Eiichi Ono

Task instruction by putting task information in work space

This paper presents a task instruction scheme for a service robot operating in a daily life environment. It is difficult for the robot to execute tasks automatically in the daily life environment, because it should handle various objects and the working environment is complex. In such an environment, the concept of shared autonomy by which the robot can share a task with a human is important. The task instruction that we propose is as follows: An operator clicks on a target object in a camera image and the system gets the position of the clicked point in the work space from the corresponding range image. Then, the operator selects the task model and attaches the task information to the position and the robot can perform its task safely and reliably using this task information. The features of the task instruction are as follows. An object model is composed of a list of task models which can be applied to the object category. The user recognizes the object type and its situation in the environment, and instructs a robot to execute a task by selecting a task model according to the object type and situation.

On better pushing for picking a piece of fabric from layers

It is important to handling fabric in automated sewing system. When picking up a piece of fabric from layers, a person makes a crease and pinches one piece. Author proposed making a crease for picking up a piece of fabric and realized that a robot hand with a palm and three fingers picked up a piece of fabric from layers experimentally. Observation of pickup experiment results in that there is some area for easier pickup. This paper describes about what a part of a fabric should be better to push for making a crease easier to pick up one piece of fabric.

Single-Switch User Interface for Robot Arm to Help Disabled People Using RT-Middleware

We are developing a manipulator system in order to support disabled people with less muscle strength such as muscular dystrophy patients. Such a manipulator should have an easy user interface for the users to control it. But the supporting manipulator for disabled people cannot make large industry, so we should offer inexpensive manufacturing way. These type products are called “orphan products.” We report on the construction of the user interface system using RT-Middleware which is an open software platform for robot systems. Therefore other user interface components or robot components which are adapted to other symptoms can be replaced with the user interface without any change of the contents. A single switch and scanning menu panel are introduced as the input device for the manual control of the robot arm. The scanning menu panel is designed to perform various actions of the robot arm with the single switch. A manipulator simulation system was constructed to evaluate the input performance. Two muscular dystrophy patients tried our user interface to control the robot simulator and made comments. According to the comments by them, we made several improvements on the user interface. This improvements examples prepare inexpensive manufacturing way for orphan products.

Picking up a piece of fabric from layers by a hand with 3 fingers and a palm

This paper investigates the handling of a fabric - a limp material with softness and flexibility. The fabric is characterized not only by its malleability but also its nonlinear properties. These properties are considered for picking up a piece of fabric. The robot hand with 3 fingers and a palm, that is used to study various handling techniques, is introduced. Its performance when picking up a piece from layers is experimentally shown.

Robotic arm operation training system for persons with disabled upper limbs

In this paper, a training system designed to familiarize persons who have severe upper limb disabilities with robotic arm operation is described. The system combines a robotic arm simulator with various control interfaces and provides training tasks to learn how to operate robotic arms. In our training system, four test subjects used a virtual system to practice how to execute peg insertion tasks, and thus improved their ability to operate actual robotic arms. The training results, along with the results of post-training experiments conducted using an actual robotic arm, demonstrate the effectiveness of the training system.

On friction picking up a piece of fabric from layers

This paper investigates picking up a piece of fabric that is a limp material with softness and flexibility. Fabric is characterized by its non-linear properties and intricate factors of deformation. A robot hand for fabric is developed and tried to pick up a piece of fabric from layers experimentally. Relationships between its successful behavior and fabric properties are considered.