All theses offered at MERLIN (November 2017)

Transcription

1 All theses offered at MERLIN (November 2017)

2 MSc theses at Politecnico di Milano Thesis with reviewer Thesis without reviewer ( tesina ) Expected effort 6 months full time 3 4 months full time Reviewer required yes no Maximum increment for the final grade 7/110 4/110 MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

3 Prof. Paolo Rocco Prof. Andrea Maria Zanchettin

4 Ergonomic positioning of bulky objects Thesis 1 Robot acts as a 3rd hand for workpiece positioning: Muscular fatigue depends on task and posture We want to identify the most ergonomic positioning of a work-object through a robot Validation using semg data Example of application: priming of car bumpers with a Comau SmartSix. MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

5 Recognition of complex human activities Thesis 2 In a robotic cell it is possible to collect a variety of different observations: skeletal point positions, head orientation (with a Head Mounted Device), objects in the scene, etc. distance to objects head orientation Skeletal point position Can we use Bayesian Networks as a tool to infer which action a human is doing, according to this set of indirect observations? picking assembling hammering MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

6 Prediction of human activity patterns Thesis 3 Human activities usually form patterns that can be inferred from previous observations. Typical methods (e.g. Markov chains) do not consider constraints such as the availability of parts, tools or space. Can we develop methods to predict the sequence of activities of the human? Example of application: collaborative assembly with ABB YuMi robot. MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

7 Scheduling of robotic activities in a humanrobot collaboration context Thesis 4 It is possible to use Timed Petri Net to schedule robot activities in a human-robot context. Since robot and human share a common space, the duration of a robotic activity is not deterministic (sometimes the robot has to slow down to avoid collision with human). Is it possible to take into account variability of motion time during scheduling? Example of application: collaborative assembly with ABB YuMi robot. MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

8 Applications and case studies in collaborative robotics Thesis 5 The MERLIN Lab has been active for several years in research on human-robot interaction and collaborative robotics A spin-off company has been recently created. It will bring a new device for human-robot collaboration to the market Theses will be available on development of case studies and applications of collaborative robotics with different robotic platforms MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

9 Remote handling of liquids for teleoperation applications Thesis 6 Topics: Robot teleoperation, force feedback, constrained control, sloshing angle perception Teleoperation allows to control a robot from a distance We have developed an optimization-based policy to avoid liquid spilling in autonomous tasks however a human operator often has to remotely handle liquids (e.g. pharma production) We want to join together these techniques to assist the user during remote liquid handling, and provide information via force feedback to teach him/her how to operate without assistance MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

10 Human intention estimation from visual servoing in shared control teleoperation Thesis 7 Topics: Robot teleoperation, machine learning, visual servoing Teleoperation can be difficult due to system structure and devices mapping We have trained a neural network for human intention prediction during humanrobot cooperative tasks We want to transfer this result to robot teleoperation with visual feedback Objective: infer user intention from visual servoing data, and develop a strategy to help the user in executing the predicted task MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

11 Remote robot manipulation task with visual and force feedback Thesis 8 Topics: Robot teleoperation, visual servoing, interaction control, virtual fixtures We have developed a visual servoed teleoperation system for a reaching task in presence of camera occlusions and a level control law that guarantees stability during interaction with the environment Objective: couple the two controllers together to perform a remote manipulation task with both visual and force feedback, from the environment and virtual motion constraints MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

12 Modelling and control of a hydraulically actuated mechanism Thesis 9 Hydraulic actuators are used in several machines where large forces are needed Control of a hydraulically actuated mechanism entails interesting problems related with resonances and nonlinearities Objective: to study advanced, model-based, control schemes for these systems and to validate them on a test bench in the framework of a collaboration with a company MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

13 Modelling and control of a hydraulically actuated machine Thesis 10 Hydraulically actuated machines are characterized by closed-chains, highly nonlinear dynamics, resonant behaviours A mechatronic model of a machine has been developed that can serve to offline test innovative control laws Objective: to study advanced, model-based, control schemes for an articulated machine with hydraulic actuators and to validate them on a real machine in the framework of a collaboration with a company Koivumäki and Mattila, 2016 MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

14 Aerial manipulation Thesis 11 An aerial robotic manipulator is a system composed of a quadrotor equipped with a robotic arm. Several control problems arise related to the coupling of the two systems A prototype has been made at MERLIN We want to perform experiments on the prototype MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

15 Industrial robotics for the additive manufacturing Thesis 12 Additive manufacturing (3D printing) is one of the most fast-growing technologies for the factory of the future Industrial robots can serve as dexterous 3D printers Application on a COMAU RACER robot Atropos +LAB POLIMI Collaborazione con un altro Dipartimento del Politecnico MERLIN Available theses in industrial robotics

16 Prof. Luca Bascetta

17 Theses topics Human robot interaction Industrial/flexible robotics Manipulation of complex objects Mechatronics DEIB

18 Increasing stability and performance of human robot interaction Human robot interaction During physical human robot interaction (e.g. walkthrough programming) the mechanical characteristics of the operator arm have an important effect on the system stability and performance We have already defined a protocol to experimentally characterized the human arm mechanical impedance and a methodology to determine control parameters ensuring stability We would like to improve the experimental characterization and to devise an adaptive control system that can adapt itself arm to impedance variations ensuring stability and improving performance Application to a Comau robot, a Kinova Jaco 2 robot, or a Kuka LWR robot DEIB

19 Impedance/force control tasks with Jaco2 robot Human robot interaction Force/impedance control are used to make a robot interacting with a human or with the environment Jaco2 is equipped with joint force sensors that can be used to close an impedance/force control loop We would like to set up a force/impedance control system with Jaco2 to perform manual guidance or similar tasks that allow the robot to interact with the human and the environment Application a Kinova Jaco 2 robot DEIB

20 Retuning joint/cartesian position/velocity control loops and inverse kinematics Low level robot control The performance of the commercial Jaco2 controller can be improved in terms of position/velocity control, inverse kinematics, and self-collision detection We would like to set up an experimentally validated dynamic model of the robot and the motion control system and to study how to improve it Application to a Kinova Jaco 2 robot DEIB

21 Grasping randomly arranged objects from a box Manipulation of complex objects There are many industrial applications that entail the task of taking an object from a randomly arranged set Before planning the task, the easiest object to be grasped has to be identified using a 2D or a 3D sensor then a trajectory to approach and grasp the object is computed, and the robot is moved to the object thanks to a vision sensor Application to a Comau robot and a Kinova Jaco 2 robot DEIB

22 Finding the optimal bending sequence for a tube/wire bending machine Mechatronics The bending sequence is usually selected and optimized by a human operator based on a huge number of tests The aim of the project is to devise an algorithm to automatically determine the bending sequence that reduces the production time avoiding collisions between the wire and the machine The work is done in collaboration with an important company producing tube/wire bending machines DEIB

23 Reducing wire vibrations in wire bending machines Mechatronics Wire vibrations due to bending decrease the machine performance, as they force the machine to slow down the wire velocity, increasing the production time The aim of the project is to characterize the sources of vibrations and devise an algorithm to automatically modify the wire/tool motion profiles in order to reduce the vibrations without increasing the production time The work is done in collaboration with an important company producing tube/wire bending machines DEIB

24 Prof. Luca Bascetta Prof. Gianni Ferretti (also with Prof. Giambattista Gruosso and Prof. Matteo Matteucci)

25 Theses topics Planning techniques for UAVs UAV modelling and control Mobile manipulation Manipulation DEIB

26 Planning techniques for UAVs Planning with kino-dynamic constraints Multi-agent planning Planning with rules Planning with visibility constraints DEIB

27 Using motion primitives to enforce motion constraints in random sampling planners Planning techniques for UAVs path/trajectory planning is the first task to be accomplished to set up an autonomous vehicle to create feasible and safe paths we consider vehicle dynamic and kinematic characteristics through motion primitives we aim at developing a random sampling planner that uses motion primitives to take into account vehicle motion constraints application to ground (off-road and road) and aerial vehicles DEIB

28 Multi-agent random sampling planners Planning techniques for UAVs we would like to consider different vehicles, each one characterized by different abilities or a single vehicle whose behavior can change during task execution we aim at developing a random sampling planner that takes into account and exploits the ability of each vehicle and/or the variability of its behavior application to ground (off-road and road) and aerial vehicles DEIB

29 Introducing rules in multi-agent random sampling planners Planning techniques for UAVs we would like to consider set of similar or different vehicles we aim at developing a random sampling planner for a multi-agent scenario that takes into account interaction rules (e.g., to give way to vehicles coming from the right) application to ground (off-road and road) and aerial vehicles DEIB

30 UAV modelling and control Off-road autonomous navigation Drifting control Indoor autonomous navigation and human/machine shared control DEIB

31 Designing a wireless recharge system for an agricultural robot UAV modelling and control one of the most critical issue for today agricultural robotic applications is the availability of a simple in field recharge system following the suggestions of a company working in smart devices for agriculture we would like to study the feasibility and design a wireless recharge system for small mobile robots application to a prototype agricultural robot DEIB

32 Designing a rubber track propulsion system for an agricultural robot UAV modelling and control another critical issue for today agricultural robotic applications, especially in EU, is the propulsion system (wheels or rubber tracks) rubber tracks simplify navigation on sloping or muddy terrains, but can damage the soil we would like to design and test a rubber track propulsion system for a small agricultural robot comparing it to a wheel propulsion system application to a prototype agricultural robot DEIB

33 Navigation system for and autonomous skid-steering agricultural robot UAV modelling and control developing a model based control system for a skid-steering unmanned autonomous agricultural robot exploiting a nonlinear control strategy we would like to track a path robustly with respect to terrain friction a local planning strategy is also introduced for obstacle avoidance application to a prototype agricultural robot DEIB

34 Experimental validation of a prototype agricultural robot UAV modelling and control we have designed a flexible mobile platform for agricultural robotic applications, and a feasibility study has been performed to select motor powers, battery capacity, etc. we would like to set up experimentally validated kinematic and dynamic models of the platform and to experimentally validate our design (energy consumption, ability to turn on different terrains, etc.) application to a prototype agricultural robot DEIB

35 MPC navigation with lane following and manoeuvers for autonomous driving UAV modelling and control autonomous car navigation can be performed using a GPS position measurement or lane detection a supervision system is then used to select, at each time, the correct manoeuver (slow down, overtake, etc.) the project aims at developing a MPC control system supporting autonomous driving using lane detection, who is also able to act as a supervisor selecting the correct manoeuvers application to a small electric vehicle DEIB

36 Semi-autonomous driving, an ADAS to help car teleoperation UAV modelling and control teleoperating a car through a network with potentially large delays is a complex task to help the human driver the car has to be equipped with an onboard control system ensuring safety, obstacle avoidance, and suggesting the best manoeuver to the remote operator the project aims at developing a planning/control system to help the operator in selecting the correct maneuver to exit from a parking lot, drive in a road, etc. application to a small electric vehicle DEIB

37 MPC shared control of autonomous vehicles UAV modelling and control in many different applications, ranging from wheelchairs to autonomous cars, a vehicle can be controlled thanks to the collaboration between a human driver and an autonomous control system the human driver can partially control the vehicle, or control it using high level commands, the autonomous control system ensures safety, obstacle avoidance the project aims at developing a MPC control system supporting shared control of the vehicle application to a wheelchair and a small electric vehicle DEIB

38 A trajectory tracking controller to handle aggressive maneuvers UAV modelling and control When moving to off-road conditions [or to low grip terrains] the minimum time maneuver is characterized by aggressive, high-drift, even counter-steering maneuvers [Tavernini, Velenis et Al Minimum time cornering: the effect of road surface and car transmission layout, Vehicle System Dynamics (2013)] DEIB Control techniques to be assessed: sliding mode control, MPC, LTV The developed algorithm will be tested on a model of a drifting car

39 Designing the low level perception/control system of a car model UAV modelling and control a model of a drifting car is equipped with an onboard control system composed of an Arduino board and an embedded PC we would like to redesign and implement the low level control system, including motor torque control and telemetry, and the sensory system, including a wheel encoder application to a model of a drifting car DEIB

40 Robust linearization of vehicles represented by single-track models UAV modelling and control 50 to ease the design of trajectory tracking controllers for autonomous vehicles feedback linearization is often applied in order to ensure stability and performance of the controlled system the robustness of feedback linearization with respect to parameter variations has to be measured a robustifying control law for the most critical parameters has to be devise as well v [km/h] STABLE NODE STABLE FOCUS dl [m] Hopf bifurcation UNSTA BLE FOCUS SADD LE application to a model of a drifting car Hopf bifurcation DEIB

41 Manipulation and mobile manipulation Developing planning and control strategies for object grasping and manipulation with multiple robotic arms Developing planning and control strategies for mobile manipulation DEIB

42 MPC control of an autonomous wheelchair with a robotic arm Manipulation and Mobile manipulation an autonomous wheelchair equipped with an arm is a mobile manipulator that can help impaired people grasping things of everyday usage the human driver can partially control the vehicle, but the arm task execution controller should exploit, at the same time, arm and wheelchair to perform the grasping operation the project aims at developing an arm controller, integrated with the MPC navigation system, able to exploit arm and wheelchair degrees of freedom to execute grasping tasks application to an autonomous wheelchair equipped with a Kinova Jaco2 arm DEIB

43 Visual servoing control for mobile manipulation in off-road terrains Manipulation and Mobile manipulation developing a control system to execute manipulation and monitoring tasks with a mobile manipulator manipulation task: grasping little tubes and tie them to a vine branch monitoring task: collect video images of leaves, branches, soil visual based arm control is used, but all the robot d.o.f. should be exploited to maximize dexterity obstacle avoidance and platform stability have to be ensured application to a small mobile robot for agricultural applications DEIB