关键词： Robots   Sliding Mode Control   Poisson's Ratio   Contact Dynamics   Satellites   Space Debris   Damping Coefficient   Numerical Simulation   Space Environment   Nonlinear Systems  

摘要： The whole capture process of the tethered space net robot (TSNR) is investigated in a study and the criterion of a successful net capture is discussed. If the behavior of the net after collision does not satisfy the criterion, which means that the net may not totally wrap around the target, a net closing control algorithm is needed to ensure a successful capture. The net closing of the TSNR after collision is also focused upon in this study. The mass-spring model of the TSNR and the continuous contact dynamic model are derived for the investigations. To investigate the contact dynamics of the TSNR, four critical capture parameters are identified and analyzed based on numerical simulations. The criterion to describe a successful net capture is also discussed.

关键词： Automated planning   Planning and execution   Anytime framework   Autonomous robots  

摘要： Acting in robotics is driven by reactive and deliberative reasonings which take place in the competition between execution and planning processes. Properly balancing reactivity and deliberation is still an open question for harmonious execution of deliberative plans in complex robotic applications. We propose a flexible algorithmic framework to allow continuous real-time planning of complex tasks in parallel of their executions. Our framework, named AMPLE, is oriented towards robotic modular architectures in the sense that it turns planning algorithms into services that must be generic, reactive, and valuable. Services are optimized actions that are delivered at precise time points following requests from other modules that include states and dates at which actions are needed. To this end, our framework is divided in two concurrent processes: a planning thread which receives planning requests and delegates action selection to embedded planning softwares in compliance with the queue of internal requests, and an execution thread which orchestrates these planning requests as well as action execution and state monitoring. We show how the behavior of the execution thread can be parametrized to achieve various strategies which can differ, for instance, depending on the distribution of internal planning requests over possible future execution states in anticipation of the uncertain evolution of the system, or over different underlying planners to take several levels into account. We demonstrate the flexibility and the relevance of our framework on various robotic benchmarks and real experiments that involve complex planning problems of different natures which could not be properly tackled by existing dedicated planning approaches which rely on the standard plan-then-execute loop.

关键词： Accelerator   autonomous robot   edge computing   low power   reinforcement learning (RL)   stochastic synapse  

摘要： Reinforcement learning (RL) is a bio-mimetic learning approach, where agents can learn about an environment by performing specific tasks without any human supervision. RL is inspired by behavioral psychology, where agents take actions to maximize a cumulative reward. In this paper, we present an RL neuromorphic accelerator capable of performing obstacle avoidance in a mobile robot at the edge of the cloud. We propose an energy-efficient time-domain mixed-signal (TD-MS) computational framework. In TD-MS computation, we demonstrate that the energy to compute is proportional to the importance of the computation. We leverage the unique properties of stochastic networks and recent advances in Q-learning in the proposed RL implementation. The 55-nm test chip implements RL using a three-layered fully connected neural network and consumes a peak power of 690 mu W.

关键词： Artificial Intelligence   Automation   Future of Humanity   Robotics  

摘要： The exponential advancement in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics, and automation are rapidly transforming industries and societies across the world. The way we work, the way we live, and the way we interact with others are expected to be transformed at a speed and scale beyond anything we have observed in human history. This new industrial revolution is expected, on one hand, to enhance and improve our lives and societies. On the other hand, it has the potential to cause major upheavals in our way of life and our societal norms. The window of opportunity to understand the impact of these technologies and to preempt their negative effects is closing rapidly. Humanity needs to be proactive, rather than reactive, in managing this new industrial revolution. This article looks at the promises, challenges, and future research directions of these transformative technologies. Not only are the technological aspects investigated, but behavioral, societal, policy, and governance issues are reviewed as well. This research contributes to the ongoing discussions and debates about AI, automation, machine learning, and robotics. It is hoped that this article will heighten awareness of the importance of understanding these disruptive technologies as a basis for formulating policies and regulations that can maximize the benefits of these advancements for humanity and, at the same time, curtail potential dangers and negative impacts.

关键词： Automation systems   dynamic software systems   reconfigurable and interoperable systems   service robotics   service-oriented architecture (SOA)  

摘要： The heterogeneity of execution platforms and operating software in manufacturing machines and robots, as well as various sensors and actuators, creates challenges for integration into larger systems. Existing approaches make use of different types of middleware to mitigate the challenges of designing interoperable systems. However, middleware can significantly impede modular design and composition of software systems that are dynamic in nature. This paper elaborates upon those challenges and proposes using an approach called service-oriented SystemJ (SOSJ), based on the system-level programming language SystemJ enhanced with service oriented features. This approach allows developers to design dynamic software systems while adopting and incorporating legacy solutions. The approach is demonstrated on the integration of an industrial automation system, incorporating the use of multiple modular mechatronics stations and service robotics systems, represented by robot operating system-enabled Baxter robots. The proposed approach offers a simple service interface based on abstract objects for integrating robots and automation machines in the SOSJ world, without the need to modify the underlying mechatronics or robotics systems.

关键词： Special issues and sections   Manufacturing industries   Manufacturing processes   Industries   Technology forecasting   Robots   Robotic assembly  

摘要： The papers in this special section examine robotic technologies of the fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0 that will impact manufacturing industries. The concept of the fourth industrial revolution has drawn attention throughout the world and many efforts to define the concept in diverse fields have continued. Generally, the concept can be summarized as the technology convergence through hyper-intelligence and hyper-connectivity. The core technologies providing the thrust of the fourth industrial revolution, especially in the industrial informatics field, are Internet of Things, robotics, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. As one of the most critical characteristics of the fourth industrial revolution technology is that the boundary between cyber space and physical space becomes unclear, innovations in industry and business initiate through the fusion of these two spaces. It is the robotic system that plays the key role as a physical medium linking cyber and physical spaces and even changing the physical space through direct interactions. In this sense, robotic system should be recognized as a crucial platform in performing tasks in the cyber-physical space.

关键词： manipulators   planning   robot software architecture  

摘要： This paper presents the hardware and software of our team's EurecarBot for Challenge 2 in the 2017 Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge (MBZIRC). Fully automating our robots actions in a real environment required many component technologies for manipulation and vision processing. To perform the complex robotic missions, we developed a task execution framework, which provides a high-level interface to specify the given tasks. In this study, we focus on the valve operation problem, which was the hardest part of the competition. We also discuss how we overcame the various problems caused by differences between the experimental and the actual competition environments. EurecarBot completed the valve operation mission perfectly in the MBZIRC Grand Challenge and ranked fourth in Challenge 2 and fifth in the Grand Challenge.

关键词： flapping flight hovering   flight efficiency   wing inertia   dynamical modeling  

摘要： We analyze the effects of morphology and wing kinematics on the performance of hovering flight. We present a simplified dynamical model with body translational and rotational degrees of freedom that incorporates the flapping, long-axis wing rotation and folding of the wing. To validate our simulation, we compare our results with direct measurements from hovering insects, hummingbirds and bats. Results show that long-axis wing rotation angle (a proxy for pronation) has a significant effect on energy efficiency. For a given wing rotation amplitude, the hovering system has a power-optimal flapping frequency for each stroke-plane orientation, and that frequency closely corresponds to the wingbeat frequencies observed in a diverse range of hummingbird species. We find that larger animals (with larger total mass and wing size), such as bats, require more power to maintain a stable hovering orbit and that hovering with a constant wingspan becomes increasingly impractical with increasing body size. We show, as an exemplar, that for a system of the size of a hovering bat, e.g. Glossophaga soricina, hovering with constant wingspan is dynamically possible, but is implausible and inefficient. For these conditions, hovering with varying wingspan, retracting the wing on the upstroke, is a more realistic hovering modality.

关键词： Endoscopic Full Thickness Resection   Gastrointestinal neoplasia   Endoscopic Suturing   Colorectal neoplasia   Robotic endoscope  

摘要： Recently, technological advances through endoscopic submucosal dissection, per oral endoscopic myotomy, and submucosal tunnel endoscopic resection allowed the extension of therapeutic endoscopy from treatment of luminal to extraluminal neoplasia. The performance of endoscopic full thickness resection (EFTR) allowed en bloc resection of luminal and extraluminal neoplasia with adequate resection margins. EFTR is currently indicated for treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, early GI neoplasia with nonlifting or recurrent adenoma or neoplasia after endoscopic resection. This chapter reviews the devices and technologies used for EFTR, the clinical results reported in the literature as well as possible future developments for EFTR. (c) 2019 Published by Elsevier Inc.

关键词： Learning systems  

摘要： One can’t watch the YouTube video from Boston Dynamics of the human-like robot, Atlas, parkouring through obstacles (***/LikxFZZO2sk) and not have a twinge of concern at our future coexistence with robots. Robots, AI, and machine learning (ML) raise concerns about our vocational viability as well as long-term impacts on our profession.