Folding Assembly by Means of Dual-Arm Robotic Manipulation

In this paper, we consider folding assembly as an assembly primitive suitable for dual-arm robotic assembly, that can be integrated in a higher level assembly strategy. The system composed by two pieces in contact is modelled as an articulated object, connected by a prismatic-revolute joint. Different grasping scenarios were considered in order to model the system, and a simple controller based on feedback linearisation is proposed, using force torque measurements to compute the contact point kinematics. The folding assembly controller has been experimentally tested with two sample parts, in order to showcase folding assembly as a viable assembly primitive.Comment: 7 pages, accepted for ICRA 201

Asymmetric Dual-Arm Task Execution using an Extended Relative Jacobian

Coordinated dual-arm manipulation tasks can be broadly characterized as possessing absolute and relative motion components. Relative motion tasks, in particular, are inherently redundant in the way they can be distributed between end-effectors. In this work, we analyse cooperative manipulation in terms of the asymmetric resolution of relative motion tasks. We discuss how existing approaches enable the asymmetric execution of a relative motion task, and show how an asymmetric relative motion space can be defined. We leverage this result to propose an extended relative Jacobian to model the cooperative system, which allows a user to set a concrete degree of asymmetry in the task execution. This is achieved without the need for prescribing an absolute motion target. Instead, the absolute motion remains available as a functional redundancy to the system. We illustrate the properties of our proposed Jacobian through numerical simulations of a novel differential Inverse Kinematics algorithm.Comment: Accepted for presentation at ISRR19. 16 Page

Inter-industry analysis of the impacts and attitudes of a chat versus human representative

Technology disruptions are known to keep on changing the way people interact with brands thus contributing to experiences that may or may not lead to better events if companies don’t invest on understanding the critical pain points in the consumer journey. The aim of this dissertation is to understand the impacts that the implementation of a chat has on the user and compare this effect with the outcome that traditional agents have for similar situations, leading to an observation if there are differences when satisfying a need through digital or physical instruments. Other objects of research include investigating which are the drivers that lead to a better consumer experience through chat coupled with understanding which are the attributes that makes the software unique from all other platforms and which retract the acceptance. To finish, it is studied which are the current attitudes towards the inevitable diffusion of chatbots. It was possible to conclude that for low involvement situations chat leads to underperforming valuations of loyalty, that the drivers of a satisfying experience are focused on the outcome whereas to foster loyalty it additionally needs to transmit sincerity, that the value added of this channel is its convenience and communication style although the impersonality and technical difficulties may repeal users and the sample is not yet comfortable with the upcoming of chatbots.As disrupções tecnológicas levam a que as pessoas mudem a maneira como interagem com as marcas, contribuindo para melhores ou piores experiências dependendo se as empresas investem em perceber os pontos críticos na jornada do consumidor. O objetivo desta dissertação é de perceber os impactos que a implementação de um chat tem e comparar este efeito com o resultado que os agentes tradicionais têm em situações similares, levando a perceber se existem diferenças na satisfação de uma necessidade através de meios digitais ou físicos. Outros objetos de pesquisa incluem investigar quais os fatores que levam a uma melhor experiência no chat, juntamente com a compreensão de quais os atributos que tornam o software único face a outras plataformas e também quais retraem a sua aceitação. Para terminar, é também analisado as atitudes atuais face à difusão dos chatbots. Foi possível concluir que para situações de baixo envolvimento o chat leva a avaliações inferiores de lealdade, que a avaliação de uma experiência satisfatória é focada somente no resultado providenciado, mas para gerar lealdade é necessária também sinceridade, que o valor adicional deste canal é a conveniência e o estilo de comunicação apesar de a impessoalidade e dificuldades técnicas poderem repelir os utilizadores e a amostra não se encontra ainda confortável com a iminente chegada dos chatbots