Seungyeol Lee

Cooperative Control of a Single-user Multi-robot Teleoperated system for maintenance in offshore plants

In this paper, we propose a cooperative control method of a single-user multi-robot (SUMR) teleoperated system for maintenance in offshore plants that is designed to perform in a 1:N mode (here, “1” refers to the number of user, and “N” denotes the number of slave robots), in which a single user teleoperates a number of slave robots directly to conduct a specific operation or in an autonomous cooperation mode between slave robots in order to overcome the limitation of the 1:1 teleoperation mode. This paper is also designed to extend compatibility in the SUMR teleoperated system’s controller. A haptic device, which is one of the master device, is used for duplex transmission of control and status data between a robotic manipulator and user. In this paper, a new haptic library is also designed to connect between a haptic device (PHANToM premium, Sensable) and a controller based on LabVIEW. The designed new haptic library (DLL, dynamic linking library) that is created using C++ is called in LabVIEW, which is a GUI (graphical user interface) based software development tool.

Introduction of Human-Robot Cooperation Technology at Construction Sites

Currently, a new construction method using a robotic system is widely spreading in construction sites. This study is related to introduction of humanrobot cooperation technology which can improve convenience and productivity through the efficient interaction between a worker and a robotic system while doing glass panel installation works. Based on the analysis on glass panel installation with a glazing robot, functional requirements and approaches to address these requirements that can implement human-robot cooperative manipulation at construction sites. A practical example, which is applied to a specific target construction site, is also described in this paper. After field test at a real construction site, productivity and safety of the proposed system are compared with the existing glass panel installation system.

Management of a Single-User Multi-Robot Teleoperated System for Handling Large Valves in Offshore Plants

This paper proposes a new approach to task management method of a single‐user multi‐robot teleoperated system for handling large valves in offshore plants. The task management method is designed to perform a 1:N mode (here, “1” refers to the number of operators, and “N” denotes the number of robots), in which a single operator teleoperates a number of slave robots directly to conduct a large valve handling task, or in an autonomous cooperation mode between slave robots in order to overcome the limitations of the aforementioned 1:1 (here, “1” refers to the number of operators and slave robots) teleoperation mode. The aforementioned management method is responsible for the role sharing and integration of slave robots to divide the operation mode of the slave robots into various types according to the operator’s intervention level and the characteristics of the target operation (valve handling) beforehand and to perform the target operation using the robot operation mode selected by the operator.

Case studies on glazing robot technology on construction sites

Glass panel (curtain-wall, glass ceiling etc.) is a type of building material for interior/exterior finishing. The demand for larger glass panel has increased along with the number of high-rise buildings and an increased interest in interior design. Typical construction machineries are, however, not adequate for installing the glass panel and most of the construction works have been still managed by a human operator. Construction processes are, therefore, fraught with a number of problems. The objective of this paper to introduce case studies on glazing robot technology for installing glass panel on construction sites. The first case is related to robot technology for installing curtain-walls in a high-rise building construction site. To satisfy curtain-walls installing needs for precise and safe work, especially, a hybrid motion typed curtain-wall glazing robot (HCGR) has been developed and applied to real construction sites. After applying HCGR to a real construction site, the second case study is directly planned to apply glazing robot technology to glass ceiling installing process. In all cases, a novel control strategy of glazing robot is proposed for installation of heavy glass panels in cooperation between a human operator and a glazing robot.

Reaction Force based Grasping Position Estimation of Multi-Teleoperated Robots for Pipe Installation in Offshore Plants

When two robots grasp a long object such as a pipe, each robot needs information on the position of the other robots grippers to create a path while handling the pipe. Thus, our study discusses methods of estimating the other robots position and angle during a grasping operation by one robot, which is a fundamental pipe-handling technique using for tele-operated robots. For verification of handling a pipe by robot grippers, our experiment is designed with three cases: the grippers of the two robots are separated by the same distance in opposite directions; one robots grippers are separated, whereas the other robots grippers are fixed; and the grippers of the two robots grasp a pipe that is not laid parallel to the ground. The three cases were tested by using two practical robot grippers and a pipe. Using force/torque sensors installed on the robot grippers, the reaction forces of each robots grippers were measured at the location where the pipe was grasped. By comparing and analyzing the measured reaction forces, the estimated relative position and angle between the grippers were described for each case.

A Robot system and Virtual Environment for Therapeutic Exercise in Upper Limb Rehabilitation: Robotic Exercise System

This study presents a virtual environment with a robot system for multi-joint rehabilitation exercise. This is a new application in the field of rehabilitation medicine and reflects the current trend of using robots in service fields. It is well known that exercise is indispensable for rehabilitation for damaged bones, joints, and muscles. The damaged parts are treated with surgery and/or medicine then exercise is prescribed to recover normal function. However, because current exercise machines provide only single-joint exercise, adjacent joints must be exercised separately. The reconfiguration of machines is known to be annoying and troublesome for therapists. These disadvantages can be overcome by introducing multi-joint exercise. The injured and neighboring joints can participate in exercise during multi-joint exercise. In part I, a virtual environment for multi-joint exercise in rehabilitation was presented. In part II, the RES (Robotic Exercise System) is studied as a force-reflecting system is discussed.

A robot system and virtual environment for therapeutic exercise in upper limb rehabilitation: Virtual environment modeling

It is well known that exercise is indispensable in the course of rehabilitation for damaged bones, joints, and muscles. The damaged parts are treated with surgery and/or medicine then exercise is prescribed to recover normal function. Though various exercise machines, which control the force and speed of the exercise, are used for reliable exercise, they have common disadvantages in that the exercise is limited to only one joint, and reconfiguration is required according to the body part. Although exercise is prescribed for an injured joint, neighboring joints must also be exercised to prevent deterioration. However, because current exercise machines provide only single-joint exercise, adjacent joints must be exercised separately. These disadvantages can be overcome by introducing multi-joint exercise. A robot is introduced for multi-joint exercise and to solve the problems of existing exercise machines. The exercise system is a kind of haptic system, composed of a robot and virtual environment. This paper presents a virtual environment for multi-joint exercise in rehabilitation. The exercise is modeled as a virtual environment in which the robot and a human interact. It is expected that the virtual environment is flexible and can be modified easily to reflect various conditions of the exercise.

Design of Teach Pendant for Robot Glazing System

Currently, a new construction method using a robotic system is widely spreading in construction sites. This study is related to the design of glazing robot’s teach pendant which can improve convenience of handling and hence improve the productivity through the efficient interaction between an operator and a robot while doing glazing works, e.g., curtain wall installing. The suitability of selection and arrangement of control switches was assessed according to mechanical motions of a glazing robot, and design guidelines for improving convenience and productivity were drawn up through questionnaires carried out by site operators. To verify the proposed design guidelines, working time comparison of the proposed teach pendant and the existing teach pendant was executed.

Prototype for Glazed Panel Construction Robot

The prototype system of human–robot cooperative manipulation presented in this chapter combines a mobile platform and a manipulator standardized in modular form to compose its basic system. Also, the hardware and software necessary for each area of application were composed of additional modules and combined with the robot’s basic system. The suggested prototype can execute particular operations in various areas such as construction, national defense and rescue by changing these additional modules.

Glazed Ceiling Panel Construction Robot

The glazed ceiling panel construction robot presented in this chapter combines an aerial work platform and a multi-DOF manipulator. One of the advantages of the proposed robot is the glazed ceiling panel installing by human–robot cooperative manipulation. A HRI device and the vacuum suction device combined with the multi-DOF manipulator are included in this work. Designing of a robotized construction process and field test using the robot is applied on a construction site.