Werner Neubauer

A spider-like robot that climbs vertically in ducts or pipes

Different implementations of remote controlled robots with wheels or stepping mechanisms are in use that can inspect and repair the interior of a pipe or duct. However, autonomous locomotion in complex shaped hollows with corners, steps and branches remains a major challenge. This paper describes a robot with articulated legs that opens up the possibility of servicing complex pipe systems. To solve the pipe climbing task autonomously, the robot has a hierarchical control architecture with reflexive and reactive behaviour. Experiments were carried out in a 2D simulation as well as with an eight-legged robot test-bed. The experiments show the physical feasibility of such a robot, and that it is possible to achieve a robust, safe and powerful operation using reflexive and reactive behaviour.<<ETX>>

Locomotion with articulated legs in pipes or ducts

Abstract Different implementations of remote controlled robots exist that can inspect and repair the interior of a pipe or duct. For this purpose they have video cameras and tools like a welding set or a grinder on board. This paper describes an approach with articulated legs that are pushed against the walls to obtain a grip. In contrast to wheels, for instance, legs overcome problems of common pipe inspection robots, like branches or obstacles in the pipe. The robot has a hierarchical control architecture with reflexive behaviour in the lower layers. In a two-dimensional simulation environment the robot performed successfully in several shapes of pipes. The results show that simple reflexive behaviour is sufficient to overcome even complex shapes. In the tested environment, reflexive behaviour prevented deadlock and ensured the robots safe operation.

Learning Systems Behavior For The Automatic Correction And Optimization Of Off-line Robot Programs

Robot program generation by means of graphical 08lane simulation tools has become a widely accepted alternative (or additional technique) to on-line teach-in methods. Unfortunately, the generated programs have to be adjusted (re-taught) manually to the production cell’s environment before they finally can be used in the factory plant. The positioning errors resulting from the execution of the generated programs are due to the inaccurate modeling of the robot (geometry, kinematics and esp. the dynamics), the parts and the tools in the graphical simulation package. This paper presents an approach for correcting and optimizing inaccurate robot programs automatically. Sensors measure the di

Optimal, sampling-based manipulation planning

erence between the robot’s intended and actual path. The errors are used to learn the robot’s system model, without explicitly modeling factors such as damping, backlash, friction etc. After the robot model has been learned, the positioning errors can be compensated for by adjusting the coordinates of the MOVE STRAIGHT commands of the robot programs. The paper describes approaches where lanear and non-linear neural networks are used for the forward and inverse robot system models. Finally simulation results are presented and discussed.

Kollisionserkennung und -vermeidung für einen mobilen Manipulator

When robots perform manipulation tasks, they need to determine their own movement, as well as how to grasp and release an object. Reasoning about the motion of the robot and the object simultaneously leads to a multi-modal planning problem in a high-dimensional configuration space. In this paper we propose an asymptotically optimal manipulation planner. Our approach extends optimal sampling-based roadmap planners to efficiently explore the configuration space of the robot and the object. We prove probabilistic completeness and global, asymptotic optimality. Extensive simulations of a typical pick-and-place scenario show that our approach significantly outperforms a (nonoptimal) state-of-the-art approach. We implemented our planner on a real manipulator and were able to compute high quality solutions in less than a second.

Rohrkletterer mit acht Beinen

Im Bereich der mobilen Servicerobotik sind Interaktionsmoglichkeiten zwischen Mensch und Maschine erwunscht, die deutlich uber derzeit verfugbare hinausgehen. In diesem Beitrag werden ein Kollisionsvermeidung s system und Kontaktreflexsystem vorgestellt, die zusammen mit einer „kunstlichen Haut“ die unmittelbare Interaktion im gleichen Arbeitsbereich ermoglichen. Die beruhrungslose und taktile Sensorik des Systems dient der Umgebungswahrnehmung und tragt daruber hinaus zur Sicherheit des Benutzers bei. Beispielhafte Ergebnisse werden mit Hilfe einer Simulation und anhand von Experimenten mit einem realen Roboter gezeigt.

Method and device for determining a path around a defined reference position

Um Rohrleitungen zu inspizieren und zu reparieren, werden bereits erfolgreich ferngesteuerte Roboter eingesetzt. In komplizierten Rohr- oder Schachtsystemen kommen diese Roboter jedoch an ihre Grenzen. Dieser Artikel beschreibt die Simulation und das derzeit entstehende Testbett eines autonomen Roboters, der sich mit acht Beinen einspreizt und so durch senkrechte und komplex geformte Hohlraume klettern kann. Er verwendet dabei nur taktile Sensoren, um die ihm unbekannte Welt zu ertasten. Die Roboterbewegungen konnen von der Steuerung wegen der fehlenden Information uber die Rohrform nicht im voraus geplant werden. Stattdessen stutzt sich die Steuerung so weit wie moglich auf reflexartige und reaktive Verhaltensweisen.