Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

ROBOTICS BE CIS

Reference Book
Robotics Introduction, Programming and Projects By: James L. Fuller

Robotics
Not a pure Computer Engineering subject
Combination e.g. Mechanical, Electrical and Computers Mechatronics = Mechanical + Electronics.

The Study of Robots

What is a Robot?
A machine that looks and acts like a human being. An efficient but insensitive person An automatic apparatus. Something guided by automatic controls.
E.g. remote control

a computer whose main function is to produce motion.

What is a Robot?
A robot is an automatic, general-purpose device whose primary function is to produce motion in order to accomplish some task.

Industrial Robots
a robot is a reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move materials, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motions, for the performance of a variety of tasks.

Where the names ROBOT & ROBOTICS come from

ROBOT:
First used by a Czechoslovakian dramatist, Karel Capek, in his 1921 play "Rossum's Universal Robots."

ROBOTICS:
Isaac Asimov in his science fiction stories about robots in the 1940's coined the term robotics as the science or study of robots.

Terms
Remote control
a form of human operation in which the human is not physically present at the site of operations.

Automation
involves using specialized machines to do a specific operation.

Numerical control
is one type of specialized machine operation used in automation.

The 4 Ds of robotics
Use a robot if a job is:
Dull Dirty Dangerous Difficult

Laws of Robotics
By Isaac Asimov:
Robot may not harm a human, nor through inaction allow one to come to harm A robot must always obey human beings, unless it is in conflict with the above law. A robot must protect itself from harm, unless it is in conflict with the above two laws

Laws of Robotics
By Skokes:
A robot may take up a humans job, but it should not leave a human jobless

Choosing Among Humans, Robots, and Automation

Rule 1:
Follow the 4Ds

Rule 2:
Follow Skokes law

Rule 3:
Can you find a human to do the job?

Rule 4:
Short-term and long-term economic sense

Nonindustrial Robots
Robot applications:
military, show or promotional, educational, medical, domestic or personal, hobbyist robots.

Military Robots
Military engineers consider any machine that can be operated without a person being present a robot. This includes remote controlled tanks, airplanes and devices for detonating bombs. Flight simulators are a form of military robot. Military interest in atomic energy led to the development of mechanical remote-controlled devices known as teleoperators to handle dangerous radioactive materials.

cockpit of the F-4C Weapons System Trainer

Show (Promotional) Robots

The show robot (also known as play or promotional robots) are nonindustrial robots that might be better described as remote-control devices.

Educational Robots
Educational robots are devices that can be used to teach the principles of robotics. Here is the SCORBOT-ER V plus robot from Eshed. It is a jointed-arm robot.

Medical Robots
Medical robots include a robotlike devices that either give medical aid or substitute for or restore functions that a disabled perosns lacks. Here is the HelpMate hospital orderly.

Domestic (Personal) Robots

The domestic (or personal) robot has yet to get off the ground. Here is a picture of "Roomba" a domestic robot vacuum cleaner.

Characteristic of a Robot
Repeatability Manual control Automatic control Speed of operation

Components
Manipulator Controller Power supply Vehicle

General Components
Manipulator
Configurations
Cartesian Coordinates Cylindrical Coordinates SCARA Polar Coordinates Jointed Arm

Wrist Gripper

General Components
Power supply
Pneumatic Electrical Hydraulic

General Components
Controller
Servo Systems
Open Loop Closed Loop

Operating Methods
Pick and Place Point-to-point Continuous path

Vehicle
Stationary Mobile

Manipulator

Robotic Manipulator Vs Human Manipulator

Joints and Links

degree of freedom (d.o.f) of motion. Connected to each joint are two links, one that we call the input link, the other called the output link.

The LERT Classification System

The LERT classification system uses the type of motion produced by each robot axis as a basis for classifying the robot. LINEAR (L-Type) Extensional (E-Type) ROTATIONAL (R-Type) TWISTING (T-Type)

LINEAR JOINT (L-type)

Here is the linear motion of the type that might be seen on a rack and pinion. Linear movement is produced by a part moving along the outside of another part.

Extensional (E-Type)
Here is an extension motion such as that which occurs when one part of a robot arm slides inside another part of the arm. Ext motion is produced by one part moving with another part , with a telescoping movement.

ROTATIONAL JOINT (R-type)

Here is a rotational motion such as that found when a part turns at something other than its center; something like the arm bending at the elbow.

TWISTING Joint (T-Type)

Here is a twisting motion, which may be seen when a part turns about its center; something like the turning of a human neck joint.

Manipulator Configurations
Cartesian Coordinates Cylindrical Coordinates SCARA Polar Coordinates Jointed Arm

Cartesian/Rectangular Coordinates
straight, or linear motion along three axes:
in and out, back and forth, up and down (x) (y) (z)

Cylindrical Coordinates
Rotation about the base or shoulder. () up and down (z) in and out. (R)

SCARA Robot
Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm
the same work area as a cylindrical-coordinates robot. the reach axis includes a rotational joint in a plane parallel to the floor.

Polar Coordinates
Also called spherical-coordinates
rotation about the base Rotation about an axis in the vertical plane to raise and lower it. reaches in and out.

Comparison of Manipulator Configurations

Wrist

Grippers (End-of-Arm Tooling )

Can make or break the robotic project

End-of-Arm-Tooling
This general class of devices is also called endof-arm tooling (EOAT). Robot end-of-arm tooling is not limited to various kinds of gripping devices. Grippers not available by default in generalpurpose robots In some situations, a robot must change its gripper during its task. If so, the robot's wrist must be fitted with a quick-disconnect device.

The First Gripper Designed

The first gripper which was designed resembles more to the human hand. Later it was realized to design grippers along to the requirement.

Robotic Hands versus Human Hands

Robot end effectors
heavy objects, corrosive substances, hot objects, or sharp and dangerous objects. not good at handling complex shapes and fragile items. do not have good tactile sensing capability,

How Grippers work?

Seven different methods to grip a part:
grasp it hook it scoop it inflate around it attract it magnetically attract it by a vacuum stick to it

Types of Robotic Grippers

Vacuum cups Electromagnets Clamps or mechanical grippers Scoops, ladles, or cups Hooks Hands with three or more fingers Adhesives or strips of sticky tape

Types of Robotic Grippers

Types of Robotic Grippers

a. b. c. d. e. f. Inflatable bladder Two-finger clamp Vaccum cups Three-fingers clamp Magnet head Tubing pickup device

REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EFFECTIVE GRIPPER

1. Parts or items must be grasped and held without damage 2. Parts must be positioned firmly or rigidly while being operated on. 3. Hands or grippers must accommodate parts of differing sizes or even of varying sizes 4. Self-aligning jaws are required to ensure that the load stays centered in the jaws 5. Grippers or end effectors must not damage the part being handled. 6. Jaws or grippers must make contact at a minimum of two points to ensure that the part doesnt rotate while being positioned.

Remote Center Compliance (RCC)

Useful for accurate positioning of objects. Robots contains a built-in multiaxis floating joint to adjust for the misalignments.

Power for Grippers

Independent power supply required Four types of power are used for grippers:
pneumatic electrical hydraulic springs

Calculating Gripper Payload and Gripping Force

Payload handled by a manipulator Payload handled by a gripper Example:
Consider a manipulator that can handle 60 pounds, including a 10-pound wrist and a 6pound gripper. Compute the total weight that can be handled.

Other factors to consider

Center of gravity Angle of gripping
0o for vertical motion 90o for horizontal motion

Torque
Thickness of part Width of grippers jaws Distance from center of gravity

Coefficient of friction
1 for rough surfaces < 1 for most surfaces

Other factors to consider

Acceleration or deceleration
Measured in Gs.
Normal gravitational force is a 1-G acceleration. Addition if part moves upward Subtraction if part moves downward

Safety factor
typical safety factor is 2.

Sample Problem 1
How much force will the jaws of a gripper need to exert to hold a part in a vertical plane under the following conditions: a. The part weighs 20 pounds and is of a nonuniform shape. b. The gripper's jaws are parallel to each other and are grasping the part by its vertical sides. c. The part is grasped 24 inches from its center of gravity.

Sample Problem 1
d. The jaws' gripping surface is 4 inches wide. e. The part is 2 inches thick at the point where it is being grasped. f. The part is being lifted with a maximum acceleration of 2.5 Gs, including normal gravitational force. g. The coefficient of friction between the part and the gripper is 0.85. h. A safety factor of 2 must be included.

Pictorial Representation

Sample Problem 2
What force is required if the gripper operates under the same conditions as in Sample Problem 1, but in a horizontal plane?

Sample Problem 3
What would be the required force if the jaws were 8 inches wide in Sample Problem 2?

Manipulator Power Supplies

Pneumatic Electrical Hydraulic

Pneumatic Power
Uses compressible fluid Parts
compressor, storage tank motor or engine

Types:
Single-action Double action

Single-Action Cylinder
Outward Stroke Return Stroke

Single-Action Cylinder
Outward Stroke
F = (0.7854 x D2 x P) (S + Ff)

Return Stroke
F = S Ff

Where
D: diameter of the piston P: pressure of the fluid entering the cylinder S: return spring pressure Ff: friction force of the piston

Double-Action Cylinder
Outward stroke Inward Stroke

Hold Position

Double-Action Cylinder
Outward Stroke
F = 0.7854 x D2 x P Ff

Inward Stroke
F = 0.7854 x (D2 Dr2) x P Ff

Where
D: diameter of the piston P: pressure of the fluid entering the cylinder Dr: diameter of piston rod Ff: friction force of the piston

Electric Power

Hydraulic Power
Hydraulic power uses a non-compressible fluid to transmit energy.

Single-Action Rotary Actuator

T = (P x A x Rc) - Tf Where
T: torque developed by the actuator P: fluid pressure A: vane area Rc: center radius of the vane, Tf: friction torque.

Single- and Double- Action Rotary Actuator

T = (2 x P x A x Rc) Tf Where
T: torque developed by the actuator P: fluid pressure A: vane area Rc: center radius of the vane, Tf: friction torque.

Sample Hydraulic Motors

Control Unit

Control Units
The brain of a robot Servo Systems
Open Loop

Closed Loop

OPERATING METHODS OF ROBOT CONTROL UNIT

Pick-and-Place Control units
Point-to-Point Control Units

Continuous-path Control Units

PICK & PLACE CONTROL UNIT

Generally small and pneumatic-powered, with no position information feedback. Open-loop servo-controlled robots. Sometimes referred to as low-technology control units.

PICK & PLACE CONTROL UNIT

Typical sequence of operations
Move robot to starting position. Grasp a part. Remove the part from a machine. Move to second position Deposit part. Prepare to start another cycle.

POINT TO POINT CONTROL UNIT

Can reach any point within its work envelope Can have as many points in its work sequence Medium-technology control units. Can be programmed by a person moving the robot through the sequence of points that the robot will be required to repeat in performing the task.

POINT TO POINT CONTROL UNIT

The path between the points
Not predictable

Uses Stepper Motor

CONTINOUS PATH CONTROL UNIT

Can reach any point within its work envelope

Can have as many points in its sequence as

a particular task may require

Most expensive of all control units.

High-technology control unit

Large memory capacity required

The Vehicle and the Robot's Base

Many industrial robots have fixed-position bases and thus do not have a vehicle. Even with a fixed-base robot, stable mounting is essential. Fixed-base robots could be used: a) overhead mounting, b a gantry mount, c) a wall mount, or d) a floor mount.

Mobile Robots
Wheel configuration Center of Gravity
Should be Low

Wheel Configuration

Sensors

Sensors
Sensors changes a robot from dumb to intelligent.
The ability to adapt to particular surroundings is one definition of intelligence.

Classes of Sensors
Sensors for robots can be divided into three classes:
internal sensors, external sensors, interlocks

Most sensors are some type of transducer.

E.g. The ear converts sound energy into electrical signals.

Internal Sensors
Limit switches Haptic perception Governor Lead screws Shaft-encoder Direct-readout encoders or absolutereadout encoders

External Sensors
Microswitch or pressure sensor Photoelectric device

Interlocks
Interlocks are devices that do not allow an operation to be performed until certain conditions exists. Can be internal or external.

Sensor Areas for Robots

Vision Touch Range and proximity detection Navigation Speech output Speech input Smell

Vision
Present-day industrial robots use vision to locate and orient parts.

Touch
Tactile sensing, the sense of touch for robots, is needed if a robot is to perform delicate assembly operations. When a robot touches something, force is reflected back through each joint. In screwing nut and bolt, touch is more imp then vision.

Types of Touch Detection

Single-point detection Simple edge detection A multiple-point shape detector

Range and Proximity Detectors

Range Detector detects objects situated at some distance from the robot.
Non-contact devices
Laser, radar, sonar, vision and infrared devices.

A proximity detector detects objects in the immediate vicinity of the robots.

can be contact or non-contact devices.
E.g. A magnetic detector