Livia Popescu

Remote vs. simulated, virtual or real-time automation laboratory

This paper presents the implementation of an automation laboratory with virtual, remote, real-time and simulated experiments for a workstation (body feed-positioning station, part of a Flexible Manufacturing System FMS-200) and the benefits of the application of Virtual Reality, Telematics and 3D simulation in Control Engineering education. Beyond the theoretical training based on the Internet, practical training based on the remote use of labs tends to hold an important place. The aims of all developed experiments are to improve the training of the students or engineers in the field of automation, but at the same time to offer technology for industrial developments.

A Web-based E-training Platform for biomedical engineering education

This paper presents the results of the Leonardo da Vinci project (Transfer of Innovation), named “A Web-based E-Training Platform for Extended Human Motion Investigation in Orthopaedics”. The project addresses to medical and engineering professionals, proposing formation of specialists that will systematically apply the principles of medical and bioengineering sciences in finding solutions that will lead in improving health conditions. The main outcome of the project was a Virtual Training & Communication Centre ORTHO-eMAN for innovative education - on-line educational and training material accessed via a standard web browser, which provides an integrated on-line learning environment. Interactivity allows trainees to test their knowledge and provides immediate feedback using images and cases that they might encounter in clinical practice.

Real, virtual, simulated and remote experiments for Electrical Engineering education

This paper presents real, simulated and remote experiments for the process stations, part of a Flexible Manufacturing System, and the benefits of the application of Virtual Reality and Telematics in Electrical Engineering education. An introduction to the basic concepts of Virtual Reality and description of process stations are provided. The real and simulated experiments on a process station are presented. A telematic structure was created for remote experiments with process stations. Finally, the “Virtual Repair” is discussed. All these methods improved the educational process.

Web Based Telematics Application for Robotics

The paper presents the work for development of a telematics application for robotics field. First, it was developed a client-server application and then a Web based application. A range of remote experiments with a mobile robot with particular emphasis on motor control, obstacle avoidance, image processing and their application to trajectory control can be done by the users. The users learn the microcontroller programming, sensor use, path planning, trajectory following. The idea is for the users to be able to perform real experiments, in real time, on real equipment, but over the Internet. The remote user is connected by Internet to a dedicated computer used for controlling and monitoring the mobile robot.

Upper Limb Motions Analysis for Development of an Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robotic System

The therapists from Prokinetic Rehabilitation Clinic identified the need of a passive rehabilitation robotic system with 3 degrees of freedom for the upper limb. This paper presents the work for the design and development of this kind of rehabilitation robotic system. This project aims to use a user-centered design process to create an upper limb rehabilitation robotic system for patients and therapists from Prokinetic Rehabilitation Clinic. The end-users are and will be involved actively, continuously throughout the system design, development and testing. Upper limb motion analysis has been done using the Vicon system, for simple motions and for functional motions. The positions, velocities and accelerations of each interest joint were obtained. We used this analysis in order to implement the control algorithms for the rehabilitation procedures with an upper limb rehabilitation robotic system. We designed the mechanical, actuation and control systems for this upper limb rehabilitation robotic system.

Robotic leg control based on Human motion analysis and neural control methods

This work presents some results obtained from image processing and motion analysis of the human body. The issues raised in motion analysis are of interest for obtaining motion-specific parameters for movements of the human body. The resulting data (spatial coordinates, velocities and accelerations) are used for further processing in humanoid robotics and assistive and recuperative technologies for people with disabilities. The results are implemented on a robotic leg, which was developed in our laboratories. A model based neural control strategy is implemented, too. The performances of the implemented control strategies for trajectory tracking are analyzed by computer simulation.

Neural and Adaptive Control Strategies for a Rigid Link Manipulator

The control of robotic manipulators has become important due to the development of the flexible automation. Requirements such as the high speed and high precision trajectory tracking make the modern control indispensable for versatile applications of manipulators (Middleton & Goodwin, 1998; Ortega & Spong, 1999; Popescu et al., 2008). Rigid robot systems are subjects of the research in both robotic and control fields. The reported research leads to a variety of control methods for such rigid robot systems (Ortega & Spong, 1999; Raimondi et al., 2004; Bobaşu & Popescu, 2006; Dinh et al., 2008). Conventional controllers for robotic structures are based on independent control schemes in which each joint is controlled separately by a simple servo loop. This classical control scheme (for example a PD control) is inadequate for precise trajectory tracking. The imposed performance for industrial applications requires the consideration of the complete dynamics of the manipulator. Moreover, in real-time applications, the ignoring parts of the robot dynamics or errors in the parameters of the robotic manipulator may cause the inefficiency of this classical control. An alternative solution to PD control is the computed torque technique. This classical method is in fact a nonlinear technique that takes account of the dynamic coupling between the robot links. The main disadvantage of this structure is the assumption of an exactly known dynamic model. However, the basic idea of this method remains important and it is the base of the neural and adaptive control structures (Gupta & Rao, 1994; Pham & Oh, 1994; Dumbravă & Olah, 1997; Ortega & Spong, 1999; Aoughellanet et al., 2005; Popescu et al. 2008). Industrial robotic manipulators are exposed to structured and unstructured uncertainties. Structured uncertainties are characterized by having a correct model but with parameter uncertainty (unknown loads and friction coefficients, imprecision of the manipulator link properties, etc.). Unstructured uncertainties are characterized by unmodelled dynamics. Generally speaking, two classes of strategies have been developed to maintain performance in the presence of the parameter uncertainties: robust control and adaptive control. The adaptive controllers can provide good performances in face of very large load variation. Therefore the adaptive approach is intuitively superior to robust approach in this type of application. When the dynamic model of the system is not known a priori (or is not 11