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1 – 10 of over 1000Successful sensorless collision detection by a robot depends on the accuracy with which the external force/torque can be estimated. Compared with collaborative robots, industrial…
Abstract
Purpose
Successful sensorless collision detection by a robot depends on the accuracy with which the external force/torque can be estimated. Compared with collaborative robots, industrial robots often have larger parameter values of their dynamic models and larger errors in parameter identification. In addition, the friction inside a reducer affects the accuracy of external force estimation. The purpose of this paper is to propose a collision detection method for industrial robots. The proposed method does not require additional equipment, such as sensors, and enables highly sensitive collision detection while guaranteeing a zero false alarm rate.
Design/methodology/approach
The error on the calculated torque for a robot in stable motion is analyzed, and a typical torque error curve is presented. The variational characteristics of the joint torque error during a collision are analyzed, and collisions are classified into two types: hard and soft. A pair of envelope-like lines with an effect similar to that of the true envelope lines is designed. By using these envelope-like lines, some components of the torque calculation error can be eliminated, and the sensitivity of collision detection can be improved.
Findings
The proposed collision detection method based on envelope-like lines can detect hard and soft collisions during the motion of industrial robots. In repeated experiments without collisions, the false alarm rate was 0 per cent, and in repeated experiments with collisions, the rate of successful detection was 100 per cent. Compared with collision detection method based on symmetric thresholds, the proposed method has a smaller detection delay and the same detection sensitivity for different joint rotation directions.
Originality/value
A collision detection method for industrial robots based on envelope-like lines is proposed in this paper. The proposed method does not require additional equipment or complex algorithms, and highly sensitive collision detection can be achieved with zero false alarms. The proposed method is low in cost and highly practical and can be widely used in applications involving industrial robots.
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Yuxue Jin, Jie Geng, Zhiyi He, Chuan Lv and Tingdi Zhao
Virtual maintenance simulation is of great importance to help designers find and avoid design problems. During its simulation phase, besides the high precision requirement…
Abstract
Purpose
Virtual maintenance simulation is of great importance to help designers find and avoid design problems. During its simulation phase, besides the high precision requirement, collision detection must be suitable for all irregular objects in a virtual maintenance environment. Therefore, in this paper, a collision detection approach is proposed based on encapsulation for irregular objects in the virtual maintenance environment.
Design/methodology/approach
First, virtual maintenance simulation characteristics and several commonly used bounding boxes methods are analyzed, which motivates the application of encapsulation theory. Based on these, three different encapsulation methods are oriented to the needs of simulation, including encapsulation of rigid maintenance objects, flexible maintenance objects and maintenance personnel. In addition, to detecting collisions accurately, this paper divides the detection process into two stages. That is, in the first stage, a rough detection is carried out and then a tiny slice space is constructed to generate corresponding capsule groups, which will be redetected in the secondary stage. At last, several case studies are applied to illustrate the performance of the methodology.
Findings
The automatic construction algorithm for bounding boxes can be adapted to all forms of objects. The number of detection primitives are greatly reduced. It introduces the reachable space of the human body in maintainability as the collision search area.
Originality/value
The advantages of virtual maintenance simulation could also be advantageous in the industry with further studies. The paper believes this study is of particular interest to the readers of your journal.
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Shuwen Sun, Chenyu Song, Bo Wang and Haiming Huang
The safety performance of cooperative robots is particularly important. This paper aims to study collision detection and response of cooperative robots, which meet the lightweight…
Abstract
Purpose
The safety performance of cooperative robots is particularly important. This paper aims to study collision detection and response of cooperative robots, which meet the lightweight requirements of cooperative robots and help to ensure the safety of humans and robots.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper proposes a collision detection, recognition and response method based on dynamic models. First, this paper identifies the dynamic model of the robot. Second, an external torque observer is established based on the model, and a dynamic threshold collision detection method is designed to reduce the interference of model uncertainty on collision detection. Finally, a collision position and direction estimation method is designed, and a robot collision response strategy is proposed to reduce the harm caused by collisions to humans.
Findings
Comparative experiments are conducted on static threshold and dynamic threshold collision detection, and the results showed that the static threshold only detected one collision while the dynamic threshold could detect all collisions. Conducting collision position and direction estimation and collision response experiments, and the results show that this method can determine the location and direction of collision occurrence, and enable the robot to achieve collision separation.
Originality/value
This paper designs a dynamic threshold collision detection method that does not require external sensors. Compared with static threshold collision detection methods, this method can significantly improve the sensitivity of collision detection. This paper also proposes a collision position direction estimation method and collision separation response strategy, which can enable robots to achieve post collision separation and improve the safety of cooperative robots.
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Liu Jiongzhou, Li Jituo and Lu Guodong
The 3D dynamic clothing simulation is widely used in computer-added garment design. Collision detection and response are the essential component and also the efficiency bottleneck…
Abstract
Purpose
The 3D dynamic clothing simulation is widely used in computer-added garment design. Collision detection and response are the essential component and also the efficiency bottleneck in the simulation. The purpose of this paper is to propose a high efficient collision detection algorithm for 3D clothing-human dynamic simulation to achieve both real-time and virtually real simulation effects.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors approach utilizes the offline data learning results to simplify the online collision detection complexity. The approach includes two stages. In the off-line stage, model triangles with most similar deformations are first, partitioned into several near-rigid-clusters. Clusters from the clothing model and the human model are matched as pairs according to the fact that they hold the potential to intersect. For each cluster, a hierarchical bounding box tree is then constructed. In the on-line stage, collision detection is checked and treated parallelly inside each cluster pairs. A multiple task allocation strategy is proposed in parallel computation to ensure efficiency.
Findings
Reasonably partitioning the 3D clothing and human model surfaces into several clusters and implementing collision detection on these cluster pairs can efficiently reduce the model primitive amounts that need be detected, consequently both improving the detection efficiency and remaining the simulation virtual effect.
Originality/value
The current methods only utilize the dynamic clothing-human status; the authors algorithm furthermore combines the intrinsic correspondence relationship between clothing and human clusters to efficiently shrink the detection query scope to accelerate the detection speed. Moreover, partitioning the model into several independent clusters as detection units is much more profitable for parallel computation than current methods those treat the model entirety as the unit.
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Mingming Guo, Hua Zhang, Chuncheng Feng, Manlu Liu and Jianwen Huo
This paper aims to present a method to improve the sensitive and low probabilities of false alarm of a manipulator in a human–robot interaction environment, which can improve the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a method to improve the sensitive and low probabilities of false alarm of a manipulator in a human–robot interaction environment, which can improve the performance of the system owing to non-linear uncertainty in the model of the robot controller.
Design/methodology/approach
A novel collision detection method based on adaptive residual estimation is proposed, promoting the detection accuracy of the collision of the manipulator during operation. First, a general momentum residual estimator is designed to incorporate the non-linear factors of the manipulator (e.g. joint friction, speed and acceleration) into the residual-related uncertainty of the model. Second, model parameters are estimated through gradient correction. The residual filter is used to determine the dynamic threshold, resulting in higher detection accuracy. Finally, the performance of the residual estimation scheme is evaluated by comparing the dynamic threshold with residual in real-time experiments where a single Universal Robot 5 robot end–effector collides with the obstacle.
Findings
Experimental results demonstrate that the collision detection system can improve sensitivity and lead to low probabilities of false alarm of non-linear uncertainty in the model.
Practical implications
The method proposed in this article can be applied to industry and human–robot interaction area.
Originality/value
An adaptive collision detection method is proposed in this paper to address non-linear uncertainties of the model in industrial application.
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The purpose of this paper is to develop a new and simple methodology for fabric collision detection and response.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a new and simple methodology for fabric collision detection and response.
Design/methodology/approach
A 3D triangle‐to‐triangle collision problem was converted to simple 2D point‐in‐triangle problem using pre‐computed 4×4 transformation matrices. The object space was partitioned using voxels to find easily collision pair triangles. k‐DOP was used to find inter‐pattern collisions.
Findings
Complex 3D collision detection problem is solved by simple matrix operations. Voxel‐based space partitioning and k‐DOP‐based hierarchical methods are successfully applied to garment simulation.
Originality/value
This paper shows that the collision matrix method can cover from triangle‐to‐point to triangle‐to‐triangle collision with mathematical validity and can be simply implemented in garment simulation.
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Aims to make an industrial robot work human‐friendly while coexisting with humans in a same working space, without any modification of the manipulator hardware as well as its…
Abstract
Purpose
Aims to make an industrial robot work human‐friendly while coexisting with humans in a same working space, without any modification of the manipulator hardware as well as its motion controller.
Design/methodology/approach
Presents a weighted path planning approach based on collision detection for a robot sharing the same workspace with humans. Using a base and wrist force/torque sensors, a model‐based method is investigated to estimate the collision force and collision position on the manipulator; then a weighted path planning approach is developed to control the human‐robot interaction. Simulation experiments, with collisions between the manipulator and static objects and moving objects, are conducted to validate the efficacy of the method.
Findings
The experimental results illustrate the validity of the developed collision detection and planning scheme and make it possible for industrial robots to work safely around humans. The proposed weighted path planner (WPP) outperforms other three path planners.
Originality/value
Introduces the WPP based on collision detection. The wrist and base force/torque sensors configuration has the friction free benefit, and the developed method does not modify the existing designs of industrial robots. The contact force is well controlled under the human pain tolerance limit, through the modification of the desired path, and does not need torque control which is usually not available to industrial robots.
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Pengcheng Wang, Dengfeng Zhang and Baochun Lu
This paper aims to address the collision problem between robot and the external environment (including human) in an unstructured situation. A new collision detection and torque…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to address the collision problem between robot and the external environment (including human) in an unstructured situation. A new collision detection and torque optimization control method is proposed.
Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, when the collision appears, a second-order Taylor observer is proposed to estimate the residual value. Secondly, the band-pass filter is used to reduce the high-frequency torque modeling dynamic uncertainty. With the estimate information and the torque value, a variable impedance control approach is then synthesized to guarantee that the collision is avoided or the collision will be terminated with different contact models and positions. However, in terms of adaptive linear force error, the variation of the thickness of the boundary layer is controlled by the new proximity function.
Findings
Finally, the experimental results show the better performance of the proposed control method, realizing the force control during the collision process.
Originality/value
Origin approach and origin experiment.
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Weiliang Zhu, Zhaojun Pang, Jiyue Si and Zhonghua Du
This paper aims to study the encounter issues of the Tethered-Space Net Robot System (TSNRS) with non-target objects on orbit during the maneuver, including the collision issues…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the encounter issues of the Tethered-Space Net Robot System (TSNRS) with non-target objects on orbit during the maneuver, including the collision issues with small space debris and the obstacle avoidance from large obstacles.
Design/methodology/approach
For the collision of TSNRS with small debris, the available collision model of the tethered net and its limitation is discussed, and the collision detection method is improved. Then the dynamic response of TSNRS is studied and a closed-loop controller is designed. For the obstacle avoidance, the variable enveloping circle of the TSNRS has coupled with the artificial potential field (APF) method. In addition, the APF is improved with a local trajectory correction method to avoid the overbending segment of the trajectory.
Findings
The collision model coupled with the improved collision detection method solves the detection failure and speeds up calculation efficiency by 12 times. Collisions of TSNRS with small debris make the local thread stretch and deforms finally making the net a mess. The boundary of the disturbance is obtained by a series of collision tests, and the designed controller not only achieved the tracking control of the TSNRS but also suppressed the disturbance of the net.
Practical implications
This paper fills the gap in the research on the collision of the tethered net with small debris and makes the collision model more general and efficient by improving the collision detection method. And the coupled obstacle avoidance method makes the process of obstacle avoidance safer and smoother.
Originality/value
The work in this paper provides a reference for the on-orbit application of TSNRS in the active space debris removal mission.
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Xunlei Shi, Qingyuan Wu, Jianjian Deng, Ken Chen and Jiwen Zhang
The purpose of this paper is to propose a strategy for the final assembly of helicopter fuselage with weak rigidity parts and mismatched jointing butt ends.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a strategy for the final assembly of helicopter fuselage with weak rigidity parts and mismatched jointing butt ends.
Design/methodology/approach
The strategy is based on path planning methods. Compared with traditional path planning methods, the configuration-space and collision detection in the method are different. The obstacles in the configuration-space are weakly rigid and allow continuous contact with the robot. The collision detection is based on interference magnitudes, and the result is divided into no collision, weak collision and strong collision. Only strong collision is unacceptable. Then a compliant jointing path planning algorithm based on RRT is designed, combined with some improvements in search efficiency.
Findings
A series of planning results show that the efficiency of this method is higher than original RRT under the same conditions. The effectiveness of the method is verified by a series of simulations and experiments on two sets of systems.
Originality/value
There are few reports on the automation technology of helicopter fuselage assembly. This paper analyzes the problem and provides a solution from the perspective of path planning. This method contains a new configuration-space and collision detection method adapted to this problem and could be intuitive for the jointing of other weakly rigid parts.
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