Real-Time Simulation For Control Of Soft Robots With Self-Collisions Using Model Order Reduction For Contact Forces

International audienceIn rigid robotics, self-collision are usually avoided since it leads to a failure in the robot control and can also cause damage. In soft robotics, the situation is very different, and self-collisions may even be a desirable property, for example to gain artificial stiffness or to provide a natural limitation to the workspace. However, the modeling and simulation of self-collision is very costly as it requires first a collision detection algorithm to detect where collisions occur, and most importantly, it requires solving a constrained problem to avoid interpenetrations. When the number of contact points is large, this computation slows down the simulation dramatically. In this paper, we apply a numerical method to alleviate the contact response computation by reducing the contact space in a lowdimensional positive space obtained from experiments. We show good accuracy while speeding up dramatically the simulation. We apply the method in simulation on a cable-actuated finger and on a continuum manipulator performing exploration. We also show that the reduced contact method proposed can be used for inverse modeling. The method can therefore be used for control or design

Design, implementation and control of a deformable manipulator robot based on a compliant spine

International audienceThis paper presents the conception, the numerical modeling and the control of a dexterous, deformable manipulator bio-inspired by the skeletal spine found in vertebrate animals. Through the implementation of this new manipulator, we show a methodology based on numerical models and simulations, that goes from design to control of continuum and soft robots. The manipulator is modeled using Finite Element Method (FEM), using a set of beam elements that reproduce the lattice structure of the robot. The model is computed and inverted in real-time using optimisation methods. A closed-loop control strategy is implemented to account for the disparities between the model and the robot. This control strategy allows for accurate positioning, not only of the tip of the manipulator, but also the positioning of selected middle points along its backbone. In a scenario where the robot is piloted by a human operator, the command of the robot is enhanced by a haptic loop that renders the boundaries of its task space as well as the contact with its environment. The experimental validation of the model and control strategies is also presented in the form of an inspection task use case

Developing a Sustainable and Circular Bio-Based Economy in EU:By Partnering Across Sectors, Upscaling and Using New Knowledge Faster, and For the Benefit of Climate, Environment & Biodiversity, and People & Business

This paper gives an overview of development of the EU-bioeconomy, 2014-2020. The Vision of the new Circular Bio-based Economy, CBE is presented: Unlocking the full potential of all types of sustainably sourced biomass, crop residues, industrial side-streams, and wastes by transforming it into value-added products. The resulting product portfolio consists of a wide spectrum of value-added products, addressing societal and consumer needs. Food and feed, bio-based chemicals, materials, healthpromoting products; and bio-based fuels. The pillars of CBE are described, including biotechnology, microbial production, enzyme technology, green chemistry, integrated physical/chemical processing, policies, conducive framework conditions and public private partnerships. Drivers of CBE are analyzed: Biomass supply, biorefineries, value chain clusters, rural development, farmers, foresters and mariners; urgent need for climate change mitigation and adaptation, and stopping biodiversity loss. Improved framework conditions can be drivers but also obstacles if not updated to the era of circularity. Key figures, across the entire BBI-JU project portfolio (20142020) are provided, including expansion into biomass feedstocks, terrestrial and aquatic, and an impressive broadening of bio-based product portfolio, including higher-value, healthpromoting products for man, animal, plants and soil. Parallel to this, diversification of industrial segments and types of funding instruments developed, reflecting industrial needs and academic research involvement. Impact assessment is highlighted. A number of specific recommendations are given; e.g., including international win/win CBEcollaborations, as e.g., expanding African EU collaboration into CBE. In contrast to fossil resources biological resources are found worldwide. In its outset, circular biobased economy, can be implemented all over, in a just manner, not the least stimulating rural developmentThis study received funding only for covering the production costs (carried by the public BBI-JU secretariat).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Software toolkit for modeling, simulation and control of soft robots

International audienceThe technological differences between traditional robotics and soft robotics have an impact on all of the modeling tools generally in use, including direct kinematics and inverse models, Jacobians, and dynamics. Due to the lack of precise modeling and control methods for soft robots, the promising concepts of using such design for complex applications (medicine, assistance, domestic robotics...) cannot be practically implemented. This paper presents a first unified software framework dedicated to modeling, simulation and control of soft robots. The framework relies on continuum mechanics for modeling the robotic parts and boundary conditions like actuators or contacts using a unified representation based on Lagrange multipliers. It enables the digital robot to be simulated in its environment using a direct model. The model can also be inverted online using an optimization-based method which allows to control the physical robots in the task space. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach, we present various soft robots scenarios including ones where the robot is interacting with its environment. The software has been built on top of SOFA, an open-source framework for deformable online simulation and is available at https://project.inria.fr/softrobot

Cross-domain interoperability using federated interoperable semantic IoT/Cloud testbeds and applications: The FIESTA-IoT approach

This work is funded by the European Commission under the EU-H2020 Project Grant ”Federated Interoperable Semantic IoT/cloudTestbeds andApplications (FIESTA)” with the Grant Agreement No. CNECT-ICT-643943

Articulation de la parole et prothèse amovible complète

LILLE2-BU Santé-Recherche (593502101) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocLILLE2-UFR Odontologie (593502202) / SudocSudocFranceF

Framework for online simulation of soft robots with optimization-based inverse model

International audienceSoft robotics is an emerging field of robotics which requires computer-aided tools to simulate soft robots and provide models for their control. Until now, no unified software framework covering the different aspects exists. In this paper, we present such a framework from its theoretical foundations up to its implementation on top of SOFA, an open-source framework for deformable online simulation. The framework relies on continuum mechanics for modeling the robotic parts and boundary conditions like actuators or contacts using a unified representation based on Lagrange multipliers. It enables the digital robot to be simulated in its environment using a direct model. The model can also be inverted online using an optimization-based method which allows to control the physical robots in the task space. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach, we present various soft robots scenarios including ones where the robot is interacting with its environment. The software is freely available from https://project.inria.fr/softrobot