关键词： Evolutionary Robotics   Coevolution   Simulator   Artificial Neural Networks   Snake robot  

摘要： Evolutionary Robotics (ER) is a field of study that has shown much promise in automating the development of robotic controllers and morphologies. The use of simulators as an alternative to real-world robots is often employed to reduce the time required to develop effective controllers in the ER process. However, the development of adequate simulators is often time-consuming and complex. Simulators are usually constructed from physics models and/or are based on empirically collected data. The vast majority of simulation approaches are based on physics models which can become complex and require specialised knowledge. Alternative simulation approaches that simplify and automate the modelling of real-world phenomena can provide certain advantages over traditional approaches. An alternative simulation approach, such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) that model the real-world phenomena based on empirical data are relatively simple to construct and requires little specialised knowledge. ANN-based simulators are traditionally constructed before the ER process can begin and require the sampling of real-world experimental data. Disadvantages to the traditional approach to ANN-based simulator construction are that the simulator must be created before the ER process can be initiated and a large amount of behavioural data must be collected in order to accurately predict future behaviours. Previous research has successfully demonstrated that ANN-based simulators and controllers can be developed concurrently during the ER process for a simple differentially-steered wheeled robot, while the current research has demonstrated the concurrent approach using a complex snake-like robot. The viability of the concurrent approach was demonstrated on a real-world snake-like robot by performing trajectory planning tasks. Influential factors related to the success of the concurrent approach were also studied by investigating the effects various parameter settings had on success. (C) 2016 E

关键词： ROBOTICS   ROBOT design & construction   TECHNOLOGICAL innovations   MASSACHUSETTS Institute of Technology -- Faculty  

摘要： An interview with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Sangbae Kim is presented. Topics discussed include his work on the MIT Cheetah which is a robotic running and jumping animal, the impact of the MIT Cheetah in redefining the robot design paradigm and the potential of bio-robotics in changing the world of automation and the job place. Also mentioned is the importance of university research for innovation.

关键词： Catheter   constrained robots   hybrid force/position control   nonlinear model predictive tracking control   stability  

摘要： Minimally invasive steerable catheters, commonly implemented in cardiac ablation, are currently operated by interventionalists exposing them to X-ray radiation and requiring the dexterity for accurate steering. To conduct robot-assisted cardiac ablation, highly accurate stable control platform for precise force/position control on the moving tissue is required. This paper introduces hybrid force/position control strategy to apply a constant force to the cardiac tissue while tracking the desired trajectory. The position controller is based on a nonlinear model predictive tracking control satisfying the input constraints. Cosserat rod theory is incorporated for the distal shaft modeling of tendon-driven catheters, and the model is reformulated for controller design and stability proof. Lyapunov-based stability analysis is conducted. To apply the controller, the force-displacement mapping of the cardiac tissue is obtained through ex vivo experimental tests. The performance of the controller is evaluated, and the catheter is capable of regulating the force with the RMSE of 4.9 mN and tracking the position with the RMSE of 0.89 mm. The promising results verify the potential of the application of the introduced approach in real applications including in vitro and clinical cardiac ablation.

关键词： Robotics   Automation   Logistics   Technological innovations   Mobile robots   Internet of things  

摘要： The article looks at the adoption of robotics technologies within the logistics industry. Topics discussed include benefits of employing automated systems on logistics supply improvement and costs, introduction of KUKA Mobile Robot in the autonomous navigation, and use of Internet of Things and other technology innovation in logistics, and its consequent benefits.

关键词： Robots   Robotics  

摘要： * Endeavor Robotics - the newly formed standalone company that broke away from iRobot last year - is vying for a number of U.S. military ground robot programs. The company plans to be the prime system integrator for the project and will team with a number of companies, including Leidos, to take various technologies and integrate them into one robot, he said.

关键词： robotics   navigation   FLEXIBLE   Catheters   ELECTROMAGNETIC  

摘要： Objective: One limitation of the use of robotic catheters is the lack of real-time three-dimensional (3D) localization and position updating: they are still navigated based on two-dimensional (2D) X-ray fluoroscopic projection images. Our goal was to evaluatewhether incorporating an electromagnetic (EM) sensor on a robotic catheter tip could improve endovascular navigation. Methods: Six users were tasked to navigate using a robotic catheter with incorporated EM sensors in an aortic aneurysm phantom. All users cannulated two anatomic targets (left renal artery and posterior "gate") using four visualization modes: (1) standard fluoroscopy mode (control), (2) 2D fluoroscopy mode showing real-time virtual catheter orientation from EM tracking, (3) 3D model of the phantom with anteroposterior and endoluminal view, and (4) 3D model with anteroposterior and lateral view. Standard X-ray fluoroscopy was always available. Cannulation and fluoroscopy times were noted for every mode. 3D positions of the EM tip sensor were recorded at 4 Hz to establish kinematic metrics. Results: The EM sensor-incorporated catheter navigated as expected according to all users. The success rate for cannulation was 100%. For the posterior gate target, mean cannulation times in minutes: seconds were 8: 12, 4: 19, 4: 29, and 3: 09, respectively, for modes 1, 2, 3 and 4 (P [.013), and mean fluoroscopy times were 274, 20, 29, and 2 seconds, respectively (P =.001). 3D path lengths, spectral arc length, root mean dimensionless jerk, and number of submovements were significantly improved when EM tracking was used (P <.05), showing higher quality of catheter movement with EM navigation. Conclusions: The EM tracked robotic catheter allowed better real-time 3D orientation, facilitating navigation, with a reduction in cannulation and fluoroscopy times and improvement of motion consistency and efficiency.

关键词： flight   animal   robot   design   inspiration  

摘要： Our understanding of animal flight has inspired the design of new aerial robots with more effective flight capacities through the process of biomimetics and bioinspiration. The aerodynamic origin of the elevated performance of flying animals remains, however, poorly understood. In this themed issue, animal flight research and aerial robot development coalesce to offer a broader perspective on the current advances and future directions in these coevolving fields of research. Together, four reviews summarize and 14 reports contribute to our understanding of low Reynolds number flight. This area of applied aerodynamics research is challenging to dissect due to the complicated flow phenomena that include laminar-turbulent flow transition, laminar separation bubbles, delayed stall and nonlinear vortex dynamics. Our mechanistic understanding of low Reynolds number flight has perhaps been advanced most by the development of dynamically scaled robot models and new specialized wind tunnel facilities: in particular, the tiltable Lund flight tunnel for animal migration research and the recently developed AFAR hypobaric wind tunnel for high-altitude animal flight studies. These world-class facilities are now complemented with a specialized low Reynolds number wind tunnel for studying the effect of turbulence on animal and robot flight in much greater detail than previously possible. This is particular timely, because the study of flight in extremely laminar versus turbulent flow opens a new frontier in our understanding of animal flight. Advancing this new area will offer inspiration for developing more efficient high-altitude aerial robots and removes roadblocks for aerial robots operating in turbulent urban environments.

关键词： 搬运机器人   动力学模型   拉格朗日法   动力学仿真  

摘要： 针对模块化六自由度轻载搬运机器人的结构特点,利用Solid Works三维设计软件绘制了机器人的三维模型。采用拉格朗日法建立了机器人的动力学模型并进行动力学分析。基于ADAMS仿真软件构建了机器人的仿真模型并进行动力学仿真,得到了转动关节的力矩曲线。基于MATLAB软件对动力学方程进行了数值分析并绘制力矩曲线,其理论分析结果与ADAMS的仿真结果一致,验证了理论计算的正确性和机械结构设计的合理性,为继续优化机器人结构设计和控制系统设计奠定了基础。

关键词： 混沌神经动力学   机器人手臂   病态问题   神经编码  

摘要： 把高维的混沌神经动力学行为应用到多但有限自由度的机器人以实现适应性控制是一个困难的问题;借鉴大量神经元控制少数肌肉的生物事实,一种简单的神经编码方法被用来使高维的神经网络模式转化成了低维的运动参数;虽然只在神经网络中嵌入了3种简单的姿势动作,但是在混沌神经动力学行为出现时,机器人手臂呈现出复杂的组合运动;利用这一点,提出了一个简单的控制算法用来解决病态问题(不一定有解或者确定的解无法保证的问题);实装实验进一步表明,尽管只有粗略甚至不确定的光源信息,利用提出的控制算法,机器人手臂可以成功的寻找到光源。

关键词： 教育机器人   创新能力提升  

摘要： 教育机器人是将智力因素和非智力因素高度融合的学习载体之一，笔者以参加第十四届全国中小学信息技术创新与实践活动（简称NOC活动）中的“网络机器人野外生存”赛项为切入点，结合对教育机器人的学习经验，分享了学习感受与心得，以期能够激励更多的学生利用教育机器人提升自身的综合实践能力和创新能力。