Other Advanced Automation Books by V. Daniel Hunt

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1 SMART ROBOTS

2 Other Advanced Automation Books by V. Daniel Hunt Industrial Robotics Handbook Robot Justification Guide Dictionary of Advanced Automation Fundamentals of Industrial Robotics

3 SMART ROBOTS A HANDBOOK OF INTELLIGENT ROBOTIC SYSTEMS v. Daniel Hunt President, Technology Research Corporation NEW YORK LONDON CHAPMAN AND HALL

4 This book was prepared as an account of work sponsored by Chapman and Hall. Neither Chapman and Hall nor Technology Research Corporation, nor any of its employees, nor any of their contractors, subcontractors, consultants, or their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe on privately owned rights. The views, opinions and conclusions in this book are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the United States Government. Public domain information and those documents abstracted or used in full, edited or otherwise used are noted in the acknowledgements or on specific pages or illustrations. First published 1985 by Chapman and Hall 733 Third Avenue, New York, NY Published in Great Britain by Chapman and Hall Ltd 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE 1985 Chapman and Hall Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1985 All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted, or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Hunt, V. Daniel. Smart robots. Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Robotics. 2. Robots, Industrial. I. Title. TJ211.H ' ISBN-13: e-isbn-13: DOl: /

5 Dedication To Janet

6 PREFACE Here is one of the first really thorough presentations on smart robots. Robots, machine vision systems, sensors, manipulators, expert systems, and artificial intelligence concepts combined in state-of-the-art computer integrated manufacturing systems. These "smart" robots increase productivity and improve the quality of our products. This comprehensive volume, which is extensively illustrated, provides a unique synthesis and overview of the emerging field of smart robots, the basic approaches for each of the constituents systems, the techniques used, applications, the descriptions of current hardware or software projects, a review of the state-of-the-art of the technology, current research and development efforts, and trends in the development of smart robots. All of the information has been compiled from a wide variety of knowledgeable sources and recent government reports. An extensive selection of photographs, diagrams and charts amplify this book. The contents of major chapters include: Introduction to smart robots Artificial intelligence for smart robots Smart robot systems Sensor-controlled robots Machine vision systems Robot manipulators Natural language processing Expert systems and Computer integrated manufacturing Smart Robots presents the state-of-the-art in intelligent robots. It is designed to help the reader develop an understanding of industrial applications of smart robots as well as the new technological developments. Smart Robots is an outstanding introduction to the integration and application of machine vision systems, sensors, expert systems, and artificial intelligence technology. This book is useful for manufacturing

7 viii Preface engineers and managers interested in learning more about smart robots which can increase productivity and reduce manufacturing costs. Its glossary of terms, bibliography, points of contact, and index provide an excellent easy reference to specific topical information. v. Daniel Hunt Fairfax Station, Virginia

8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The information in Smart Robots has been compiled from a wide variety of authorities who are specialists in their respective fields. I wish to thank Dr. William B. Gevarter of the National Bureau of Standards for his research, synthesis, and PUBLICATION of information on intelligent robot systems. The following public domain publications were used as the basic technical resources for this book. An Overview of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Volumes 1 and 2, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, June 1983, NASA TM An Overview of Computer Vision, US Department of Commerce, September 1982, PB An Overview of Computer-Based Natural Language Processing, National Bureau of Standards, April 1983, PB Overview of Expert Systems, National Bureau of Standards, October 1982, PB Flexible Manufacturing System Handbook, Volumes 1-4, Charles Stark Draper Laboratories, NTIS, ADA-I27927, February The preparation of a book of this type is dependent upon an excellent staff, and I have been fortunate in this regard. Karen L. Ackerman has effectively served as technical editor of this book and has also carefully proofread the text. Special thanks are extended to Janet C. Hunt for research assistance, and Margaret Kubatz of Wordcom, Inc. for the manuscript word processing.

9 CONTENTS Preface Acknowledgments List of Figures List of Tables page vii IX XVll xxi 1. INTRODUCTION TO SMART ROBOTS 1 The Book 1 Artificial Intelligence and Robots 2 Sensing and Effecting 3 Knowledge About the Environment 4 Interpreting 4 Generating 5 Reasoning 5 Sensors 6 Visual Sensors 6 Tactile Sensors 6 Range Sensors 8 Proprioceptors 8 Machine Vision 9 Manipulators 13 Legs 14 Arms 14 Hands 15 Manipulation 15 Locomotion 23 Natural Language Processing 25 Spoken Language 28 Expert Systems 28 The Future ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR SMART ROBOTS 31 The History of Artificial Intelligence 32 The Basic Elements of Artificial Intelligence 39 Knowledge Representation 42

10 xii Contents Computational Logic 46 Logical Inference 48 Common Sense Reasoning 49 Non-Deductive Problem Solving Aproaches 50 Languages, Tools and Computers 56 Applications of Artificial Intelligence 69 Principal Participants 69 State of the Art 72 Basic Core Topics 75 Expert Systems 75 Natural Language 76 Machine Vision 76 Towards the Future 77 Smart Robots 78 Industrial Applications 79 Machine Vision 79 Expert Systems 79 Natural Language 79 Computers for Future Automation 80 Computer Aided Instruction (CAl) 80 Learning by Computers 81 The Social Impacts SMART ROBOTS 83 Overview 83 Productivity 85 Impact on Work Force 87 Growth Potential 90 System Elements 96 Controller 96 Manipulator 99 End Effector 101 Robotic Functional Categories 102 Sensory Perception 103 Smart Robot Systems 106 Application of Smart Robots 108 Implementation of Smart Robots into Your Plant 113 Research and Development Efforts 118 Research Requirements 118 Synthesis of Research Needed 121 Current Robot Research 127 Future Development 140

11 Contents Sensing Devices 140 Cost 141 Size 141 Systems Integration 142 Marketing 142 Technology SENSOR-CONTROLLED ROBOTS 146 Sensor Integration 148 Programming 148 Teaching 148 Sensitivity 149 Proximity Sensors 150 Range Sensors 152 Tactile Sensors 153 Visual Sensors 155 Summary MACHINE VISION SYSTEMS 158 Overview 158 Machine Vision Definition 162 Origins of Machine Vision 163 Relation to Human Vision 165 Basis for a General Purpose Image Understanding System 168 Basic Paradigms for Machine Vision 170 Hierarchical Bottom-Up Approach 170 Hierarchical Top-Down Approach 171 Heterarchical Approach 172 Blackboard Approach 172 Levels of Representation 173 Representation Methods and Techniques 175 Low Level Features 175 Extracting Edges and Areas 177 Segmentation and Interpretation D Representation, Description and Recognition 183 Recovery of Intrinsic Surface Characteristics 184 Higher Levels of Representation 187 Tracking 189 Research in Model-Based Machine Vision Systems 191 Machine Vision Systems 199 General Characteristics 199 Machine Vision Inspection Systems 201 Xlll

12 XIV Contents Machine Vision Recognition and Location Systems 202 Commercially Available Machine Vision Systems 205 Developers of Machine Vision Systems 212 Sources of Research Funding 213 Summary of the State of the Art 214 Human Vision 214 Low and Intermediate Levels of Processing 214 Machine Vision System Development 215 Current Problems and Issues 217 Research Needed 219 Future Trends 222 Conclusion ROBOT MANIPULATORS 226 Configurations 236 Jointed Arms 236 Cartesian Coordinate 236 Cylindrical Coordinate 238 Spherical Coordinate 238 Actuators 240 Work Volume 241 Common Work Volume Shape 243 Limits on Work Volume 243 Optimization 243 Robot Controllers 245 Dynamic Properties 246 Dynamic Performance 246 Stability 247 Spatial Resolution 249 Accuracy 250 Repeatability 252 Compliance NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING 260 Natural Language Models 262 Type A: No World Models 262 Type B: Systems that Use Explicit World Models 263 Type C: Systems that Include Information about the Goals and Beliefs of Intelligent Entities 263 Grammar 263 Semantic Processing 264 Knowledge representation 265

13 Contents Parsing 266 Semantics, Parsing and Understanding 269 Natural Language Processing Systems 270 Typical System Configurations 271 Research Systems Under Development 275 Commercial Systems 275 Development Facilities 275 Complexities of Natural Language Processing 290 The Future for Natural Language Processing EXPERT SYSTEMS FOR ROBOTICS 295 Fundamentals of Expert Systems 296 Expert System Architecture 298 The Knowledge Base 303 Design Techniques 305 Current Expert Systems 309 Robotic Applications of Expert Systems COMPUTER INTEGRATED MANUF ACTURING 316 Introduction 316 What is a Computer Integrated Manufacturing System? 317 CIMS Benefits 318 When to Use CIMS Technology 320 Challenges to Management and the Organization 321 CIMS Acquisition 322 Steps in the Acquisition of a CIMS 322 Establishing the CIMS Task Force 322 CIMS Implementation Plan 324 The Request for Proposal 325 Evaluations 325 Description of Computer Integrated Manufacturing System Elements 325 Detailed Description of a Computer Integrated Manufacturing System 326 Work Stations 328 Material Handling System 331 Control System Software 335 Other Significant Elements 342 Three Example Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems 349 Kearney and Trecker CIMS at A VCO-Lycoming, Stratford, Connecticut 349 Detroit Diesel Allison, Indianapolis, Indiana 350 xv

14 XVI Contents Giddings and Lewis CIMS at Caterpillar Tractor Company, Aurora, Illinois 352 Projected Trends in elms Technology 354 Appendix A: Glossary 357 Appendix B: Bibliography 363 Index 369

15 FIGURES 1-1 Automatix AID 300 Series smart robot with Autovision 4 machine vision system A model of artificial intelligence and smart robots Control Automation, Inc. CA V-1000 machine vision system used as intelligent sensor input Fairchild CCD machine vision system camera Machine vision system interpretation of picture element modules Optomation II provides machine vision defect detection inspection Machine Intelligence Corporation Model 3030 smart robot system is a programmable automation system Odetics, Inc. Walking Machine Unimation Westinghouse Model 2100 smart robot with telescoping arm PhD, Inc. smart robot grippers GMF Robotics Corporation spray painting smart robot system Control Automation, Inc. Mini Sembler robot for high precision assembly applications Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. Model D vision seam tracker Cincinnati Milacron T3-776 robot spot welding auto frame Volvo material handling systems A condensed history of artificial intelligence The decade of the 70s to present development Elements of artificial intelligence Tree representation of paths through the state graph of Figure State graph for a simple problem Simple example of a semantic network Problem solving procedure Automatic problem solving relationships A production system Idealized event-driven control scheme Representation of list structures in memory 58

16 XVlll Figures 2-13 List representation of a search tree Swedish spine robot in spray painting application Productivity growth rate in the United States Unimate robots on automobile production line Definitions and classifications of industrial robots Basic components of smart robots Production line employee instructs smart robot GCA/CIMROC Teach Pendant Manipulator movement Mack robot gripper End effector motions Pick and place function performed by Unimate Robot Fiber optics tactile sensor Forecast of user needs for robots by production process Robot development, introduction and diffusion Robots provide better working environment Steps to increase productivity through robotics JIRA user survey of desired improvements in industrial robots Moog high performance actuator GCA/XR 50 Series robot on overhead track Cincinnati Milacron's t smart robot uses machine vision and voice synthesis Magnetic-field sensor-reed relay Polaroid acoustic range finder Tactile corpuscle array Ham visual sensor camera General Electric advanced machine vision and control system used for welding GE Optomation II detecting missing item Framework for theory of visual information processing Example of 21/2 dimensional sketch Model-based interpretation of images Basic image understanding paradigms Computational architecture for a general purpose vision system Organization of a visual system Intensity variations at step edges Examples of non-linear filtering Intrinsic images derived from a single monochrome intensity image CALMA computer aided design visual presentation Kuka "Autoflex" robot systems with overhead mounted robot, at upper right General purpose grippers 228

17 Figures 6-3 Devilbiss-Trallfa TR-3500 industrial finishing robot Hobart arc welding system with Motoman L-lOW robot Cincinnati Milacron T3 robot welding car bodies Jointed arm manipulator Cincinnati Milacron T3 robot Cartesian coordinate manipulator Cylindrical coordinate manipulator Spherical coordinate manipulator Spherical coordinate robot manipulator Actuators specially designed by Parker, Hannifin Corporation Work volume specification Robot configuration classifications Coordinate systems ASEA IRB 6L12 smart robot driven by the ASEA SII controller Parsing transition network Example of noun phrase decomposition Parse tree representation of the noun phrase surface structure Expert system flow diagram Expert system architecture development Expert system structure dissimilarities General Electric computer integrated manufacturing system in Erie, PA Manufacturing technology application areas Conceptual drawing of a CIMS Eaton-Kenway Robocarrier XK Smart robot in clustered workcell Manual production environment CIM control system architecture EW AB Engineering workpiece handling conveyor system Computer integrated manufacturing systems installed in U.S Kearney and Trecker CIMS White-Sundstrand computer integrated manufacturing system Giddings and Lewis computer integrated manufacturing system 353 xix

18 TABLES Comparison of artificial intelligence with conventional programming 32 Primary emphasis of problem solving tactics 53 Some personal artificial intelligence computers now available 67 Generic applications of artificial intelligence 70 Examples of domain-specific applications of artificial intelligence 71 The principal participants in artificial intelligence 73 Machine vision companies 77 International robot population (1980) 92 Forecast of robot growth 93 Industrial robots in operation 93 Principal users of industrial robots in Japan 95 Japanese robot usage by production process 95 Japanese production of robots by type 95 Robot attributes 107 Number of robots produced by major Japanese robot manufacturers 108 Customer needs analysis/application survey 109 Estimated U.S. robot order trends by usage 111 Main research subjects in smart robots by Japanese robot manufacturers 120 Desirable goals for future robots 120 Recommended distribution of U.S. robotics research funds/effort 121 Stanford University robotics research 128 MIT robotics research/ai Lab 129 MIT robotics research 130 Carnegie-Mellon University robotics research 130 Rhode Island University robotics research 131 University of Florida robotics research 131 Robot research at other universities 132 Robotics research at Charles Stark Draper Lab, Inc. 133 Robotics research at SRI International 133

19 XXll Tables 3-23 Robot research in commercial U.S. companies Near-term R&D in sophisticated machine vision systems Research activities of U.S. robot manufacturers In-house government robotic research U.S. government supported robotics research U.S. government robotic applications development Forecast of robot technology development Commercial machine vision system developers Examples of applications of machine vision now underway Visual tracking approaches ARCONYM Model-based vision system VISIONS Model-based vision system Model-based vision systems Example efforts in machine visual inspection systems Example efforts in machine vision recognition and location systems Commercially available machine vision systems Universities engaged in machine vision research Future applications for machine vision systems Application of natural language processing SHRDLU natural language understanding systems SOPHIE natural language understanding systems TDUS natural language understanding systems LUNAR natural language understanding systems PLANES/JETS natural language understanding systems ROBOT/INTELLECT natural language understanding systems LADDER natural language understanding system SAM natural language understanding systems PAM natural language understanding systems Natural language understanding systems in research/ development phase Commercial natural language systems Development facilities-principal U.S. participants in NLP research and development Programming tools for building expert systems Source of expert system knowledge Existing expert systems by functions Characteristics of SRI ABSTRIPS robotics expert system Characteristics of SRI NOAH robotics expert systems Steps in CIMS implementation 323

Handbook of MODERN GRINDING TECHNOLOGY

Handbook of MODERN GRINDING TECHNOLOGY OTHER OUTSTANDING VOLUMES IN THE CHAPMAN AND HALL ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY SERIES V. Daniel Hunt: SMART ROBOTS: A Handbook of Intelligent Robotic Systems David