FASTKIT: A Mobile Cable-Driven Parallel Robot for Logistics

International audienceThe subject of this paper is about the design, modeling, control and performance evaluation of a low cost and versatile robotic solution for logistics. The robot under study, named FASTKIT, is obtained from a combination of mobile robots and a Cable-Driven Parallel Robot (CDPR). FASTKIT addresses an industrial need for fast picking and kitting operations in existing storage facilities while being easy to install, keeping existing infrastructures and covering large areas. The FASTKIT prototype consists of two mobile bases that carry the exit points of the CDPR. The system can navigate autonomously to the area of interest. Once the desired position is attained, the system deploys the CDPR in such a way that its workspace corresponds to the current task specification. The system calculates the required mobile base position from the desired workspace and ensures the controllability of the platform during the deployment. Once the system is successfully deployed, the set of stabilizers are used to ensure the prototype structural stability. Then the prototype gripper is moved accurately by the CDPR at high velocity over a large area by controlling the cable tension

Shared control of an aerial cooperative transportation system with a cable-suspended payload

This paper presents a novel bilateral shared framework for a cooperative aerial transportation and manipulation system composed by a team of micro aerial vehicles with a cable-suspended payload. The human operator is in charge of steering the payload and he/she can also change online the desired shape of the formation of robots. At the same time, an obstacle avoidance algorithm is in charge of avoiding collisions with the static environment. The signals from the user and from the obstacle avoidance are blended together in the trajectory generation module, by means of a tracking controller and a filter called dynamic input boundary (DIB). The DIB filters out the directions of motions that would bring the system too close to singularities, according to a suitable metric. The loop with the user is finally closed with a force feedback that is informative of the mismatch between the operator’s commands and the trajectory of the payload. This feedback intuitively increases the user’s awareness of obstacles or configurations of the system that are close to singularities. The proposed framework is validated by means of realistic hardware-in-the-loop simulations with a person operating the system via a force-feedback haptic interface

Design Issues and Application of Cable-Based Parallel Manipulators for Rehabilitation Therapy

In this study, cable-based manipulators are proposed for application in rehabilitation therapies. Cable-based manipulators show good features that are very useful when the system has to interact with humans. In particular, they can be used to aid motion or as monitoring/training systems in rehabilitation therapies. Modelling and simulation of both active and passive cable-based parallel manipulators are presented for an application to help older people, patients or disabled people in the sit-to-stand transfer and as a monitoring/training system. Experimental results are presented by using built prototypes

Parallel Manipulators

In recent years, parallel kinematics mechanisms have attracted a lot of attention from the academic and industrial communities due to potential applications not only as robot manipulators but also as machine tools. Generally, the criteria used to compare the performance of traditional serial robots and parallel robots are the workspace, the ratio between the payload and the robot mass, accuracy, and dynamic behaviour. In addition to the reduced coupling effect between joints, parallel robots bring the benefits of much higher payload-robot mass ratios, superior accuracy and greater stiffness; qualities which lead to better dynamic performance. The main drawback with parallel robots is the relatively small workspace. A great deal of research on parallel robots has been carried out worldwide, and a large number of parallel mechanism systems have been built for various applications, such as remote handling, machine tools, medical robots, simulators, micro-robots, and humanoid robots. This book opens a window to exceptional research and development work on parallel mechanisms contributed by authors from around the world. Through this window the reader can get a good view of current parallel robot research and applications

Kinematics and Robot Design I, KaRD2018

This volume collects the papers published on the Special Issue “Kinematics and Robot Design I, KaRD2018” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/robotics/special_issues/KARD), which is the first issue of the KaRD Special Issue series, hosted by the open access journal “MDPI Robotics”. The KaRD series aims at creating an open environment where researchers can present their works and discuss all the topics focused on the many aspects that involve kinematics in the design of robotic/automatic systems. Kinematics is so intimately related to the design of robotic/automatic systems that the admitted topics of the KaRD series practically cover all the subjects normally present in well-established international conferences on “mechanisms and robotics”. KaRD2018 received 22 papers and, after the peer-review process, accepted only 14 papers. The accepted papers cover some theoretical and many design/applicative aspects

Cable-driven parallel mechanisms for minimally invasive robotic surgery

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has revolutionised surgery by providing faster recovery times, less post-operative complications, improved cosmesis and reduced pain for the patient. Surgical robotics are used to further decrease the invasiveness of procedures, by using yet smaller and fewer incisions or using natural orifices as entry point. However, many robotic systems still suffer from technical challenges such as sufficient instrument dexterity and payloads, leading to limited adoption in clinical practice. Cable-driven parallel mechanisms (CDPMs) have unique properties, which can be used to overcome existing challenges in surgical robotics. These beneficial properties include high end-effector payloads, efficient force transmission and a large configurable instrument workspace. However, the use of CDPMs in MIS is largely unexplored. This research presents the first structured exploration of CDPMs for MIS and demonstrates the potential of this type of mechanism through the development of multiple prototypes: the ESD CYCLOPS, CDAQS, SIMPLE, neuroCYCLOPS and microCYCLOPS. One key challenge for MIS is the access method used to introduce CDPMs into the body. Three different access methods are presented by the prototypes. By focusing on the minimally invasive access method in which CDPMs are introduced into the body, the thesis provides a framework, which can be used by researchers, engineers and clinicians to identify future opportunities of CDPMs in MIS. Additionally, through user studies and pre-clinical studies, these prototypes demonstrate that this type of mechanism has several key advantages for surgical applications in which haptic feedback, safe automation or a high payload are required. These advantages, combined with the different access methods, demonstrate that CDPMs can have a key role in the advancement of MIS technology.Open Acces

Reconfigurable cable driven parallel mechanism

Due to the fast growth in industry and in order to reduce manufacturing budget, increase the quality of products and increase the accuracy of manufactured products in addition to assure the safety of workers, people relied on mechanisms for such purposes. Recently, cable driven parallel mechanisms (CDPMs) have attracted much attention due to their many advantages over conventional parallel mechanisms, such as the significantly large workspace and the dynamics capacity. In addition, it has lower mass compared to other parallel mechanisms because of its negligible mass cables compared to the rigid links. In many applications it is required that human interact with machines and robots to achieve tasks precisely and accurately. Therefore, a new domain of scientific research has been introduced, that is human robot interaction, where operators can share the same workspace with robots and machines such as cable driven mechanisms. One of the main requirements due to this interaction that robots should respond to human actions in accurate, harmless way. In addition, the trajectory of the end effector is coming now from the operator and it is very essential that the initial trajectory is kept unchanged to perform tasks such assembly, operating or pick and place while avoiding the cables to interfere with each other or collide with the operator. Accordingly, many issues have been raised such as control, vibrations and stability due the contact between human and robot. Also, one of the most important issues is to guarantee collision free space (to avoid collision between cables and operator and to avoid collisions between cables itself). The aim of this research project is to model, design, analysis and implement reconfigurable six degrees of freedom parallel mechanism driven by eight cables. The main contribution of this work will be as follow. First, develop a nonlinear model and solve the forward and inverse kinematics issue of a fully constrained CDPM given that the attachment points on the rails are moving vertically (conventional cable driven mechanisms have fixed attachment points on the rails) while controlling the cable lengths. Second, the new idea of reconfiguration is then used to avoid interference between cables and between cables and operator limbs in real time by moving one cable’s attachment point on the frame to increase the shortest distance between them while keeping the trajectory of the end effector unchanged. Third, the new proposed approach was tested by creating a simulated intended cable-cable and cable-human interference trajectory, hence detecting and avoiding cable-cable and cable-human collision using the proposed real time reconfiguration while maintaining the initial end effector trajectory. Fourth, study the effect of relocating the attachment points on the constant-orientation wrench feasible workspace of the CDPM. En raison de la croissance de la demande de produits personnalisés et de la nécessité de réduire les coûts de fabrication tout en augmentant la qualité des produits et en augmentant la personnalisation des produits fabriqués en plus d'assurer la sécurité des travailleurs, les concepteurs se sont appuyés sur des mécanismes robotiques afin d’atteindre ces objectifs. Récemment, les mécanismes parallèles entraînés par câble (MPEC) ont attiré beaucoup d'attention en raison de leurs nombreux avantages par rapport aux mécanismes parallèles conventionnels, tels que l'espace de travail considérablement grand et la capacité dynamique. De plus, ce mécanisme a une masse plus faible par rapport à d'autres mécanismes parallèles en raison de ses câbles de masse négligeable comparativement aux liens rigides. Dans de nombreuses applications, il est nécessaire que l’humain interagisse avec les machines et les robots pour réaliser des tâches avec précision et rapidité. Par conséquent, un nouveau domaine de recherche scientifique a été introduit, à savoir l'interaction humain-robot, où les opérateurs peuvent partager le même espace de travail avec des robots et des machines telles que les mécanismes entraînés par des câbles. L'une des principales exigences en raison de cette interaction que les robots doivent répondre aux actions humaines d'une manière sécuritaire et collaboratif. En conséquence, de nombreux problèmes ont été soulevés tels que la commande et la stabilité dues au contact physique entre l’humain et le robot. Aussi, l'un des enjeux les plus importants est de garantir un espace sans collision (pour éviter les collisions entre des câbles et un opérateur et éviter les collisions entre les câbles entre eux). Le but de ce projet de recherche est de modéliser, concevoir, analyser et mettre en œuvre un mécanisme parallèle reconfigurable à six degrés de liberté entraîné par huit câbles. La principale contribution de ces travaux de recherche est de développer un modèle non linéaire et résolvez le problème de cinématique direct et inverse d'un CDPM entièrement contraint étant donné que les points d'attache sur les rails se déplacent verticalement (les mécanismes entraînés par des câbles conventionnels ont des points d'attache fixes sur les rails) tout en contrôlant les longueurs des câbles. Dans une deuxième étape, l’idée de la reconfiguration est ensuite utilisée pour éviter les interférences entre les câbles et entre les câbles et les membres d’un opérateur en temps réel en déplaçant un point de fixation du câble sur le cadre pour augmenter la distance la plus courte entre eux tout en gardant la trajectoire de l'effecteur terminal inchangée. Troisièmement, la nouvelle approche proposée a été évaluée et testée en créant une trajectoire d'interférence câble-câble et câble-humain simulée, détectant et évitant ainsi les collisions câble-câble et câble-humain en utilisant la reconfiguration en temps réel proposée tout en conservant la trajectoire effectrice finale. Enfin la dernière étape des travaux de recherche consiste à étudiez l'effet du déplacement des points d'attache sur l'espace de travail réalisable du CDPM

A reconfigurable, tendon-based haptic interface for research into human-environment interactions

Human reaction to external stimuli can be investigated in a comprehensive way by using a versatile virtual-reality setup involving multiple display technologies. It is apparent that versatility remains a main challenge when human reactions are examined through the use of haptic interfaces as the interfaces must be able to cope with the entire range of diverse movements and forces/torques a human subject produces. To address the versatility challenge, we have developed a large-scale reconfigurable tendon-based haptic interface which can be adapted to a large variety of task dynamics and is integrated into a Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE). To prove the versatility of the haptic interface, two tasks, incorporating once the force and once the velocity extrema of a human subject's extremities, were implemented: a simulator with 3-DOF highly dynamic force feedback and a 3-DOF setup optimized to perform dynamic movements. In addition, a 6-DOF platform capable of lifting a human subject off the ground was realized. For these three applications, a position controller was implemented, adapted to each task, and tested. In the controller tests with highly different, task-specific trajectories, the three robot configurations fulfilled the demands on the application-specific accuracy which illustrates and confirms the versatility of the developed haptic interfac

Design and Analysis of a Cable-Driven Test Apparatus for Flapping-Flight Research

The biology, physiology, kinematics, and aerodynamics of insect flight have been a longstanding fascination for biologists and engineers. The former three are easily obtained through the observation of the organic species. The latter though, is very difficult to study in this fashion. In many cases, aerodynamic forces and fluid-body interactions can be simulated with computational fluid dynamics; another option is to use dynamically-scaled, experimental set-ups to measure physically these values. An archetypal, experimental set-up may include one or two scaled wings, where each wing is actuated to achieve upwards of three degrees of freedom. The three degrees of freedom correspond biologically to the stroke, deviation, and rotation motions of real insects. The wing modules may be fixed to rotate about a central, fourth axis, mimicking the insect body rotation. Alternatively, the wing modules can be fixed to translate in one direction, copying the forward flight pattern of an insect. These experiments usually are performed in a tank of mineral oil, seeded to highlight the fluid\u27s movement. Unfortunately, the current state of experimental apparatuses limit the number and complexity of studiable flight patterns. The goal is to use a subset of robotics called cable-driven parallel manipulators to improve upon and expand the capabilities of these apparatuses. For these robots, rigid links are replaced with tensioned cables and actuated via electric motors. Each cable attaches to the central manipulator platform, similar to other parallel manipulators. Some advantages of a cable-driven design are large position workspaces, low inertia, high manipulator dynamics, large strength-to-weight ratio, and no actuator-error stack-up. Cable manipulators have been researched in the lab and have been deployed commercially, such as at professional sports stadiums. The manipulator uses a standard cuboid frame, with eight winches actuating eight cables. The manipulator platform is a scaled insect body, with each wing capable of three degrees of freedom, and an optimized attachment frame for the cables. The manipulator\u27s workspace for six degrees of freedom was derived from previous works and simulated in MathWorks\u27 MATLAB for a variety of parameterizations. The lead design incorporates a novel, new cable configuration for realizing greater rotational capability over standard cable-driven manipulators. While a standard, Straight cable configuration allows for large translation but almost no rotation, the new Twist cable configuration provides a smaller yet spread out workspace that is sustainable through singular rotations up to at least 45°, as well as simultaneous rotations about multiple axes. Optimal trends for the attachment frame are discerned from comparing a multitude of size permutations for singular rotations. No one attachment frame holds equal rotational potential about all three axes; however, the strengths and weaknesses of an attachment frame easily are adaptable based on the proposed insect maneuver. To showcase the versatility of the apparatus with a 6 in × 2 in × 4 in attachment frame, four different flight maneuvers are analyzed. The first two case studies prove the cable-driven apparatus can combine the individual functions of existing experimental apparatuses: MATLAB simulations show the device can perform a stationary 116° yaw rotation and separately can translate the end effector 32 in along one axis. A third case study investigates a previously published work on an evasive pitching maneuver from a hawkmoth. In the original study, the normally six-degree-of-freedom movement was distilled down to only one-dimensional translation and pitch rotation, such that it could be replicated in the lab. Using the cable-driven apparatus though, it is possible instead to reproduce the generalized, six-degree-of-freedom maneuver. Finally, a conceptual flight pattern is created to demonstrate the unique advantages of the cable-driven apparatus. The flight path models a pitched dive into a banked quarter turn, with a pitched climb upon exiting the turn. The equal necessity and coupling of all degrees of freedom for this maneuver means it cannot be performed on current experimental apparatuses, except for the cable-driven apparatus. This new cable-driven test apparatus, with its unique design and modifications, would improve the capabilities for experimental studies and provide the most realistic set-up for flapping-flight research

Optimum-synthesis methods for cable-driven parallel mechanisms

Les mécanismes parallèles entraînés par câbles sont une classe spéciale de mécanismes parallèles pours lesquels les liaisons rigides sont remplacées par des câbles. Ces mécanismes comprennent une plateforme mobile et une base fixe, qui sont reliées par plusieurs câbles. Le contrôle des longueurs des câbles produit le mouvement désiré de la plateforme mobile. Ces mécanismes ont le potentiel de fournir des espaces de travail à grande échelle comparativement aux mécanismes parallèles conventionnels car les câbles peuvent être enroulés sur des bobines sur de grandes longueurs. Cependant, cette caractéristique est limitée par la nature des câbles, qui doivent demeurer en tension afin de produire un mouvement désiré de la plateforme principale. L'objectif principal de cette thèse est de concevoir des méthodes efficaces pour la synthèse dimensionelle optimale des mécanismes parallèles entraînés par câbles surcontraints, c'est-à-dire, des mécanismes pour lesquels le nombre de câbles excède le nombre de degrés de liberté. Plus précisément, nous souhaitons obtenir la géométrie des mécanismes parallèles entraînés par câbles dont l'espace des poses polyvalente (EPP) comprend des espaces de travail prescrits. L'espace des poses polyvalentes d'un mécanisme parallèle entraîné par câbles est l'ensemble des poses (les positions et les orientations) de l'organe terminal pour lesquelles tous les torseurs appliqués sont réalisables. Un torseur appliqué est dit réalisable, s'il peut être produit par un ensemble de câbles dont les tensions sont non-négatives. Une fois le problème de la synthèse dimensionnelle résolu, nous pouvons appliquer la solution à plusieurs reprises pour différents nombres de câbles afin d'effectuer la synthèse de la structure. Cette thèse est divisée en trois parties principales. Tout d'abord, l'espace des poses polyvalentes des mécanismes parallèles plans entraînés par câbles et les caractéristiques de leurs frontières sont étudiés. Cette étude révèle les relations jusqu'ici inconnues entre l'EPP à orientation constante (EPPOC) et les aires orientées. Un algorithme graphique est proposé afin de déterminer les types de sections coniques formant les frontières de l'EPPOC . Puis, sur la base des expressions mathématiques obtenues, une méthodologie est proposée pour résoudre le problème de la synthèse dimensionnelle des mécanismes parallèles plans entraînés par câbles pour les orientations discrètes c'est-àdire, les translations. L'algorithme est basé sur des techniques de relaxation convexe qui nous amènent à formuler la synthèse dimensionnelle comme un programme non linéaire. L'idée est de maximiser la taille de plusieurs boîtes qui représentent une approximation d'un espace de travail prescrit, tout en essayant de les garder à l'intérieur de l'EPP du mécanisme parallèle plan entraîné par câbles pendant la procédure d' optimisation. Une telle approximation de l'espace de travail prescrit est obtenue via la méthode d'analyse par intervalles. L'algorithme obtenu est étendu au cas de l'orientation en continu pour un intervalle donné d'angles d'orientation. En fait, nous introduisons un programme non linéaire permettant de varier la géométrie du mécanisme parallèle plan entraîné par câbles et maximiser le facteur d'échelle de l'ensemble prescrit de boîtes. Lorsque le facteur d'échelle optimal est supérieur ou égal à un, l'EPP du mécanismes parallèle plan entraîné par câbles résultant contient l'ensemble des boîtes prescrit. Sinon, l'EPP obtenu offre généralement une bonne couverture des boîtes prescrites. Enfin, sur la base des résultats obtenus pour des mécanismes parallèles plans entraînés par câbles, un algorithme est proposé pour résoudre la synthèse dimensionelle de mécanismes parallèles spatiaux entraînés par câbles. Comme pour le cas plan, nous proposons un programme non linéaire à grande échelle dont les solutions optimales peuvent fournir des geometries de mécanismes parallèles spatiaux entraînés par câbles pour un espace de travail prescrit dans une plage donnée des angles d'orientation. L'efficacité de ces méthodes est émontrée par plusieurs exemples en utilisant un logiciel développé. En outre, cette thèse fournit un outil efficace pour les concepteurs de robots parallèles entraînés par câble