Development of an elastic path controller for collaborative robot

Master'sMASTER OF ENGINEERIN

A Brain Controlled Wheelchair to Navigate in Familiar Environments

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Modelado de sensores piezoresistivos y uso de una interfaz basada en guantes de datos para el control de impedancia de manipuladores robóticos

Tesis inédita de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Departamento de Arquitectura de Computadores y Automática, leída el 21-02-2014Sección Deptal. de Arquitectura de Computadores y Automática (Físicas)Fac. de Ciencias FísicasTRUEunpu

EEG-Based Empathic Safe Cobot

An empathic collaborative robot (cobot) was realized through the transmission of fear from a human agent to a robot agent. Such empathy was induced through an electroencephalographic (EEG) sensor worn by the human agent, thus realizing an empathic safe brain-computer interface (BCI). The empathic safe cobot reacts to the fear and in turn transmits it to the human agent, forming a social circle of empathy and safety. A first randomized, controlled experiment involved two groups of 50 healthy subjects (100 total subjects) to measure the EEG signal in the presence or absence of a frightening event. The second randomized, controlled experiment on two groups of 50 different healthy subjects (100 total subjects) exposed the subjects to comfortable and uncomfortable movements of a collaborative robot (cobot) while the subjects’ EEG signal was acquired. The result was that a spike in the subject’s EEG signal was observed in the presence of uncomfortable movement. The questionnaires were distributed to the subjects, and confirmed the results of the EEG signal measurement. In a controlled laboratory setting, all experiments were found to be statistically significant. In the first experiment, the peak EEG signal measured just after the activating event was greater than the resting EEG signal (p < 10−3). In the second experiment, the peak EEG signal measured just after the uncomfortable movement of the cobot was greater than the EEG signal measured under conditions of comfortable movement of the cobot (p < 10−3). In conclusion, within the isolated and constrained experimental environment, the results were satisfactory

Real-time Robot-assisted Ergonomics

This paper describes a novel approach in human robot interaction driven by ergonomics. With a clear focus on optimising ergonomics, the approach proposed here continuously observes a human user's posture and by invoking appropriate cooperative robot movements, the user's posture is, whenever required, brought back to an ergonomic optimum. Effectively, the new protocol optimises the human-robot relative position and orientation as a function of human ergonomics. An RGB-D camera is used to calculate and monitor human joint angles in real-time and to determine the current ergonomics state. A total of 6 main causes of low ergonomic states are identified, leading to 6 universal robot responses to allow the human to return to an optimal ergonomics state. The algorithmic framework identifies these 6 causes and controls the cooperating robot to always adapt the environment (e.g. change the pose of the workpiece) in a way that is ergonomically most comfortable for the interacting user. Hence, human-robot interaction is continuously re-evaluated optimizing ergonomics states. The approach is validated through an experimental study, based on established ergonomic methods and their adaptation for real-time application. The study confirms improved ergonomics using the new approach.Comment: 6 pages, accepted and to be presented at IEEE ICRA 201

A framework of human–robot coordination based on game theory and policy iteration

In this paper, we propose a framework to analyze the interactive behaviors of human and robot in physical interactions. Game theory is employed to describe the system under study, and policy iteration is adopted to provide a solution of Nash equilibrium. The human’s control objective is estimated based on the measured interaction force, and it is used to adapt the robot’s objective such that human-robot coordination can be achieved. The validity of the proposed method is verified through a rigorous proof and experimental studies

Haptic Guidance for Extended Range Telepresence

A novel navigation assistance for extended range telepresence is presented. The haptic information from the target environment is augmented with guidance commands to assist the user in reaching desired goals in the arbitrarily large target environment from the spatially restricted user environment. Furthermore, a semi-mobile haptic interface was developed, one whose lightweight design and setup configuration atop the user provide for an absolutely safe operation and high force display quality

A Collaborative Wheelchair System

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

The design and control of an actively restrained passive mechatronic system for safety-critical applications

Development of manipulators that interact closely with humans has been a focus of research in fields such as robot-assisted surgery and haptic interfaces for many years. Recent introduction of powered surgical-assistant devices into the operating theatre has meant that robot manipulators have been required to interact with both patients and surgeons. Most of these manipulators are modified industrial robots. However, the use of high-powered mechanisms in the operating theatre could compromise safety of the patient, surgeon, and operating room staff. As a solution to the safety problem, the use of actively restrained passive arms has been proposed. Clutches or brakes at each joint are used to restrict the motion of the end-effector to restrain it to a pre-defined region or path. However, these devices have only had limited success in following pre-defined paths under human guidance. In this research, three major limitations of existing passive devices actively restrained are addressed. [Continues.

Concept and Design of a Hand-held Mobile Robot System for Craniotomy

This work demonstrates a highly intuitive robot for Surgical Craniotomy Procedures. Utilising a wheeled hand-held robot, to navigate the Craniotomy Drill over a patient\u27s skull, the system does not remove the surgeons from the procedure, but supports them during this critical phase of the operation