Akihiro Kaneshige

Three-dimensional obstacle avoidance online path-planning method for autonomous mobile overhead crane

This paper presents a method for establishing a three-dimensional (3-D) autonomous mobile overhead crane system that takes into account obstacle recognition and path planning online. It is especially necessary for the online path planning occurring during transferring to be carried out relatively quickly. This paper describes a method of path planning that can be carried out in a short time with an easy algorithm. This target system has three different parts: a visual system, a planning system, and a control system. In the visual system, ultrasonic sensors are used to renovate a partial environmental map during transferring with the quick scanning time. In the planning system, a proposed online path-planning method based on the expanded path-planning method of Srinivas allows for changes such as a change in the transportation environment to be made during the transferring. Online path planning has been achieved using information regarding obstacles around the object being manipulated, as obtained by ultrasonic sensor. Finally, we have confirmed the usefulness of the proposed method by simulation.

Object Manipulation Based on Robust and Adaptive Control by Hemispherical Soft Fingertips

Abstract This paper presents an object manipulation for a multi-fingered robot hand with hemispherical soft fingertips. The proposed controller is based on robust control and adaptive control. In the adaptive controller, the dynamic parameters of the object and multi-fingered robot hand are estimated adaptively in order to track a desired trajectory of the object. Feedback compensation of the robust controller is generated in order to decrease the error between the desired trajectory and real trajectory. The system with the proposed control law proved to be uniformly ultimately bounded for the tracking error. The importance of the damping factor of the soft fingertip is shown in the stability analysis. A simulation of object manipulation by the human-type robot hand using five fingers is shown.

An algorithm for on-line path planning of autonomous mobile overhead traveling crane based on obstacle information

This paper presents a method for establishing a three-dimensional (3-D) autonomous mobile overhead crane system that takes into account obstacle avoidance and path planning real-time. It is especially necessary for the real-time path planning occurring during transferring to be carried out relatively quickly. This paper describes a method of path planning that can be carried out in a short time with an easy algorithm. This target crane system has three different parts: a visual system, a planning system, and a control system. In the visual system, ultrasonic sensors are used to renovate a partial environmental map during transferring with the quick scanning time. In the planning system, a proposed on-line path-planning method based on the expanded path-planning method of Srinivas allows for changes such as a change in the transportation environment to be made during the transferring. On-line path planning has been achieved using information regarding obstacles around the object being manipulated, as obtained by ultrasonic sensor. Finally, we have deduced the optimal parameter to transfer environment in consideration of transfer time and transfer cost.

Development of the Autonomous Overhead Travelling Crane with Real Time Path-Planning Based on Obstacle Information

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present a method to establish an autonomous mobile crane system which includes on-line obstacle recognition, path planning by on-line and suppression of sway of the transferred object. It is especially necessary for the online path planning occurring during transferring to be carried out relatively quickly. This paper describes a method of path planning that can be carried out in a short time with an easy algorithm. This target system has three different parts: a visual system, a planning system, and a control system. In the visual system, ultrasonic sensors are used to renovate a partial environmental map during transferring with the quick scanning time. In the planning system, a proposed online path-planning method based on the expanded path-planning method of Srinivas allows for changes such as a change in the transportation environment to be made during the transferring. Online path planning has been achieved using information regarding obstacles around the object being manipulated, as obtained by ultrasonic sensor. Finally, we have confirmed the usefulness of the proposed method by transfer experiment based on simulation.

The development of an autonomous mobile overhead crane system for the liquid tank transfer

This paper presents a method to establish the three-dimensional (3-D) autonomous mobile overhead crane system which takes into account obstacle recognition and path planning by on-line and suppression of sloshing for the liquid tank transfer. The system has three different parts: a visual system, a planning system and a control system. In the visual system, ultra sonic sensor is used to renovate partial environmental map. In the planning system, proposed on-line path planning method which use an artificial potential field based on the solution of the Laplacian differential. Also, the model of sloshing is derived by using the double-pendulum model. The optimal design of shape and size for rod-tank system is discussed with this model. In the control system, feed-forward controller with terms of notch filter is used to achieve the suppression of sway for the transfer object. Finally, the validity of the proposed method is confirmed by simulation and experimental results.

Modeling and Straight Transfer Transformation Control of Shipboard Crane Considering Ship Sway

The purpose of this paper was to develop a control system for a shipboard crane that considers safety and work efficiency. A shipboard crane model was built and a straight-transfer transformation control system was designed. In order to realize transfer trajectory control, a Two-Degree-of-Freedom (2-DOF) control system was applied. It was demonstrated that the work efficiency of transferring a load to a target position can be improved by considering shipboard sway, by using a 2-DOF system that combines a feedforward control system with a feedback control system, and making the transfer trajectory follow the desired one.

Experiment of virtual tug-of-war via internet with multilateral telecontrol

Social communication created on the Internet has realized a communication form mankind never experienced in which thousands or millions of people share each other images and sounds. In this report, we present the results of virtual tug-of-war experiments using multilateral telecontrol in which clients in eight sites throughout Japan share the force sense.

Educational Joint Project between NCT and TUT in Japan Using Tele-Control System

This paper presents an educational research project based on a collaboration between the National Colleges of Technology (NCT) and the Toyohashi University of Technology (TUT) in Japan. First, we constructed a telecontrol system that can work on the Internet for teleoperation experiments. To transmit realistic-looking environmental information, we implemented a 3D scenography system. Here we describe our experimental apparatuses and the control experiments performed as educational experiences for NCT students. In addition, to enhance the effectiveness of the educational experience and improve the proposed telecontrol system, we designed a questionnaire for operators to fill out after they finished the experiments. In this paper, we discuss the contents of the proposed educational system and the improvement of learning motivation that we believe could result from this project.

A design of the tele-operation control system for liquid container transfer by an overhead traveling crane

This research is suggested a design method a tele-operation control for liquid container transfer by an overhead crane system that allows the operator to control the speed of the overhead crane freely and to feel the swing of the rod instinctively through the reaction force. In remote control, the information of the distant place is important. Particularly, feeling the reaction force for operation is important like watching the rods movement with cameras. The proposed system in this research can be used via the internet and can be controlled from everywhere. For example, operating in a place such as the steel and the casting factory where is bad work environment due to a high temperature and mine dust, this tele-control system using the internet as its communication line can be useful, since it allows the operator to control the crane from a safer and good environment place. The usefulness of proposed system is demonstrated by an experiment.

A design of an overhead crane tele-operation control system

This paper presents a design method for a tele-operation controller for an overhead crane system that allows the operator to control the speed of the overhead crane freely and to feel the swing of the rod instinctively through the reaction force. Feeling the reaction force makes it easier for the operator to know about the swing of the rod than simply seeing the rods movement through cameras. This system can be used via the internet and can be controlled from everywhere. For example, operating in a place such as a nuclear power plant, where it could be dangerous for humans to be in the case of an accident, this tele-control system using the internet as its communication line can be useful, since it allows the operator to control the crane from a safer place. The use of our system is demonstrated by an experiment run jointly by Toyohashi and Toyota.