Solving optimal control problems with state constraints using nonlinear programming and simulation tools

This paper illustrates how nonlinear programming and simulation tools, which are available in packages such as MATLAB and SIMULINK, can easily be used to solve optimal control problems with state- and/or input-dependent inequality constraints. The method presented is illustrated with a model of a single-link manipulator. The method is suitable to be taught to advanced undergraduate and Master's level students in control engineering.

Input/output linearization using dynamic recurrent neural networks

This paper brings together two areas of research that have received considerable attention during the last years, namely feedback linearization and neural networks. A proposition that guarantees the Input/Output (I/O) linearization of nonlinear control affine systems with Dynamic Recurrent Neural Networks (DRNNs) is formulated and proved. The proposition and the linearization procedure are illustrated with the simulation of a single link manipulator.

Path planning of robots in noisy workspaces using learning automata

The problem of a manipulator operating in a noisy workspace and required to move from an initial fixed position P0 to a final position Pf is considered. However, Pf is corrupted by noise, giving rise to Pˆf, which may be obtained by sensors. The use of learning automata is proposed to tackle this problem. An automaton is placed at each joint of the manipulator which moves according to the action chosen by the automaton (forward, backward, stationary) at each instant. The simultaneous reward or penalty of the automata enables avoiding any inverse kinematics computations that would be necessary if the distance of each joint from the final position had to be calculated. Three variable-structure learning algorithms are used, i.e., the discretized linear reward-penalty (DLR-P, the linear reward-penalty (LR-P ) and a nonlinear scheme. Each algorithm is separately tested with two (forward, backward) and three forward, backward, stationary) actions.

Quasi-decoupled fuzzy logic controller

The authors describe the design of a fuzzy logic controller for the control of a planar two-link manipulator. The plant is quasi-decoupled with respect to gravity. Complete decoupling is not achieved due to the nonoptimal nature of the expert rules. The performance of the fuzzy controller is compared to that of the critically damped computed torque controller. Results are presented complete with robustness tests.

Trajectory planning of a robot using learning algorithms

The authors consider the problem of a robot manipulator operating in a noisy workspace. The manipulator is required to move from an initial position P(i) to a final position P(f). P(i) is assumed to be completely defined. However, P(f) is obtained by a sensing operation and is assumed to be fixed but unknown. The authors approach to this problem involves the use of three learning algorithms, the discretized linear reward-penalty (DLR-P) automaton, the linear reward-penalty (LR-P) automaton and a nonlinear reinforcement scheme. An automaton is placed at each joint of the robot and by acting as a decision maker, plans the trajectory based on noisy measurements of P(f).

Real-time application of a constrained predictive controller based on dynamic neural networks with feedback linearization

This paper describes an experimental application of constrained predictive control and feedback linearisation based on dynamic neural networks. It also verifies experimentally a method for handling input constraints, which are transformed by the feedback linearisation mappings. A performance comparison with a PID controller is also provided. The experimental system consists of a laboratory based single link manipulator arm, which is controlled in real time using MATLAB/SIMULINK together with data acquisition equipment.

Visual sensor fusion for active security in robotic industrial environments

This work presents a method of information fusion involving data captured by both a standard CCD camera and a ToF camera to be used in the detection of the proximity between a manipulator robot and a human. Both cameras are assumed to be located above the work area of an industrial robot. The fusion of colour images and time of light information makes it possible to know the 3D localization of objects with respect to a world coordinate system. At the same time this allows to know their colour information. Considering that ToF information given by the range camera contains innacuracies including distance error, border error, and pixel saturation, some corrections over the ToF information are proposed and developed to improve the results. The proposed fusion method uses the calibration parameters of both cameras to reproject 3D ToF points, expressed in a common coordinate system for both cameras and a robot arm, in 2D colour images. In addition to this, using the 3D information, the motion detection in a robot industrial environment is achieved, and the fusion of information is applied to the foreground objects previously detected. This combination of information results in a matrix that links colour and 3D information, giving the possibility of characterising the object by its colour in addition to its 3D localization. Further development of these methods will make it possible to identify objects and their position in the real world, and to use this information to prevent possible collisions between the robot and such objects.

Visual sensor fusion for active security in robotic industrial environments

This work presents a method of information fusion involving data captured by both a standard charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and a time-of-flight (ToF) camera to be used in the detection of the proximity between a manipulator robot and a human. Both cameras are assumed to be located above the work area of an industrial robot. The fusion of colour images and time-of-flight information makes it possible to know the 3D localization of objects with respect to a world coordinate system. At the same time, this allows to know their colour information. Considering that ToF information given by the range camera contains innacuracies including distance error, border error, and pixel saturation, some corrections over the ToF information are proposed and developed to improve the results. The proposed fusion method uses the calibration parameters of both cameras to reproject 3D ToF points, expressed in a common coordinate system for both cameras and a robot arm, in 2D colour images. In addition to this, using the 3D information, the motion detection in a robot industrial environment is achieved, and the fusion of information is applied to the foreground objects previously detected. This combination of information results in a matrix that links colour and 3D information, giving the possibility of characterising the object by its colour in addition to its 3D localisation. Further development of these methods will make it possible to identify objects and their position in the real world and to use this information to prevent possible collisions between the robot and such objects.

Show de Mamulengos Heraldo Lins: construções e transformações de um espetáculo na cultura popular

The theater of puppets is one of the many expressions of popular culture which is marked by ongoing constructions and transformations in its symbolic representations as well as its characters and performances. In the city of Natal/RN, there is a manipulator called Heraldo Lins, an artist who operates such puppets, and has been performing his puppet since 1992. Lins has his own look at how he produces his performances and seeks to adjust his puppets to social and rentable contexts. Lins‟s performances are tailor-made in accordance with the request of his customers, as he makes up the passages and lines of his puppets according to his audience. This research aimed to study how the Heraldo Lins Mamulengos Show is built, especially its changes. We note that Lins chooses to dismantle the symbolic values of the tradition in the regular puppet theater once he adapts to modern patterns, placing himself between the traditional puppet theater and the cultural industry. The work in camp was made through a methodological focused in a participative observation and an audiovisual registry

Uma ferramenta de manipulação de pacotes para análise de protocolos de redes industriais baseados em TCP/IP

This work presents a packet manipulation tool developed to realize tests in industrial devices that implements TCP/IP-based communication protocols. The tool was developed in Python programming language, as a Scapy extension. This tool, named IndPM- Industrial Packet Manipulator, can realize vulnerability tests in devices of industrial networks, industrial protocol compliance tests, receive server replies and utilize the Python interpreter to build tests. The Modbus/TCP protocol was implemented as proof-of-concept. The DNP3 over TCP protocol was also implemented but tests could not be realized because of the lack of resources. The IndPM results with Modbus/TCP protocol show some implementation faults in a Programmable Logic Controller communication module frequently utilized in automation companies

Desenvolvimento de esquema de controle com realimentação visual para um robô manipulador

This work proposes a kinematic control scheme, using visual feedback for a robot arm with five degrees of freedom. Using computational vision techniques, a method was developed to determine the cartesian 3d position and orientation of the robot arm (pose) using a robot image obtained through a camera. A colored triangular label is disposed on the robot manipulator tool and efficient heuristic rules are used to obtain the vertexes of that label in the image. The tool pose is obtained from those vertexes through numerical methods. A color calibration scheme based in the K-means algorithm was implemented to guarantee the robustness of the vision system in the presence of light variations. The extrinsic camera parameters are computed from the image of four coplanar points whose cartesian 3d coordinates, related to a fixed frame, are known. Two distinct poses of the tool, initial and final, obtained from image, are interpolated to generate a desired trajectory in cartesian space. The error signal in the proposed control scheme consists in the difference between the desired tool pose and the actual tool pose. Gains are applied at the error signal and the signal resulting is mapped in joint incrementals using the pseudoinverse of the manipulator jacobian matrix. These incrementals are applied to the manipulator joints moving the tool to the desired pose

Construção e controle inteligente de um manipulador robótico com dois graus de liberdade

The present work shows the development and construction of a robot manipulator with two rotary joints and two degrees of freedom, driven by three-phase induction motors. The positions of the arm and base are made, for comparison, by a fuzzy controller and a PID controller implemented in LabVIEW® programming environment. The robot manipulator moves in an area equivalent to a quarter of a sphere. Experimental results have shown that the fuzzy controller has superior performance to PID controller when tracking single and multiple step trajectories, for the cases of load and no load

Controle de Manipulador Redundante Utilizando Realimentação Visual

In conventional robot manipulator control, the desired path is specified in cartesian space and converted to joint space through inverse kinematics mapping. The joint references generated by this mapping are utilized for dynamic control in joint space. Thus, the end-effector position is, in fact, controlled indirectly, in open-loop, and the accuracy of grip position control directly depends on the accuracy of the available kinematic model. In this report, a new scheme for redundant manipulator kinematic control, based on visual servoing is proposed. In the proposed system, a robot image acquired through a CCD camera is processed in order to compute the position and orientation of each link of the robot arm. The robot task is specified as a temporal sequence of reference images of the robot arm. Thus, both the measured pose and the reference pose are specified in the same image space, and its difference is utilized to generate a cartesian space error for kinematic control purposes. The proposed control scheme was applied in a four degree-of-freedom planar redundant robot arm, experimental results are shown

Desenvolvimento de uma cadeira de rodas robótica para transporte de portador de necessidades especiais

The objective of the dissertation was the realization of kinematic modeling of a robotic wheelchair using virtual chains, allowing the wheelchair modeling as a set of robotic manipulator arms forming a cooperative parallel kinematic chain. This document presents the development of a robotic wheelchair to transport people with special needs who overcomes obstacles like a street curb and barriers to accessibility in streets and avenues, including the study of assistive technology, parallel architecture, kinematics modeling, construction and assembly of the prototype robot with the completion of a checklist of problems and barriers to accessibility in several pathways, based on rules, ordinances and existing laws. As a result, simulations were performed on the chair in various states of operation to accomplish the task of going up and down stair with different measures, making the proportional control based on kinematics. To verify the simulated results we developed a prototype robotic wheelchair. This project was developed to provide a better quality of life for people with disabilities

Notes on Newton-Euler formulation of robotic manipulators

The equations corresponding to Newton-Euler iterative method for the determination of forces and moments acting on the rigid links of a robotic manipulator are given a new treatment using composed vectors for the representation of both kinematical and dynamical quantities. It is shown that Lagrange equations for the motion of a holonomic system are easily found from the composed vectors defined in this note. Application to a simple model of an industrial robot shows that the method developed in these notes is efficient in solving the dynamics of a robotic manipulator. An example is developed, where it is seen that with the application of appropriate control moments applied to each arm of the robot, starting from a given initial position, it is possible to reach equilibrium in a final pre-assigned position.