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1 – 10 of over 7000
Article
Publication date: 22 September 2022

Chunming Tong, Zhenbao Liu, Qingqing Dang, Jingyan Wang and Yao Cheng

This paper aims to propose an environmentally adaptive trajectory planning system considering the dynamic characteristics of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the distance…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose an environmentally adaptive trajectory planning system considering the dynamic characteristics of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the distance between obstacles and the UAV. The system generates a smooth and safe flight trajectory online.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the hybrid A* search method considering the dynamic characteristics of the quadrotor is used to find the collision-free initial trajectory. Then, environmentally adaptive velocity cost is designed for environment-adaptive trajectory optimization using environmental gradient data. The proposed method adaptively adjusts the autonomous flight speed of the UAV. Finally, the initial trajectory is applied to the multi-layered optimization framework to make it smooth and dynamically viable.

Findings

The feasibility of the designed system is validated by online flight experiments, which are in unknown, complex situations.

Practical implications

The proposed trajectory planning system is integrated into a vision-based quadrotor platform. It is easily implementable onboard and computationally efficient.

Originality/value

A hybrid A* path searching method is proposed to generate feasible motion primitives by dispersing the input space uniformly. The proposed method considers the control input of the UAV and the search time as the heuristic cost. Therefore, the proposed method can provide an initial path with the minimum flying time and energy loss that benefits trajectory optimization. The environmentally adaptive velocity cost is proposed to adaptively adjust the flight speed of the UAV using the distance between obstacles and the UAV. Furthermore, a multi-layered environmentally adaptive trajectory optimization framework is proposed to generate a smooth and safe trajectory.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 95 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 October 2022

Thomas W. Jackson and Ian Richard Hodgkinson

In the pursuit of net-zero, the decarbonization activities of organizations are a critical feature of any sustainability strategy. However, government policy and recent…

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Abstract

Purpose

In the pursuit of net-zero, the decarbonization activities of organizations are a critical feature of any sustainability strategy. However, government policy and recent technological innovations do not address the digital carbon footprint of organizations. The paper aims to present the concept of single-use dark data and how knowledge reuse by organizations is a means to digital decarbonization.

Design/methodology/approach

Businesses in all sectors must contribute to reducing digital carbon emissions globally, and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to examine “how” from a knowledge (re)use perspective. Drawing on insights from the knowledge creation process, the paper presents a set of pathways to greater knowledge reuse for the reduction of organizations’ digital carbon footprint.

Findings

Businesses continually collect, process and store knowledge but generally fail to reuse these knowledge assets – referred to as dark data. Consequently, this dark data has a huge impact on energy use and global emissions. This model is the first to show explicit pathways that businesses can follow to sustainable knowledge practices.

Practical implications

If businesses are to be proactive in their collective pursuit of net-zero, then it becomes paramount that reducing the digital carbon footprint becomes a key sustainability target. The paper presents how this might be accomplished, offering practical and actionable guidance to businesses for digital decarbonization.

Originality/value

Two critical questions are facing businesses: how can decarbonization be achieved? And can it be achieved at a low-cost? Awareness of the damaging impact digitalization may be having on the environment is in its infancy, yet knowledge reuse is a proactive and cost-effective route to reduce carbon emissions, which is explored in the paper.

Article
Publication date: 7 January 2019

Balamurali Gunji, Deepak B.B.V.L., Saraswathi M.B.L. and Umamaheswara Rao Mogili

The purpose of this paper is to obtain an optimal mobile robot path planning by the hybrid algorithm, which is developed by two nature inspired meta-heuristic algorithms, namely…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to obtain an optimal mobile robot path planning by the hybrid algorithm, which is developed by two nature inspired meta-heuristic algorithms, namely, cuckoo-search and bat algorithm (BA) in an unknown or partially known environment. The cuckoo-search algorithm is based on the parasitic behavior of the cuckoo, and the BA is based on the echolocation behavior of the bats.

Design/methodology/approach

The developed algorithm starts by sensing the obstacles in the environment using ultrasonic sensor. If there are any obstacles in the path, the authors apply the developed algorithm to find the optimal path otherwise reach the target point directly through diagonal distance.

Findings

The developed algorithm is implemented in MATLAB for the simulation to test the efficiency of the algorithm for different environments. The same path is considered to implement the experiment in the real-world environment. The ARDUINO microcontroller along with the ultrasonic sensor is considered to obtain the path length and time of travel of the robot to reach the goal point.

Originality/value

In this paper, a new hybrid algorithm has been developed to find the optimal path of the mobile robot using cuckoo search and BAs. The developed algorithm is tested with the real-world environment using the mobile robot.

Details

International Journal of Intelligent Unmanned Systems, vol. 7 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-6427

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 January 2023

Demet Canpolat Tosun and Yasemin Işık

It is possible with classical path planning algorithms to plan a path in a static environment if the instant position of the vehicle is known and the target and obstacle positions…

Abstract

Purpose

It is possible with classical path planning algorithms to plan a path in a static environment if the instant position of the vehicle is known and the target and obstacle positions are constant. In a dynamic case, these methods used for the static environment are insufficient. The purpose of this study is to find a new method that can provide a solution to the four-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) path planning problem in static and dynamic environments.

Design/methodology/approach

As a solution to the problem within the scope of this study, there is a new hybrid method in which the global A* algorithm and local the VFH+ algorithm are combined.

Findings

The performance of the designed algorithm was tested in different environments using the Gazebo model of a real quadrotor and the robot operating system (ROS), which is the widely used platform for robotic applications. Navigation stacks developed for mobile robots on the ROS platform were also used for the UAV, and performance benchmarks were carried out. From the proposed hybrid algorithm, remarkable results were obtained in terms of both planning and implementation time compared to ROS navigation stacks.

Originality/value

This study proposes a new hybrid approach to the path planning problem for UAVs operating in both static and dynamic environments.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 95 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 November 2022

Ruiliang Feng, Jingchao Jiang, Atul Thakur and Xiangzhi Wei

Two-level support with Level 1 consisting of a set of beams and Level 2 consisting of a tree-like structure is an efficient support structure for extrusion-based additive

142

Abstract

Purpose

Two-level support with Level 1 consisting of a set of beams and Level 2 consisting of a tree-like structure is an efficient support structure for extrusion-based additive manufacturing (EBAM). However, the literature for finding a slim two-level support is rare. The purpose of this paper is to design a lightweight two-level support structure for EBAM.

Design/methodology/approach

To efficiently solve the problem, the lightweight design problem is split into two subproblems: finding a slim Level 1 support and a slim Level 2 support. To solve these two subproblems, this paper develops three efficient metaheuristic algorithms, i.e. genetic algorithm (GA), genetic programming (GP) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). They are problem-independent and are powerful in global search. For the first subproblem, considering the path direction is a critical factor influencing the layout of Level 1 support, this paper solves it by splitting the overhang region into a set of subregions, and determining the path direction (vertical or horizontal) in each subregion using GA. For the second subproblem, a hybrid of two metaheuristic algorithms is proposed: the GP manipulates the topologies of the tree support, while the PSO optimizes the position of nodes and the diameter of tree branches. In particular, each chromosome is encoded as a single virtual tree for GP to make it easy to manipulate Crossover and Mutation. Furthermore, a local strategy of geometric search is designed to help the hybrid algorithm reach a better result.

Findings

Simulation results show that the proposed method is preferred over the existing method: it saves the materials of the two-level support up to 26.34%, the materials of the Level 1 support up to 6.62% and the materials of the Level 2 support up to 37.93%. The proposed local strategy of geometric search can further improve the hybrid algorithm, saving up to 17.88% of Level 2 support materials.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed approach for sliming Level 1 support requires the overhanging region to be a rectilinear polygon and the path direction in a subregion to be vertical or horizontal. This limitation limits the further material savings of the Level 1 support. In future research, the proposed approach can be extended to handle an arbitrary overhang region, each with several choices of path directions.

Practical implications

The details of how to integrate the proposed algorithm into the open-source program CuraEngine 4.13.0 is presented. This is helpful for the designers and manufacturers to practice on their own 3D printers.

Originality/value

The path planning of the overhang is a critical factor influencing the distribution of supporting points and will thus influence the shape of the support structure. Different from existing approaches that use single path directions, the proposed method optimizes the volume of the support structure by planning hybrid paths of the overhangs.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 29 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 March 2022

Shifa Sulaiman and A.P. Sudheer

Most of the conventional humanoid modeling approaches are not successful in coupling different branches of the tree-type humanoid robot. In this paper, a tree-type upper body…

Abstract

Purpose

Most of the conventional humanoid modeling approaches are not successful in coupling different branches of the tree-type humanoid robot. In this paper, a tree-type upper body humanoid robot with mobile base is modeled. The main purpose of this work is to model a non holonomic mobile platform and to develop a hybrid algorithm for avoiding dynamic obstacles. Decoupled Natural Orthogonal Complement methodology effectively combines different branches of the humanoid body during dynamic analysis. Collision avoidance also plays an important role along with modeling methods for successful operation of the upper body wheeled humanoid robot during real-time operations. The majority of path planning algorithms is facing problems in avoiding dynamic obstacles during real-time operations. Hence, a multi-fusion approach using a hybrid algorithm for avoiding dynamic obstacles in real time is introduced.

Design/methodology/approach

The kinematic and dynamic modeling of a humanoid robot with mobile platform is done using screw theory approach and Newton–Euler formulations, respectively. Dynamic obstacle avoidance using a novel hybrid algorithm is carried out and implemented in real time. D star lite and a geometric-based hybrid algorithms are combined to generate the optimized path for avoiding the dynamic obstacles. A weighting factor is added to the D star lite variant to optimize the basic version of D star lite algorithm. Lazy probabilistic road map (PRM) technique is used for creating nodes in configuration space. The dynamic obstacle avoidance is experimentally validated to achieve the optimum path.

Findings

The path obtained using the hybrid algorithm for avoiding dynamic obstacles is optimum. Path length, computational time, number of expanded nodes are analysed for determining the optimality of the path. The weighting function introduced along with the D star lite algorithm decreases computational time by decreasing the number of expanding nodes during path generation. Lazy evaluation technique followed in Lazy PRM algorithm reduces computational time for generating nodes and local paths.

Originality/value

Modeling of a tree-type humanoid robot along with the mobile platform is combinedly developed for the determination of the kinematic and dynamic equations. This paper also aims to develop a novel hybrid algorithm for avoiding collision with dynamic obstacles with minimal computational effort in real-time operations.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 49 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 August 2009

Jiajun Gu and Qixin Cao

Path planning approaches based on conventional occupancy grid maps are problematic in off‐road environment because impossible areas include not only obstacles but also landscapes…

Abstract

Purpose

Path planning approaches based on conventional occupancy grid maps are problematic in off‐road environment because impossible areas include not only obstacles but also landscapes like ramps and pits. The purpose of this paper is to develop a path planning method in a hybrid grid map, which aims to provide a better solution for outdoor navigation.

Design/methodology/approach

A hybrid vision system which consists of one stereo vision and one omnidirectional vision is adopted to provide environmental information for 2.5D grid and 2D grid mapping, respectively. An improved planning method originated from conventional D*‐based search algorithm is proposed for more efficient navigation in such hybrid grid maps.

Findings

It is confirmed by simulations and experiments that the path planning in the hybrid grid map is more efficient than that in conventional grid maps. Furthermore, it helps to guarantee a safe exploration for field and planetary robots.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a path planning approach in a hybrid grid map representing unstructured environment. The map consists of two different grid representations with diverse resolutions and structures, named 2.5D and 2D grids. The navigation process is expected to become efficient by reducing the replanning times and track length.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 36 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 January 2016

Dony Hidayat Al-Janan and Tung-Kuan Liu

In this study, the hybrid Taguchi genetic algorithm (HTGA) was used to optimize the computer numerical control-printed circuit boards drilling path. The optimization was performed…

Abstract

Purpose

In this study, the hybrid Taguchi genetic algorithm (HTGA) was used to optimize the computer numerical control-printed circuit boards drilling path. The optimization was performed by searching for the shortest route for the drilling path. The number of feasible solutions is exponentially related to the number of hole positions. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Therefore, a traveling cutting tool problem (TCP), which is similar to the traveling salesman problem, was used to evaluate the drilling path; this evaluation is considered an NP-hard problem. In this paper, an improved genetic algorithm embedded in the Taguchi method and a neighbor search method are proposed for improving the solution quality. The classical TCP problems proposed by Lim et al. (2014) were used for validating the performance of the proposed algorithm.

Findings

Results showed that the proposed algorithm outperforms a previous study in robustness and convergence speed.

Originality/value

The HTGA has not been used for optimizing the drilling path. This study shows that the HTGA can be applied to complex problems.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 45 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 September 2023

Mingyu Wu, Che Fai Yeong, Eileen Lee Ming Su, William Holderbaum and Chenguang Yang

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the state of the art in energy efficiency for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), focusing on energy sources, consumption…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the state of the art in energy efficiency for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), focusing on energy sources, consumption models, energy-efficient locomotion, hardware energy consumption, optimization in path planning and scheduling methods, and to suggest future research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

The systematic literature review (SLR) identified 244 papers for analysis. Research articles published from 2010 onwards were searched in databases including Google Scholar, ScienceDirect and Scopus using keywords and search criteria related to energy and power management in various robotic systems.

Findings

The review highlights the following key findings: batteries are the primary energy source for AMRs, with advances in battery management systems enhancing efficiency; hybrid models offer superior accuracy and robustness; locomotion contributes over 50% of a mobile robot’s total energy consumption, emphasizing the need for optimized control methods; factors such as the center of mass impact AMR energy consumption; path planning algorithms and scheduling methods are essential for energy optimization, with algorithm choice depending on specific requirements and constraints.

Research limitations/implications

The review concentrates on wheeled robots, excluding walking ones. Future work should improve consumption models, explore optimization methods, examine artificial intelligence/machine learning roles and assess energy efficiency trade-offs.

Originality/value

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of energy efficiency in AMRs, highlighting the key findings from the SLR and suggests future research directions for further advancements in this field.

Details

Robotic Intelligence and Automation, vol. 43 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2754-6969

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 September 2021

Abhishek Kumar Kashyap and Dayal R. Parhi

This paper aims to outline and implement a novel hybrid controller in humanoid robots to map an optimal path. The hybrid controller is designed using the Owl search algorithm

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to outline and implement a novel hybrid controller in humanoid robots to map an optimal path. The hybrid controller is designed using the Owl search algorithm (OSA) and Fuzzy logic.

Design/methodology/approach

The optimum steering angle (OS) is used to deal with the obstacle located in the workspace, which is the output of the hybrid OSA Fuzzy controller. It is obtained by feeding OSA's output, i.e. intermediate steering angle (IS), in fuzzy logic. It is obtained by supplying the distance of obstacles from all directions and target distance from the robot's present location.

Findings

The present research is based on the navigation of humanoid NAO in complicated workspaces. Therefore, various simulations are performed in a 3D simulator in different complicated workspaces. The validation of their outcomes is done using the various experiments in similar workspaces using the proposed controller. The comparison between their outcomes demonstrates an acceptable correlation. Ultimately, evaluating the proposed controller with another existing navigation approach indicates a significant improvement in performance.

Originality/value

A new framework is developed to guide humanoid NAO in complicated workspaces, which is hardly seen in the available literature. Inspection in simulation and experimental workspaces verifies the robustness of the designed navigational controller. Considering minimum error ranges and near collaboration, the findings from both frameworks are evaluated against each other in respect of specified navigational variables. Finally, concerning other present approaches, the designed controller is also examined, and major modifications in efficiency have been reported.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 49 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

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