Gigabit Telerobotics: Applying Advanced Information Infrastructure

Advanced manufacturing concepts such as Virtual Factories use an information infrastructure to tie together changing groups of specialized facilities into agile manufacturing systems. A necessary element of such systems is the ability to teleoperate machines, for example telerobotic systems with full-capability sensory feedback loops. We have identified three network advances needed for splitting robotic control from robotic function: increased bandwidth, decreased error rates, and support for isochronous traffic. These features are available in the Gigabit networks under development at Penn and elsewhere. A number of key research questions are posed by gigabit telerobotics. There are issues in network topology, robot control and distributed system software, packaging and transport of sensory data (including wide-area transport), and performance implications of architectural choices using measures such as cost, response time, and network utilization. We propose to explore these questions experimentally in a joint research effort combining the Distributed Systems Laboratory (DSL) and the General Robotics and Sensory Perception (GRASP) Laboratory at the University of-Pennsylvania. The proposed experiments should provide important early results. A detailed research program is described

Development of an open access system for remote operation of robotic manipulators

Mestrado de dupla diplomação com a UTFPR - Universidade Tecnológica Federal do ParanáExploring the realms of research, training, and learning in the field of robotic systems poses obstacles for institutions lacking the necessary infrastructure. The significant investment required to acquire physical robotic systems often limits access and hinders progress in these areas. While robotic simulation platforms provide a virtual environment for experimentation, the potential of remote robotic environments surpasses this by enabling users to interact with real robotic systems during training and research activities. This way, users, including students and researchers, can engage in a virtual experience that transcends geographical boundaries, connecting them to real-world robotic systems though the Internet. By bridging the gap between virtual and physical worlds, remote environments offer a more practical and immersive experience, and open up new horizons for collaborative research and training. Democratizing access to these technologies means empower educational institutions and research centers to engage in practical and handson learning experiences. However, the implementation of remote robotic environments comes with its own set of technical challenges: communication, security, stability and access. In light of these challenges, a ROS-based system has been developed, providing open access with promising results (low delay and run-time visualization). This system enables remote control of robotic manipulators and has been successfully validated through the remote operation of a real UR3 manipulator.Explorar as áreas de pesquisa, treinamento e aprendizado no campo de sistemas robóticos apresenta obstáculos para instituições que não possuem a infraestrutura necessária. O investimento significativo exigido para adquirir sistemas robóticos físicos muitas vezes limita o acesso e dificulta o progresso nessas áreas. Embora as plataformas de simulação robótica forneçam um ambiente virtual para experimentação, o potencial dos ambientes robóticos remotos vai além disso, permitindo que os usuários interajam com sistemas robóticos reais durante atividades de treinamento e pesquisa. Dessa forma, os usuários, incluindo estudantes e pesquisadores, podem participar de uma experiência virtual que transcende as fronteiras geográficas, conectando-os a sistemas robóticos do mundo real por meio da Internet. Ao estabelecer uma ponte entre os mundos virtual e físico, os ambientes remotos oferecem uma experiência mais prática e imersiva, abrindo novos horizontes para a pesquisa colaborativa e o treinamento. Democratizar o acesso a essas tecnologias significa capacitar instituições educacionais e centros de pesquisa a se envolverem em experiências práticas e de aprendizado prático. No entanto, a implementação de ambientes robóticos remotos traz consigo um conjunto próprio de desafios técnicos: comunicação, segurança, estabilidade e acesso. Diante desses desafios, foi desenvolvida uma plataforma baseada em ROS, oferecendo acesso aberto com resultados promissores (baixo delay e visualização em run-time). Essa plataforma possibilita o controle remoto de manipuladores robóticos e foi validada com sucesso por meio da operação remota de um manipulador UR3 real

Development of a Portable IP-Based Remote Controlled System for Mobile Robot

The use of Mobile Robots to interact with objects in remote locations has proved to be useful in areas not easily accessible or too dangerous for humans. Various means have been used to remotely operate or control Mobile Robots. These range from wired connection to Wireless connection like radio frequency signal and more recently internet controlled Mobile Robot using the TCP/IP protocol stack. However, the problem of remote control dependence on the Mobile Robot Platform or configuration has made it difficult to switch controllers between Mobile Robots. In this work, a portable IPbased remote control system has been designed and implemented to remove the constraint imposed by the Mobile Robot's platform in choosing the control interface. The system developed was built on three loosely coupled components working together to ensure a high degree of Control interface portability. The Mobile Robot Gateway component was used to receive and send data from the Mobile Robo

NASA space station automation: AI-based technology review

Research and Development projects in automation for the Space Station are discussed. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based automation technologies are planned to enhance crew safety through reduced need for EVA, increase crew productivity through the reduction of routine operations, increase space station autonomy, and augment space station capability through the use of teleoperation and robotics. AI technology will also be developed for the servicing of satellites at the Space Station, system monitoring and diagnosis, space manufacturing, and the assembly of large space structures

Space experiment "Kontur-2": Applied methods and obtained results

Space experiment "Kontur-2" aboard the International Space Station is focused on the transfer of information between station and on-ground robot. Station's resources are limited, including communication ones. That is why for the space experiment “Kontur-2” it was decided to use the methods of priority traffic management. New access control mechanisms based on these methods are researched. The usage of the priority traffic processing methods allows using more efficiently the bandwidth of receiving and transmitting equipment onboard the International Space Station through the application of randomized push-out mechanism. The paper considers methods applied for traffic management and access control during international space experiment “Kontur-2” performed aboard the ISS. The obtained results are also presented