of the end effetor
Solution

Kinematic Equations - Linear Transformation

(4x4 matrix) which is a function of the joint
positions (angles & displacements) and
specifies the EE configuration in the base
frame.
 Velocity Transformation (4/10)

Mapping from velocities in the joint space

(joint) - Θ
& to velocities in the Cartesian space
(end effector) - ν . At certain points, called
singularities, this mapping is not inevertible.

ν = J ( Θ) Θ
&

Θ
& = J −1 ( Θ)ν
 Force Transformation (5/10)

Mapping from the joint force/torques - ô to

forces/torque in the Cartesian space applied
on the end effector) -
f .

ô = JT f
 Forward Dynamics (6/10)

Problem

Given: Joint torques and links geometry,

mass, inertia, friction
Compute: Angular acceleration of the links
(solve differential equations)

Solution

Dynamic Equations - Newton-Euler method or

Lagrangian Dynamics

ô = M ( Θ)Θ
&& + V ( Θ, Θ
& ) + G ( Θ) + F ( Θ, Θ
&)
 Inverse Dynamics (7/10)

Problem

Given: Angular acceleration, velocity and

angels of the links in addition to the
links geometry, mass, inertia, friction

Compute: Joint torques

Solution

Dynamic Equations - Newton-Euler method or

Lagrangian Dynamics

ô = M ( Θ)Θ
&& + V ( Θ, Θ
& ) + G ( Θ) + F ( Θ, Θ
&)
 Trajectory Generation (8/10)

Problem

Given: Manipulator geometry

Compute: The trajectory of each joint such that

the end efferctor move in space
from point A to Point B

Solution

Third order (or higher) polynomial spline

 Position Control (9/10)

Problem

Given: Joint angles (sensor readings) links

geometry, mass, inertia, friction

Compute: Joint torques to achieve an end

effector trajectory

Solution

Control Algorithm (PID - Feedback loop, Feed

forward dynamic control)
 Force Control (10/10)

Problem

Given: Joint torque or end effector

Force/torque interaction (sensor
readings) links geometry, mass, inertia,
friction

Compute: Joint torques to achieve an end

effector forces an torques

Solution

Control Algorithm (force control)