Paulo Malheiros

Realistic simulation of a Lego Mindstorms NXT based robot

This paper describes the realistic simulation of a Lego Mindstorms NXT based robot. The presented approach does not replace the training with hardware but is an important complement, since it allows to develop robot software without accessing to the real hardware.

Robust and real-time teaching of industrial robots for mass customisation manufacturing using stereoscopic vision

In this paper a method to control and teach industrial robots in real-time by human demonstration is presented. It aims to decrease down-times for reconfigurations and programming costs, particularly in a mass customisation manufacturing scenario. This system uses high-intensity visual markers that make it sufficiently robust for industrial environments not requiring special lighting. An automated camera calibration method was implemented which enables any non-skilled user a quick and easy configuration of the system. The teaching of the robot is achieved by recording the detected points and replaying them to the manipulator, therefore this is a ¿teaching-by-showing¿ method. The final program that the robot is uploaded with is a smooth trajectory calculated using all the recorded points, which are analysed and grouped into different motion segments according to position and speed.

Real-Time Tracking System for a Moored Oil Tanker: A Kalman Filter Approach

This paper presents a tracking system developed to study the behavior of an oil tanker moored at the Berth “A” of the Leixoes Oil Terminal, Porto, Portugal. A brief description of the local environmental conditions and the existing operational conditions at that oil terminal are presented. Due to extreme outdoor working conditions a Kalman filter was implemented to ensure the robustness and reliability of the obtained measurements. Tests were performed in laboratory on a physical model of a moored oil tanker at a scale 1/100. The results were compared with a commercial motion capture system installed in laboratory. The presented measurement system was developed as part of the DOLPHIN project that aims to study the behavior of moored ships in harbors.

Fostering advances in mechatronics and robotics resorting to simulation

Abstract This paper presents the modelling and simulation of a wheeled mobile robot designed to operate in structured environments and the development of robot software based on its simulation. The mobile robot was simulated resorting to the SimTwo, a custom made simulator developed by the authors with the purpose to test and produce control software for industrial, humanoid and wheeled robots. The presented example is in the field of edutainment robotics, being presented the localization and navigation in a Fire Fight Robot Contest arena of an omnidirectional mobile robot equipped with brushless motors and infra-red distance sensors. Edutainment robotics plays an important role in education due to the inherent multi-disciplinary concepts that are involved, motivating students to technological areas. It also plays an important role in research and development, because it is expected that the outcomes that will emerge here, will later be transfered to other application areas, such as service robots and manufacturing.