Available theses in robotics (March 2018) Prof. Paolo Rocco Prof. Andrea Maria Zanchettin
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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzismes-_uq
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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhk2vxf0mrk
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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jndddvta-tw
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Monitoring of human task advancement Thesis 13 In flexible manufacturing, robotic cell monitoring is beneficial to rapidly react to changes Predicting the evolution of the current human activity allows for a better schedule of future operations We want to use visual data to develop a method for real-time monitoring and end time prediction of long human operations Features matching Skeletal points
Collaborative kitting operations Thesis 14 Kitting is a process in which different items are grouped together before delivering to the production line as a single unit ORDER Using a collaborative robot to help the human operator can reduce delivery time and operator s workload We want to develop a way to optimally allocate picking operations between human and robot considering both efficiency and ergonomics DISPATCH
Handling liquids in dynamic environments with spilling avoidance Thesis 15 Constraint-based reactive motion generation is a new method to generate the motion of the robot, solving online an optimization problem We have developed an open loop policy to avoid liquid spilling out an open container We want to modify it in order to obtain a closed-loop control law Real-time perception of sloshing angle with optical sensors is required
Augmented reality applied to robotics Thesis 16 Devices for augmented reality, like Microsoft Hololens, are entering the market today Augmented reality can be useful in industrial robotics, where the user can interact with a virtual representation of the robot We want to investigate advantages and possible practical use of such technology applied to robotics https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=eqfshd6wqps