R. Ponticelli

Minimizing Energy Consumption in Hexapod Robots

Minimization of energy expenditure in autonomous mobile robots for industrial and service applications is a topic of huge importance, as it is the best way of lengthening mission time without modifying the power supply. This paper presents a method to minimize the energy consumption of a hexapod robot on irregular terrain. An energy-consumption model is derived for statically stable gaits before applying minimization criteria. Then, some parameters that define the foot trajectories of the legged robot are computed to minimize energy expenditure during every half a locomotion cycle. The method is evaluated using an accurate geometric model of the SILO-6 walking robot.

A scanning robotic system for humanitarian de‐mining activities

Purpose – Humanitarian de‐mining tasks require the use of specific detecting sets to detect landmines. These sets are normally based on a one‐point sensor, which must be moved over the infested terrain by a combination of a scanning manipulator and a mobile platform. The purpose of this paper is to present the development of the sensor head and the scanning manipulator.Design/methodology/approach – The manipulator needs sensors in order to negotiate ground irregularities and detect obstacles in the path of the mine‐detecting set. All of the sensors must be integrated into a sensor head that is in charge of both detecting land mines and providing overall sensor functions for the mobile platforms steering controller.Findings – The sensor head is based on a commercial mine‐detecting set and a ground‐tracking set based on a network of range sensors tailor‐made for this purpose; the scanning manipulator is based on a mechanism with five degrees of freedom.Originality/value – The design assessment and some exp...

Mobile robotic system for detection and location of antipersonnel land mines: field tests

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the results obtained in the field tests of a new system for detection and location of antipersonnel land mines.Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents briefly the overall system and then it focuses on the description and analysis of the results obtained in three basic experiments: accuracy for following trajectories, mine detection and capability for walking over landmines.Findings – The paper finds that the system has been assessed positively for this specific application because it satisfies the initial system requirements.Research limitations/implications – The research and experiments have been focused on irregular terrain with low vegetation and free from obstacles. Further research will be focused on the complete coverage of a terrain including large vegetation and obstacles.Practical implications – This paper presents practical results for a very well defined application: humanitarian de‐mining. However, many of the results related with rob...

An Introductory Revision to Humanoid Robot Hands

In this paper is presented a collection of humanoid anthropomorphic robotic hands, which represent the state of the art at the best of our knowledge, at the date of this paper. It is revised the most important characteristics of the robotic hands and a comparative table is developed. The objective of this paper is try to give a general idea of the most well known robot hands by compiling and comparing principally what it thinks are the most relevant designs.

A new manipulator structure for power‐assist devices

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new manipulator structure to configure power‐assist devices in order to protect the operator from suffering musculoskeletal disorders. The mechanical structure and the control system along with their main features are presented.Design/methodology/approach – The new structure was designed under the criterion of minimizing the torques required for handling payloads up to 75 kg as well as to configure a system to be controlled easily.Findings – A new structure based on electrical AC motors and capable of handling high payloads exerting low motor torque is provided.Originality/value – The paper describes how application of the criterion of minimizing the required torques to handle heavy payload produced a new manipulator structure. This structure is patent protected.

Robotic Finger that Imitates the Human Index Finger in the Number and Distribution of its Tendons

This paper presents the design of a robot finger driven by tendons, inspired in the human index finger tendon distribution. The design tries to minimize the number of tendons required, without sacrificing the number of actuated degrees of freedom. In this paper we will take the finger only in the planar position, we will not consider the adduction and abduction movements.

Analysis of Humanoid Robot Lower Extremities Force Distribution in Standing Position

This paper introduces an approach oriented to obtain an analogous value to the ZMP (measured with force sensors on the feet soles) by means of the measurement of the robot lower extremities link forces. A preliminary study of force distribution in non-linearly actuated humanoid robot lower extremities is presented. The goal of this study is to relate the link forces with the ZMP in the sagittal plane. A ZMP model based on the link forces and the robot leg posture in the sagittal plane is obtained. The robot link forces are indirectly estimated through the measurement of the forces in the non-linear actuator, that are then directly related to the values of the ZMP in the sagittal plane. Experimental evaluations are presented.

Design of a Low Cost Force and Power Sensing Platform for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

This paper describes the design of a platform for measuring forces in a model helicopter using a calibration method, and experimental verification of the strategy. It is found that the platform is able to measure the forces in x, y and z direction. Another characteristic of the platform is that, it is constructed using small-size pieces, thus allowing easy and economic manufacturing of the platform.