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Leading cybersecurity agencies and standardization bodies have globally emphasized the critical need to transition towards Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) to defend against emerging quantum computing threats. They advocate PQC as a practical and cost-effective solution for security systems nowadays. Nevertheless, emerging technologies such as industrial systems, e.g., autonomous vehicles, air traffic management, diagnostic imaging machines, etc., and robotics systems, e.g., ROS2 (Robotic Operating System), have not started their evolution to enhance crypto-agility and security robustness. Some of these emerging technologies use the Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard as the underlying communication middleware protocol. DDS is a distributed publish-subscribe system that allows sending and receiving data by publishing and subscribing to topics across a network of connected nodes. However, DDS’s security is based on traditional symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, which is vulnerable to quantum computing attacks. To address this issue, we propose the integration of PQC into DDS, through the development of a C/C++ library, called pqsec-dds, which can be integrated across different DDS implementations such as CycloneDDS or OpenDDS. A proof-of-concept demonstrates the viability of our approach in enhancing the security and cryptoagility of DDS-based systems

Leading cybersecurity agencies and standardization bodies have globally emphasized the critical need to transition towards Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) to defend against emerging quantum computing threats. They advocate PQC as a practical and cost-effective solution for security systems nowadays. Nevertheless, emerging technologies such as industrial systems, e.g., autonomous vehicles, air traffic management, diagnostic imaging machines, etc., and robotics systems, e.g., ROS2 (Robotic Operating System), have not started their evolution to enhance crypto-agility and security robustness. Some of these emerging technologies use the Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard as the underlying communication middleware protocol. DDS is a distributed publish-subscribe system that allows sending and receiving data by publishing and subscribing to topics across a network of connected nodes. However, DDS’s security is based on traditional symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, which is vulnerable to quantum computing attacks. To address this issue, we propose the integration of PQC into DDS, through the development of a C/C++ library, called pqsec-dds, which can be integrated across different DDS implementations such as CycloneDDS or OpenDDS. A proof-of-concept demonstrates the viability of our approach in enhancing the security and cryptoagility of DDS-based systems

The demolition industry has witnessed significant advancements in recent years, driven by technological innovations in equipment and methods. This paper explores the latest developments in demolition technology, highlighting how these innovations have enhanced efficiency, safety, and sustainability in the demolition process. The study delves into modern demolition machinery, such as robotic systems, high-reach excavators, and controlled implosion techniques, analyzing their impact on project execution and risk management. Furthermore, the paper examines the integration of advanced sensors, drones, and Building Information Modeling (BIM) to improve precision and reduce environmental impact. Case studies from various demolition projects worldwide are presented to illustrate the practical applications and benefits of these technological advancements. The findings underscore the importance of continued innovation in the demolition sector to meet the growing demands for safer, more efficient, and environmentally responsible demolition practices. This paper aims to provide industry professionals and researchers with a comprehensive overview of current trends and future directions in demolition technology.

The control problem for the nonlinear dynamics of robotic and mechatronic systems with electropneumatic actuation is solved with the use of a flatness-based control approach which is implemented in successive loops. The state-space model of these systems is separated into a series of subsystems, which are connected between them in cascading loops. Each one of these subsystems can be viewed independently as a differentially flat system and control about it can be performed with inversion of its dynamics as in the case of input-output linearized flat systems. In this chain of i = 1, 2, · · · ,N subsystems, the state variables of the subsequent (i + 1-th) subsystem become virtual control inputs for the preceding (i-th) subsystem, and so on. In turn, exogenous control inputs are applied to the last subsystem and are computed by tracing backwards the virtual control inputs of the preceding N −1 subsystems. The whole control method is implemented in successive loops and its global stability properties are also proven through Lyapunov stability analysis. The validity of the control method is confirmed in two case studies: (a) control of an electropneumatic actuator, (ii) control of a multi-DOF robotic manipulator with electropneumatic actuators.

By utilizing their powerful metabolic versatility, filamentous fungi can be utilized in bioprocesses aimed at achieving circular economy. With the current digital transformation within the biomanufacturing sector, the interest of automating fungi-based systems has intensified. The purpose of this paper was therefore to review the potentials connected to the use of automation and artificial intelligence in fungi-based systems. Automation is characterized by the substitution of manual tasks with mechanized tools. Artificial intelligence is, on the other hand, a domain within computer science that aims at designing tools and machines with the capacity to execute functions that would usually require human aptitude. Process flexibility, enhanced data reliability and increased productivity are some of the benefits of integrating automation and artificial intelligence in fungi-based bio-processes. One of the existing gaps that requires further investigation is the use of such data-based technologies in the production of food from fungi.

Robot operating system 2 (ROS 2) is increasingly popular both in research and commercial robotic systems. ROS 2 is designed to allow real-time execution and data communication, enabling rapid prototyping and deployment of robotic systems. In order to predict and calculate execution times in ROS 2, one needs to analyze its internal scheduler, called executor. The executor has been updated in various distributions of ROS 2, which is shown to impact significantly the periodic execution invoked by the underlying operating system's timers, potentially causing unexpected latencies. To expose the mentioned impact due to executor differences, in this paper, we present an experimental evaluation of the execution behavior of ROS 2's schedulable entities, namely callbacks, among the existing versions of the executor. We visualize the differences of callback execution order via simulation, and we create design-level scenarios that impact the execution of periodically scheduled callbacks, negatively. Moreover, we show how such negative impact can be mitigated by using multi-threaded executors. Finally, we illustrate the observed behavior on a real-world centralized multi-agent robot system. Our work aims to raise awareness within the ROS 2 developer community, regarding possible problems of timer blocking, and propose a mitigation solution of the latter.

By utilizing their powerful metabolic versatility, filamentous fungi can be utilized in bioprocesses aimed at achieving circular economy. With the current digital transformation within the biomanufacturing sector, the interest of automating fungi-based systems has intensified. The purpose of this paper was therefore to review the potentials connected to the use of automation and artificial intelligence in fungi-based systems. Automation is characterized by the substitution of manual tasks with mechanized tools. Artificial intelligence is, on the other hand, a domain within computer science that aims at designing tools and machines with the capacity to execute functions that would usually require human aptitude. Process flexibility, enhanced data reliability and increased productivity are some of the benefits of integrating automation and artificial intelligence in fungi-based bio-processes. One of the existing gaps that requires further investigation is the use of such data-based technologies in the production of food from fungi.

[ES] Uno de los elementos más importantes en el sistema de control de un robot es su Modelo Cinemático Inverso (IKM, por sus siglas en inglés), el cual calcula las referencias de posición y velocidad requeridas para que dicho robot pueda seguir una trayectoria. Los métodos más comúnmente empleados para la síntesis del IKM de sistemas robotizados de cadena cinemática abierta dependen fuertemente de la geometría del robot, por lo que no son procedimientos sistemáticos que puedan ser aplicados uniformemente en todas las situaciones. Este proyecto presenta el desarrollo de un procedimiento sistemático para la síntesis del IKM completo de sistemas robotizados no redundantes de cadena cinemática abierta usando la teoría de Bases de Groebner, el cual no depende de la geometría del robot. Las entradas del procedimiento desarrollado son los parámetros de Denavit-Hartenberg del robot y el rango de movimiento de sus actuadores, mientras que la salida es el IKM sintetizado, listo para ser usado en el sistema de control del robot o en una simulación de su funcionamiento. El desempeño del procedimiento desarrollado fue demostrado sintetizando los IKMs de un manipulador PUMA y un hexápodo caminante. Los tiempos de ejecución de ambos IKMs son comparables con los requeridos por los modelos cinemáticos calculados por procedimientos tradicionales, y los errores de las referencias que ofrecen como salida son totalmente despreciables. Los IKMs sintetizados son completos, porque no sólo ofrecen las referencias de posición para todos los actuadores del robot, sino que también calculan las correspondientes referencias de velocidades y aceleraciones de dichos actuadores, por lo que el procedimiento desarrollado puede ser empleado en una amplia variedad de sistemas robotizados., [CA] Un dels elements més importants en el sistema de control d'un robot és el seu Model Cinemàtic Invers (IKM, per les seues sigles en anglés), el qual calcula les referències de posició i velocitat requerides perquè aquest robot puga seguir una trajectòria. Els mètodes més comunament emprats per a la síntesi del IKM de sistemes robotitzats de cadena cinemàtica oberta depenen fortament de la geometria del robot analitzat, per la qual cosa no són procediments sistemàtics que puguen ser aplicats uniformement en totes les situacions. Aquest projecte presenta el desenvolupament d'un procediment sistemàtic per a la síntesi del IKM complet de sistemes robotitzats no redundants de cadena cinemàtica oberta usant la teoria de Bases de Groebner, el qual no depén de la geometria del robot. Les entrades del procediment desenvolupat són els paràmetres de Denavit-Hartenberg del robot i el rang de moviment dels seus actuadors, mentre que l'eixida és el IKM sintetitzat, llest per a ser usat en el sistema de control del robot o en una simulació del seu funcionament. L'acompliment del procediment desenvolupat va ser demostrat sintetitzant els IKMs d'un manipulador PUMA i un robot caminante. Els temps d'execució de tots dos IKMs són comparables amb els requerits pels models cinemàtics calculats per procediments tradicionals, i els errors de les referències que ofereixen com a eixida són totalment menyspreables. Els IKMs sintetitzats són complets, perquè no sols ofereixen les referències de posició per a tots els actuadors del robot, sinó que també calculen les corresponents referències de velocitats i acceleracions d'aquests actuadors, per la qual cosa el procediment desenvolupat pot ser emprat en una àmplia varietat de sistemes robotitzats., [EN] One of the most important elements of a robot's control system is its Inverse Kinematic Model (IKM), which calculates the position and velocity references required by the robot's actuators to follow a trajectory. The methods that are commonly used to synthesize the IKM of open-chain robotic systems strongly depend on the geometry of the analyzed robot, so they are not systematic procedures that can be applied equally in all situations. This project presents the development of a systematic procedure to synthesize the complete IKM of non-redundant open-chain robotic systems using Groebner Basis theory, which does not depend on the robot's geometry. The inputs to the developed procedure are the robot's Denavit-Hartenberg parameters and the movement range of its actuators, while the output is the IKM, ready to be used in the robot's control system or in a simulation of its behavior. This procedure's performance was proved synthesizing the IKMs of a PUMA manipulator and a walking hexapod robot. The computation times of both IKMs are comparable to those required by the kinematic models calculated by traditional methods, while the errors of their computed references were absolutely negligible. The synthesized IKMs are complete in the sense that they not only supply the position reference for all the robot's actuators, but also the corresponding references for their velocities and accelerations, so the developed procedure can be used in a wide range of robotic systems.

[ES] Uno de los elementos más importantes en el sistema de control de un robot es su Modelo Cinemático Inverso (IKM, por sus siglas en inglés), el cual calcula las referencias de posición y velocidad requeridas para que dicho robot pueda seguir una trayectoria. Los métodos más comúnmente empleados para la síntesis del IKM de sistemas robotizados de cadena cinemática abierta dependen fuertemente de la geometría del robot, por lo que no son procedimientos sistemáticos que puedan ser aplicados uniformemente en todas las situaciones. Este proyecto presenta el desarrollo de un procedimiento sistemático para la síntesis del IKM completo de sistemas robotizados no redundantes de cadena cinemática abierta usando la teoría de Bases de Groebner, el cual no depende de la geometría del robot. Las entradas del procedimiento desarrollado son los parámetros de Denavit-Hartenberg del robot y el rango de movimiento de sus actuadores, mientras que la salida es el IKM sintetizado, listo para ser usado en el sistema de control del robot o en una simulación de su funcionamiento. El desempeño del procedimiento desarrollado fue demostrado sintetizando los IKMs de un manipulador PUMA y un hexápodo caminante. Los tiempos de ejecución de ambos IKMs son comparables con los requeridos por los modelos cinemáticos calculados por procedimientos tradicionales, y los errores de las referencias que ofrecen como salida son totalmente despreciables. Los IKMs sintetizados son completos, porque no sólo ofrecen las referencias de posición para todos los actuadores del robot, sino que también calculan las correspondientes referencias de velocidades y aceleraciones de dichos actuadores, por lo que el procedimiento desarrollado puede ser empleado en una amplia variedad de sistemas robotizados., [CA] Un dels elements més importants en el sistema de control d'un robot és el seu Model Cinemàtic Invers (IKM, per les seues sigles en anglés), el qual calcula les referències de posició i velocitat requerides perquè aquest robot puga seguir una trajectòria. Els mètodes més comunament emprats per a la síntesi del IKM de sistemes robotitzats de cadena cinemàtica oberta depenen fortament de la geometria del robot analitzat, per la qual cosa no són procediments sistemàtics que puguen ser aplicats uniformement en totes les situacions. Aquest projecte presenta el desenvolupament d'un procediment sistemàtic per a la síntesi del IKM complet de sistemes robotitzats no redundants de cadena cinemàtica oberta usant la teoria de Bases de Groebner, el qual no depén de la geometria del robot. Les entrades del procediment desenvolupat són els paràmetres de Denavit-Hartenberg del robot i el rang de moviment dels seus actuadors, mentre que l'eixida és el IKM sintetitzat, llest per a ser usat en el sistema de control del robot o en una simulació del seu funcionament. L'acompliment del procediment desenvolupat va ser demostrat sintetitzant els IKMs d'un manipulador PUMA i un robot caminante. Els temps d'execució de tots dos IKMs són comparables amb els requerits pels models cinemàtics calculats per procediments tradicionals, i els errors de les referències que ofereixen com a eixida són totalment menyspreables. Els IKMs sintetitzats són complets, perquè no sols ofereixen les referències de posició per a tots els actuadors del robot, sinó que també calculen les corresponents referències de velocitats i acceleracions d'aquests actuadors, per la qual cosa el procediment desenvolupat pot ser emprat en una àmplia varietat de sistemes robotitzats., [EN] One of the most important elements of a robot's control system is its Inverse Kinematic Model (IKM), which calculates the position and velocity references required by the robot's actuators to follow a trajectory. The methods that are commonly used to synthesize the IKM of open-chain robotic systems strongly depend on the geometry of the analyzed robot, so they are not systematic procedures that can be applied equally in all situations. This project presents the development of a systematic procedure to synthesize the complete IKM of non-redundant open-chain robotic systems using Groebner Basis theory, which does not depend on the robot's geometry. The inputs to the developed procedure are the robot's Denavit-Hartenberg parameters and the movement range of its actuators, while the output is the IKM, ready to be used in the robot's control system or in a simulation of its behavior. This procedure's performance was proved synthesizing the IKMs of a PUMA manipulator and a walking hexapod robot. The computation times of both IKMs are comparable to those required by the kinematic models calculated by traditional methods, while the errors of their computed references were absolutely negligible. The synthesized IKMs are complete in the sense that they not only supply the position reference for all the robot's actuators, but also the corresponding references for their velocities and accelerations, so the developed procedure can be used in a wide range of robotic systems.

This paper describes a synthesis technique that constrains a spatial serial chain into a single degree-of-freedom mechanism using planar six-bar function generators. The synthesis process begins by specifying the target motion of a serial chain that is parameterized by time. The goal is to create a mechanism with a constant velocity rotary input that will achieve that motion. To do this we solve the inverse kinematics equations to find functions of each serial joint angle with respect to time. Since a constant velocity input is desired, time is proportional to the angle of the input link, and each serial joint angle can be expressed as functions of the input angle. This poses a separate function generator problem to control each joint of the serial chain. Function generators are linkages that coordinate their input and output angles. Each function is synthesized using a technique that finds 11 position Stephenson II linkages, which are then packaged onto the serial chain. Using pulleys and the scaling capabilities of function generating linkages, the final device can be packaged compactly. We describe this synthesis procedure through the design of a biomimetic device for reproducing a flapping wing motion.

Random Sample Consensus, most commonly abbreviated as RANSAC, is a robust estimation method for the parameters of a model contaminated by a sizable percentage of outliers. In its simplest form, the process starts with a sampling of the minimum data needed to perform an estimation, followed by an evaluation of its adequacy, and further repetitions of this process until some stopping criterion is met. Multiple variants have been proposed in which this workflow is modified, typically tweaking one or several of these steps for improvements in computing time or the quality of the estimation of the parameters. RANSAC is widely applied in the field of robotics, for example, for finding geometric shapes (planes, cylinders, spheres, etc.) in cloud points or for estimating the best transformation between different camera views. In this paper, we present a review of the current state of the art of RANSAC family methods with a special interest in applications in robotics.

This paper describes a synthesis technique that constrains a spatial serial chain into a single degree-of-freedom mechanism using planar six-bar function generators. The synthesis process begins by specifying the target motion of a serial chain that is parameterized by time. The goal is to create a mechanism with a constant velocity rotary input that will achieve that motion. To do this we solve the inverse kinematics equations to find functions of each serial joint angle with respect to time. Since a constant velocity input is desired, time is proportional to the angle of the input link, and each serial joint angle can be expressed as functions of the input angle. This poses a separate function generator problem to control each joint of the serial chain. Function generators are linkages that coordinate their input and output angles. Each function is synthesized using a technique that finds 11 position Stephenson II linkages, which are then packaged onto the serial chain. Using pulleys and the scaling capabilities of function generating linkages, the final device can be packaged compactly. We describe this synthesis procedure through the design of a biomimetic device for reproducing a flapping wing motion.

[ES] Los sistemas RTL (Real Time Location) han permitido hasta el momento el desarrollo de aplicaciones de localización basadas en señales de radiofrecuencia con precisión suficientemente aceptable para la localización, aunque siempre por encima de las decenas de centímetros. Con la aparición del los sistemas de UWB (Ultra Wide Band), se están alcanzando precisiones teóricas por debajo de los 10 centímetros teóricos. Este trabajado aborda la evaluación de un sistema UWB y su aplicación a la determinación de la posición de humanos en entornos industriales, para su integración en sistemas de seguridad de los entornos de trabajo. Estos sistemas permiten una mayor interacción humano robot, al tiempo que proporcionan información relevante sobre eficiencia de los sistemas productivos. Actualmente tanto los robots, como los dispositivos IoT, son parte de la evolución de los sistemas de producción hacia la denominada Industria 4.0. La integración de datos desde todos los puntos de un proceso productivo (maquinas, humanos, productos), permite el control, la supervisión y el análisis, que son necesarios para lograr sistemas eficientes. En el caso de los sistemas IoT, el uso de brokers de comunicaciones con protocolo MQTT es una de las soluciones ampliamente y estandarizada. Por otro lado el uso de la plataforma ROS (Robor Operating System), como middleware de interacción con robots, es también una solución ampliamente aceptada dentro de las aplicaciones de robótica. Bajo esta paradigma de Industria 4.0 tan demandado actualmente, se propone el presente Trabajo Fin de Máster, en tanto se persigue una aplicación realista y practica de la propuesta. En esa línea el trabajo abordará las siguientes fases: -Análisis de las tecnologías de localización mediante radiofrecuencia en interiores -Evaluación de un sistema de localización basado en UWB: precisión, alcance, comportamiento temporal y en entornos de producción. -Diseño de un sistema software de localización de tags -Desarrollo, [EN] RTL (Real Time Location) systems have so far allowed the development of location applications based on radio frequency signals with sufficiently acceptable accuracy for location, but always above tens of centimetres. With the emergence of UWB (Ultra Wide Band) systems, theoretical accuracies below 10 centimeters are being achieved. This work deals with the evaluation of a UWB system and its application to the determination of the position of humans in industrial environments, for its integration into safety systems of working environments. These systems allow greater human-robot interaction, while providing relevant information on the efficiency of production systems. Both robots and IoT devices are now part of the evolution of production systems towards Industry 4.0. The integration of data from all points of a production process (machines, humans, products), allows the control, monitoring and analysis that are necessary to achieve efficient systems. In the case of IoT systems, the use of communication brokers with MQTT protocol is one of the widely standardized solutions. On the other hand, the use of the ROS (Robot Operating System) platform as middleware for interaction with robots is also a widely accepted solution within robotics applications. Under this Industry 4. 0 paradigm, which is so much in demand at the moment, this Master¿s Thread is proposed, while pursuing a realistic and practical application of the proposal. In this context, the work will address the following phases: -Analysis of indoor radiofrequency location technologies. -Evaluation of a localization system based on UWB: accuracy, range, temporal and production environment behaviour. -Design of a tag localization software system. -Development of a software module for integration into the ROS architecture of a mobile robot: this aims to integrate data on the location of robots and humans at the information level. -Development of controllers based on location information: application to gen

[ES] Los sistemas RTL (Real Time Location) han permitido hasta el momento el desarrollo de aplicaciones de localización basadas en señales de radiofrecuencia con precisión suficientemente aceptable para la localización, aunque siempre por encima de las decenas de centímetros. Con la aparición del los sistemas de UWB (Ultra Wide Band), se están alcanzando precisiones teóricas por debajo de los 10 centímetros teóricos. Este trabajado aborda la evaluación de un sistema UWB y su aplicación a la determinación de la posición de humanos en entornos industriales, para su integración en sistemas de seguridad de los entornos de trabajo. Estos sistemas permiten una mayor interacción humano robot, al tiempo que proporcionan información relevante sobre eficiencia de los sistemas productivos. Actualmente tanto los robots, como los dispositivos IoT, son parte de la evolución de los sistemas de producción hacia la denominada Industria 4.0. La integración de datos desde todos los puntos de un proceso productivo (maquinas, humanos, productos), permite el control, la supervisión y el análisis, que son necesarios para lograr sistemas eficientes. En el caso de los sistemas IoT, el uso de brokers de comunicaciones con protocolo MQTT es una de las soluciones ampliamente y estandarizada. Por otro lado el uso de la plataforma ROS (Robor Operating System), como middleware de interacción con robots, es también una solución ampliamente aceptada dentro de las aplicaciones de robótica. Bajo esta paradigma de Industria 4.0 tan demandado actualmente, se propone el presente Trabajo Fin de Máster, en tanto se persigue una aplicación realista y practica de la propuesta. En esa línea el trabajo abordará las siguientes fases: -Análisis de las tecnologías de localización mediante radiofrecuencia en interiores -Evaluación de un sistema de localización basado en UWB: precisión, alcance, comportamiento temporal y en entornos de producción. -Diseño de un sistema software de localización de tags -Desarrollo, [EN] RTL (Real Time Location) systems have so far allowed the development of location applications based on radio frequency signals with sufficiently acceptable accuracy for location, but always above tens of centimetres. With the emergence of UWB (Ultra Wide Band) systems, theoretical accuracies below 10 centimeters are being achieved. This work deals with the evaluation of a UWB system and its application to the determination of the position of humans in industrial environments, for its integration into safety systems of working environments. These systems allow greater human-robot interaction, while providing relevant information on the efficiency of production systems. Both robots and IoT devices are now part of the evolution of production systems towards Industry 4.0. The integration of data from all points of a production process (machines, humans, products), allows the control, monitoring and analysis that are necessary to achieve efficient systems. In the case of IoT systems, the use of communication brokers with MQTT protocol is one of the widely standardized solutions. On the other hand, the use of the ROS (Robot Operating System) platform as middleware for interaction with robots is also a widely accepted solution within robotics applications. Under this Industry 4. 0 paradigm, which is so much in demand at the moment, this Master¿s Thread is proposed, while pursuing a realistic and practical application of the proposal. In this context, the work will address the following phases: -Analysis of indoor radiofrequency location technologies. -Evaluation of a localization system based on UWB: accuracy, range, temporal and production environment behaviour. -Design of a tag localization software system. -Development of a software module for integration into the ROS architecture of a mobile robot: this aims to integrate data on the location of robots and humans at the information level. -Development of controllers based on location information: application to gen

[ES] Los sistemas RTL (Real Time Location) han permitido hasta el momento el desarrollo de aplicaciones de localización basadas en señales de radiofrecuencia con precisión suficientemente aceptable para la localización, aunque siempre por encima de las decenas de centímetros. Con la aparición del los sistemas de UWB (Ultra Wide Band), se están alcanzando precisiones teóricas por debajo de los 10 centímetros teóricos. Este trabajado aborda la evaluación de un sistema UWB y su aplicación a la determinación de la posición de humanos en entornos industriales, para su integración en sistemas de seguridad de los entornos de trabajo. Estos sistemas permiten una mayor interacción humano robot, al tiempo que proporcionan información relevante sobre eficiencia de los sistemas productivos. Actualmente tanto los robots, como los dispositivos IoT, son parte de la evolución de los sistemas de producción hacia la denominada Industria 4.0. La integración de datos desde todos los puntos de un proceso productivo (maquinas, humanos, productos), permite el control, la supervisión y el análisis, que son necesarios para lograr sistemas eficientes. En el caso de los sistemas IoT, el uso de brokers de comunicaciones con protocolo MQTT es una de las soluciones ampliamente y estandarizada. Por otro lado el uso de la plataforma ROS (Robor Operating System), como middleware de interacción con robots, es también una solución ampliamente aceptada dentro de las aplicaciones de robótica. Bajo esta paradigma de Industria 4.0 tan demandado actualmente, se propone el presente Trabajo Fin de Máster, en tanto se persigue una aplicación realista y practica de la propuesta. En esa línea el trabajo abordará las siguientes fases: -Análisis de las tecnologías de localización mediante radiofrecuencia en interiores -Evaluación de un sistema de localización basado en UWB: precisión, alcance, comportamiento temporal y en entornos de producción. -Diseño de un sistema software de localización de tags -Desarrollo, [EN] RTL (Real Time Location) systems have so far allowed the development of location applications based on radio frequency signals with sufficiently acceptable accuracy for location, but always above tens of centimetres. With the emergence of UWB (Ultra Wide Band) systems, theoretical accuracies below 10 centimeters are being achieved. This work deals with the evaluation of a UWB system and its application to the determination of the position of humans in industrial environments, for its integration into safety systems of working environments. These systems allow greater human-robot interaction, while providing relevant information on the efficiency of production systems. Both robots and IoT devices are now part of the evolution of production systems towards Industry 4.0. The integration of data from all points of a production process (machines, humans, products), allows the control, monitoring and analysis that are necessary to achieve efficient systems. In the case of IoT systems, the use of communication brokers with MQTT protocol is one of the widely standardized solutions. On the other hand, the use of the ROS (Robot Operating System) platform as middleware for interaction with robots is also a widely accepted solution within robotics applications. Under this Industry 4. 0 paradigm, which is so much in demand at the moment, this Master¿s Thread is proposed, while pursuing a realistic and practical application of the proposal. In this context, the work will address the following phases: -Analysis of indoor radiofrequency location technologies. -Evaluation of a localization system based on UWB: accuracy, range, temporal and production environment behaviour. -Design of a tag localization software system. -Development of a software module for integration into the ROS architecture of a mobile robot: this aims to integrate data on the location of robots and humans at the information level. -Development of controllers based on location information: application to gen

[ES] Los sistemas RTL (Real Time Location) han permitido hasta el momento el desarrollo de aplicaciones de localización basadas en señales de radiofrecuencia con precisión suficientemente aceptable para la localización, aunque siempre por encima de las decenas de centímetros. Con la aparición del los sistemas de UWB (Ultra Wide Band), se están alcanzando precisiones teóricas por debajo de los 10 centímetros teóricos. Este trabajado aborda la evaluación de un sistema UWB y su aplicación a la determinación de la posición de humanos en entornos industriales, para su integración en sistemas de seguridad de los entornos de trabajo. Estos sistemas permiten una mayor interacción humano robot, al tiempo que proporcionan información relevante sobre eficiencia de los sistemas productivos. Actualmente tanto los robots, como los dispositivos IoT, son parte de la evolución de los sistemas de producción hacia la denominada Industria 4.0. La integración de datos desde todos los puntos de un proceso productivo (maquinas, humanos, productos), permite el control, la supervisión y el análisis, que son necesarios para lograr sistemas eficientes. En el caso de los sistemas IoT, el uso de brokers de comunicaciones con protocolo MQTT es una de las soluciones ampliamente y estandarizada. Por otro lado el uso de la plataforma ROS (Robor Operating System), como middleware de interacción con robots, es también una solución ampliamente aceptada dentro de las aplicaciones de robótica. Bajo esta paradigma de Industria 4.0 tan demandado actualmente, se propone el presente Trabajo Fin de Máster, en tanto se persigue una aplicación realista y practica de la propuesta. En esa línea el trabajo abordará las siguientes fases: -Análisis de las tecnologías de localización mediante radiofrecuencia en interiores -Evaluación de un sistema de localización basado en UWB: precisión, alcance, comportamiento temporal y en entornos de producción. -Diseño de un sistema software de localización de tags -Desarrollo, [EN] RTL (Real Time Location) systems have so far allowed the development of location applications based on radio frequency signals with sufficiently acceptable accuracy for location, but always above tens of centimetres. With the emergence of UWB (Ultra Wide Band) systems, theoretical accuracies below 10 centimeters are being achieved. This work deals with the evaluation of a UWB system and its application to the determination of the position of humans in industrial environments, for its integration into safety systems of working environments. These systems allow greater human-robot interaction, while providing relevant information on the efficiency of production systems. Both robots and IoT devices are now part of the evolution of production systems towards Industry 4.0. The integration of data from all points of a production process (machines, humans, products), allows the control, monitoring and analysis that are necessary to achieve efficient systems. In the case of IoT systems, the use of communication brokers with MQTT protocol is one of the widely standardized solutions. On the other hand, the use of the ROS (Robot Operating System) platform as middleware for interaction with robots is also a widely accepted solution within robotics applications. Under this Industry 4. 0 paradigm, which is so much in demand at the moment, this Master¿s Thread is proposed, while pursuing a realistic and practical application of the proposal. In this context, the work will address the following phases: -Analysis of indoor radiofrequency location technologies. -Evaluation of a localization system based on UWB: accuracy, range, temporal and production environment behaviour. -Design of a tag localization software system. -Development of a software module for integration into the ROS architecture of a mobile robot: this aims to integrate data on the location of robots and humans at the information level. -Development of controllers based on location information: application to gen

The multidisciplinarity of robotics creates a need for robust integration methodologies that can facilitate the adoption of state-of-the-art research components in an industrial application. Unfortunately, there are no clear, community-accepted guidelines or standards that define the integration of such components in a single robotic system. In this article, we propose a methodology that assesses the software components of a candidate system on the basis of the effort required to integrate them and the impact their integration will have on a target system. We demonstrate how this methodology can be applied using an industrial tool packing system as an example. © 1994-2011 IEEE., QC 20220215

In this paper, we propose a ROS software package for planning and control of robotic systems with a human-in-the-Ioop focus. The software uses temporal logic specifications, specifically Linear Temporal Logic, for a language-based method to develop correct-by-design high level robot plans. The approach is structured to allow a human to adjust the high-level plan online. A human may also take control of the robot (in a low-level control fashion), but the software prevents the human from implementing dangerous behaviour that would violate the high-level task specification. Finally, the planner is able to learn human-preferred high-level tasks by tracking human low-level control inputs in an inverse learning framework. The proposed approach is demonstrated in a warehouse setting with multiple robot agents to showcase the efficacy of the proposed solution., Part of proceedings: ISBN 978-1-6654-1873-7 QC 20220523

Robotics applied to orthopedics has become an interesting topic both from the surgical point of view and the engineering one. The main goal of those systems is the enhancement of joint arthroplasty surgery, providing the robotic support to precisely and accurately prepare the bone, restore the limb alignment and the physiological kinematics of the joint. Various robotic systems are currently available on the market, each addressing specific kind of surgeries and characterized by a series of specific features that may involve different requirements and/or modus operandi., info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Technological breakthroughs in recent years have led to a revolution in fields such as Machine Vision and Search and Rescue Robotics (SAR), thanks to the application and development of new and improved neural networks to vision models together with modern optical sensors that incorporate thermal cameras, capable of capturing data in post-disaster environments (PDE) with rustic conditions (low luminosity, suspended particles, obstructive materials). Due to the high risk posed by PDE because of the potential collapse of structures, electrical hazards, gas leakage, etc., primary intervention tasks such as victim identification are carried out by robotic teams, provided with specific sensors such as thermal, RGB cameras, and laser. The application of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to computer vision is a breakthrough for detection algorithms. Conventional methods for victim identification in these environments use RGB image processing or trained dogs, but detection with RGB images is inefficient in the absence of light or presence of debris; on the other hand, developments with thermal images are limited to the field of surveillance. This paper's main contribution focuses on implementing a novel automatic method based on thermal image processing and CNN for victim identification in PDE, using a Robotic System that uses a quadruped robot for data capture and transmission to the central station. The robot's automatic data processing and control have been carried out through Robot Operating System (ROS). Several tests have been carried out in different environments to validate the proposed method, recreating PDE with varying conditions of light, from which the datasets have been generated for the training of three neural network models (Fast R-CNN, SSD, and YOLO). The method's efficiency has been tested against another method based on CNN and RGB images for the same task showing greater effectiveness in PDE main results show that the proposed method has an efficiency

[EN] This paper addresses the kinematic analysis of a redundant parallel manipulator with a configurable platform equipped with two end-effectors. The closure equations of the position analysis generate a system of quadratic equations which is solved by applying the Newton-homotopy method. Subsequently, the instantaneous kinematics of the robot is solved by resorting to the theory of screws. The efficiency of the method is such that the calculation of passive joint rates of the robot is not required form the determination of the input-outputn equation of velocity of the parallel manipulator. Numerical examples are compared with the outcome of a commercial software demonstrating the approach correctness., [ES] En este trabajo se aborda el análisis cinemático de un m manipulador redundante con una plataforma configurable equipada con dos efectores finales. Las ecuaciones de clausura del análisis de posición generan un sistema de ecuaciones cuadráticas el cual se resuelve aplicando Newton-homotopía. Posteriormente, la cinemática instantánea del robot se resuelve recurriendo a la teoría de tornillos. La eficiencia del método es tal que no se requiere del cálculo de las velocidades articulares pasivas del robot para la determinación de la ecuación entrada-salida de velocidad del manipulador paralelo. Ejemplos numéricos se comparan con los resultados de un software comercial lo cual demuestra veracidad del método.

[EN] This paper addresses the kinematic analysis of a redundant parallel manipulator with a configurable platform equipped with two end-effectors. The closure equations of the position analysis generate a system of quadratic equations which is solved by applying the Newton-homotopy method. Subsequently, the instantaneous kinematics of the robot is solved by resorting to the theory of screws. The efficiency of the method is such that the calculation of passive joint rates of the robot is not required form the determination of the input-outputn equation of velocity of the parallel manipulator. Numerical examples are compared with the outcome of a commercial software demonstrating the approach correctness., [ES] En este trabajo se aborda el análisis cinemático de un m manipulador redundante con una plataforma configurable equipada con dos efectores finales. Las ecuaciones de clausura del análisis de posición generan un sistema de ecuaciones cuadráticas el cual se resuelve aplicando Newton-homotopía. Posteriormente, la cinemática instantánea del robot se resuelve recurriendo a la teoría de tornillos. La eficiencia del método es tal que no se requiere del cálculo de las velocidades articulares pasivas del robot para la determinación de la ecuación entrada-salida de velocidad del manipulador paralelo. Ejemplos numéricos se comparan con los resultados de un software comercial lo cual demuestra veracidad del método.

[EN] This paper addresses the kinematic analysis of a redundant parallel manipulator with a configurable platform equipped with two end-effectors. The closure equations of the position analysis generate a system of quadratic equations which is solved by applying the Newton-homotopy method. Subsequently, the instantaneous kinematics of the robot is solved by resorting to the theory of screws. The efficiency of the method is such that the calculation of passive joint rates of the robot is not required form the determination of the input-outputn equation of velocity of the parallel manipulator. Numerical examples are compared with the outcome of a commercial software demonstrating the approach correctness., [ES] En este trabajo se aborda el análisis cinemático de un m manipulador redundante con una plataforma configurable equipada con dos efectores finales. Las ecuaciones de clausura del análisis de posición generan un sistema de ecuaciones cuadráticas el cual se resuelve aplicando Newton-homotopía. Posteriormente, la cinemática instantánea del robot se resuelve recurriendo a la teoría de tornillos. La eficiencia del método es tal que no se requiere del cálculo de las velocidades articulares pasivas del robot para la determinación de la ecuación entrada-salida de velocidad del manipulador paralelo. Ejemplos numéricos se comparan con los resultados de un software comercial lo cual demuestra veracidad del método.

[EN] This paper addresses the kinematic analysis of a redundant parallel manipulator with a configurable platform equipped with two end-effectors. The closure equations of the position analysis generate a system of quadratic equations which is solved by applying the Newton-homotopy method. Subsequently, the instantaneous kinematics of the robot is solved by resorting to the theory of screws. The efficiency of the method is such that the calculation of passive joint rates of the robot is not required form the determination of the input-outputn equation of velocity of the parallel manipulator. Numerical examples are compared with the outcome of a commercial software demonstrating the approach correctness., [ES] En este trabajo se aborda el análisis cinemático de un m manipulador redundante con una plataforma configurable equipada con dos efectores finales. Las ecuaciones de clausura del análisis de posición generan un sistema de ecuaciones cuadráticas el cual se resuelve aplicando Newton-homotopía. Posteriormente, la cinemática instantánea del robot se resuelve recurriendo a la teoría de tornillos. La eficiencia del método es tal que no se requiere del cálculo de las velocidades articulares pasivas del robot para la determinación de la ecuación entrada-salida de velocidad del manipulador paralelo. Ejemplos numéricos se comparan con los resultados de un software comercial lo cual demuestra veracidad del método.

[EN] This paper addresses the kinematic analysis of a redundant parallel manipulator with a configurable platform equipped with two end-effectors. The closure equations of the position analysis generate a system of quadratic equations which is solved by applying the Newton-homotopy method. Subsequently, the instantaneous kinematics of the robot is solved by resorting to the theory of screws. The efficiency of the method is such that the calculation of passive joint rates of the robot is not required form the determination of the input-outputn equation of velocity of the parallel manipulator. Numerical examples are compared with the outcome of a commercial software demonstrating the approach correctness., [ES] En este trabajo se aborda el análisis cinemático de un m manipulador redundante con una plataforma configurable equipada con dos efectores finales. Las ecuaciones de clausura del análisis de posición generan un sistema de ecuaciones cuadráticas el cual se resuelve aplicando Newton-homotopía. Posteriormente, la cinemática instantánea del robot se resuelve recurriendo a la teoría de tornillos. La eficiencia del método es tal que no se requiere del cálculo de las velocidades articulares pasivas del robot para la determinación de la ecuación entrada-salida de velocidad del manipulador paralelo. Ejemplos numéricos se comparan con los resultados de un software comercial lo cual demuestra veracidad del método.

This paper introduces the equations of motion of modular 2D snake robots moving in the vertical plane employing Series Elastic Actuators (SEAs). The kinematics of such 2D modular snake robot is presented in an efficient matrix form and Euler–Lagrange equations are constructed to model the robot. Moreover, using a spring-damper contact model, external contact forces, necessary for modeling pedal wave motion (undulation in the vertical plane) are taken into account, which unlike existing methods can be used to model the effect of multiple contact points. Using such a contact model, pedal wave motion of the robot is simulated and the torque signal measured by the elastic element from the simulation and experimentation are used to show the validity of the model. Moreover, pedal wave locomotion of such robot on uneven terrain is also modeled and an adaptive controller based on torque feedback with optimized control gain is proposed. The simulation and experimental results show the efficiency of the proposed controller as the robot successfully climbs over a stair-type obstacle without any prior knowledge about its location with at least 24.8% higher speed compared with non-adaptive motion.

In this short paper, we first introduce a possible new model for designing and implementing software in robotic systems. This model is based on proactive scenarios, coded through dynamic sets of condition-action rules. Each scenario embeds the required rules and can be assembled dynamically with others, allowing the proactive system to achieve a unique objective or behavior and instruct the robot accordingly. Furthermore, a scenario is not aware of the existence of the other scenarios. In fact, it only contains information about a predefined central scenario, which oversees global decision making. In addition, each scenario knows where to enter its suggestions, thus allowing for a high degree in terms of separating concerns and modularity of code. Consequently, allowing easier development, testing and optimization of each scenario independently, possible reuse in different robots, and finally, a faster achievement of robust and scalable robotics software. We then show how to apply this programming model and its functionalities during runtime, by a proof of concept consisting of a virtual robot deployed in the Webots™ simulator. This simulator is controlled with four proactive scenarios (plus the central one), in charge of three different objectives.

In this short paper, we first introduce a possible new model for designing and implementing software in robotic systems. This model is based on proactive scenarios, coded through dynamic sets of condition-action rules. Each scenario embeds the required rules and can be assembled dynamically with others, allowing the proactive system to achieve a unique objective or behavior and instruct the robot accordingly. Furthermore, a scenario is not aware of the existence of the other scenarios. In fact, it only contains information about a predefined central scenario, which oversees global decision making. In addition, each scenario knows where to enter its suggestions, thus allowing for a high degree in terms of separating concerns and modularity of code. Consequently, allowing easier development, testing and optimization of each scenario independently, possible reuse in different robots, and finally, a faster achievement of robust and scalable robotics software. We then show how to apply this programming model and its functionalities during runtime, by a proof of concept consisting of a virtual robot deployed in the Webots™ simulator. This simulator is controlled with four proactive scenarios (plus the central one), in charge of three different objectives.

This paper introduces the equations of motion of modular 2D snake robots moving in the vertical plane employing Series Elastic Actuators (SEAs). The kinematics of such 2D modular snake robot is presented in an efficient matrix form and Euler–Lagrange equations are constructed to model the robot. Moreover, using a spring-damper contact model, external contact forces, necessary for modeling pedal wave motion (undulation in the vertical plane) are taken into account, which unlike existing methods can be used to model the effect of multiple contact points. Using such a contact model, pedal wave motion of the robot is simulated and the torque signal measured by the elastic element from the simulation and experimentation are used to show the validity of the model. Moreover, pedal wave locomotion of such robot on uneven terrain is also modeled and an adaptive controller based on torque feedback with optimized control gain is proposed. The simulation and experimental results show the efficiency of the proposed controller as the robot successfully climbs over a stair-type obstacle without any prior knowledge about its location with at least 24.8% higher speed compared with non-adaptive motion.

Предмет истраживања ове докторске дисертације јесте моделовање и управљање механичких система, са посебним акцентом на роботске системе типа отвореног кинематичког ланца. При формирању математичког модела робота коришћен је тзв. Родригов приступ, који је посебно погодан за примену на рачунару и аутоматско формирање диференцијалних једначина кретања система. За описивање дисипативних сила које се јављају у зглобовима роботских сегмената при кретању система, уводи се модел трења фракционог типа који представља генерализацију стандардног модела..., The main research topics of this doctoral dissertation are modeling and control of mechanical systems, with special emphasis on robotic systems with open-chain structure. The so-called Rodriquez’s approach, which is well suited for usage on a computer and for automatic derivation of differential equations of motion, has been used for obtaining mathematical model of robot. In order to define more accurately dissipative forces occurring in robot joints when the system is in motion, a fractional order friction model, which represents a generalization of the standard model, has been introduced...

In order for autonomous systems like robots, drones, and self-driving cars to be reliably introduced into our society, they must have the ability to actively account for safety during their operation. While safety analysis has traditionally been conducted offline for controlled environments like cages on factory floors, the much higher complexity of open, human-populated spaces like our homes, cities, and roads makes it unviable to rely on common design-time assumptions, since these may be violated once the system is deployed. Instead, the next generation of robotic technologies will need to reason about safety online, constructing high-confidence assurances informed by ongoing observations of the environment and other agents, in spite of models of them being necessarily fallible.This dissertation aims to lay down the necessary foundations to enable autonomous systems to ensure their own safety in complex, changing, and uncertain environments, by explicitly reasoning about the gap between their models and the real world. It first introduces a suite of novel robust optimal control formulations and algorithmic tools that permit tractable safety analysis in time-varying, multi-agent systems, as well as safe real-time robotic navigation in partially unknown environments; these approaches are demonstrated on large-scale unmanned air traffic simulation and physical quadrotor platforms. After this, it draws on Bayesian machine learning methods to translate model-based guarantees into high-confidence assurances, monitoring the reliability of predictive models in light of changing evidence about the physical system and surrounding agents. This principle is first applied to a general safety framework allowing the use of learning-based control (e.g. reinforcement learning) for safety-critical robotic systems such as drones, and then combined with insights from cognitive science and dynamic game theory to enable safe human-centered navigation and interaction; these techniques a

In order for autonomous systems like robots, drones, and self-driving cars to be reliably introduced into our society, they must have the ability to actively account for safety during their operation. While safety analysis has traditionally been conducted offline for controlled environments like cages on factory floors, the much higher complexity of open, human-populated spaces like our homes, cities, and roads makes it unviable to rely on common design-time assumptions, since these may be violated once the system is deployed. Instead, the next generation of robotic technologies will need to reason about safety online, constructing high-confidence assurances informed by ongoing observations of the environment and other agents, in spite of models of them being necessarily fallible.This dissertation aims to lay down the necessary foundations to enable autonomous systems to ensure their own safety in complex, changing, and uncertain environments, by explicitly reasoning about the gap between their models and the real world. It first introduces a suite of novel robust optimal control formulations and algorithmic tools that permit tractable safety analysis in time-varying, multi-agent systems, as well as safe real-time robotic navigation in partially unknown environments; these approaches are demonstrated on large-scale unmanned air traffic simulation and physical quadrotor platforms. After this, it draws on Bayesian machine learning methods to translate model-based guarantees into high-confidence assurances, monitoring the reliability of predictive models in light of changing evidence about the physical system and surrounding agents. This principle is first applied to a general safety framework allowing the use of learning-based control (e.g. reinforcement learning) for safety-critical robotic systems such as drones, and then combined with insights from cognitive science and dynamic game theory to enable safe human-centered navigation and interaction; these techniques a

In robotic systems, the physical world is highly coupled with cyberspace. New threats affect cyber-physical systems as they rely on several sensors to perform critical operations. The most sensitive targets are their location systems, where spoofing attacks can force robots to behave incorrectly. In this paper, we propose a novel anomaly detection approach for sensor spoofing attacks, based on an auto-encoder architecture. After initial training, the detection algorithm works directly on the compressed data by computing the reconstruction errors. We focus on spoofing attacks on Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems. We tested our anomaly detection approach against several types of spoofing attacks comparing four different compression rates for the auto-encoder. Our approach has a 99% True Positive rate and a 10% False Negative rate for the 83% compression rate. However, a compression rate of 41% could handle almost all of the same attacks while using half the data.

In robotic systems, the physical world is highly coupled with cyberspace. New threats affect cyber-physical systems as they rely on several sensors to perform critical operations. The most sensitive targets are their location systems, where spoofing attacks can force robots to behave incorrectly. In this paper, we propose a novel anomaly detection approach for sensor spoofing attacks, based on an auto-encoder architecture. After initial training, the detection algorithm works directly on the compressed data by computing the reconstruction errors. We focus on spoofing attacks on Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems. We tested our anomaly detection approach against several types of spoofing attacks comparing four different compression rates for the auto-encoder. Our approach has a 99% True Positive rate and a 10% False Negative rate for the 83% compression rate. However, a compression rate of 41% could handle almost all of the same attacks while using half the data.

Predmet istraživanja ove doktorske disertacije jeste modelovanje i upravljanje mehaničkih sistema, sa posebnim akcentom na robotske sisteme tipa otvorenog kinematičkog lanca. Pri formiranju matematičkog modela robota korišćen je tzv. Rodrigov pristup, koji je posebno pogodan za primenu na računaru i automatsko formiranje diferencijalnih jednačina kretanja sistema. Za opisivanje disipativnih sila koje se javljaju u zglobovima robotskih segmenata pri kretanju sistema, uvodi se model trenja frakcionog tipa koji predstavlja generalizaciju standardnog modela..., The main research topics of this doctoral dissertation are modeling and control of mechanical systems, with special emphasis on robotic systems with open-chain structure. The so-called Rodriquez’s approach, which is well suited for usage on a computer and for automatic derivation of differential equations of motion, has been used for obtaining mathematical model of robot. In order to define more accurately dissipative forces occurring in robot joints when the system is in motion, a fractional order friction model, which represents a generalization of the standard model, has been introduced...

Failure of robotic software may cause catastrophic damages. In order to establish a higher level of trust in robotic systems, formal methods are often proposed. However, their applicability to the functional layer of robots remains limited because of the informal nature of specifications, their complexity and size. In this paper, we formalize the robotic framework and automatically translate its components to UPPAAL-SMC, a real-time statistical model checker. We apply our approach to verify properties of interest on a real-world autonomous drone navigation that does not scale with regular UPPAAL.

In this paper, the design and control of a robotic device intended to stabilize the head and neck of a trauma patient during transport are presented. When transporting a patient who has suffered a traumatic head injury, the first action performed by paramedics is typically to restrain and stabilize the head and cervical spine of a patient. The proposed device would drastically reduce the time required to perform this action while also freeing a first responder to perform other possibly lifesaving actions. The applications for robotic casualty extraction are additionally explored. The design and construction are described, followed by control simulations demonstrating the improved behavior of the chosen controller paradigm, linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC). Finally, experimental validation is presented, followed by future work and directions for the research.

The work presented in this thesis focuses on the design and testing of a casualty extraction robot intended to stabilize the head and neck of an unresponsive person. The employment of robots in dangerous locales such as combat zones or the site of a natural disaster has the potential to help keep first responders out of harm's way as well as to improve the efficiency of search and rescue teams. After a review of robotic search and rescue platforms the Semi-Autonomous Victim Extraction Robot(SAVER) is introduced. The necessity of a device intended to support the head and cervical spine during transport on a rescue robot is then discussed. The kinematic and dynamic analyses of various candidate differential mechanisms intended for the head stabilization device are described, and the chosen mechanism is demonstrated in a proof-of-concept device. Following testing with a simple PID controller, it was determined an advanced feedback controller with disturbance rejection capabilities was required. Linear Active Disturbance Rejection Control (LADRC) was chosen for its effectiveness in rejecting perturbations and handling modeling uncertainties. The performance the proposed LADRC control scheme was compared with PID in simulation and the results are presented. Finally, a prototype of the device was designed and built to validate the functionality of the subsystem, and the results of the corresponding experimentation are discussed.

[ES] Los robots hiper-redundantes son aquellos que tienen un número muy elevado de grados de libertad. En su uso cotidiano, la redundancia es referida para indicar una repetición o un uso excesivo de un concepto. En el campo de la robótica, la redundancia puede ofrecer numerosos beneficios frente a los robots convencionales. Los robots hiper-redundantes poseen una mayor habilidad para sortear obstáculos, son tolerantes a fallos en algunas de sus articulaciones y también pueden ofrecer ventajas cinemáticas. En este artículo se presentan los conceptos generales para entender este tipo de robots, así como una clasificación de los mismos, su potencial, su problemática y su evolución a lo largo de la historia., [EN] Hyper-redundant robots are characterized by having a high number of degrees of freedom. The word redundant is commonly used to mean a repetition or excess of a concept. In the robotics scope, redundancy offers numerous advantages against traditional robots. Hyper-redundant robots provide better skills to avoid obstacles, they are fault-tolerant in some of their joints and exhibit kinematic advantages. This article presents general concepts to understand this kind of robots as well as a classification, their potential, drawbacks and an analysis of their evolution throughout their history.

[ES] Los robots hiper-redundantes son aquellos que tienen un número muy elevado de grados de libertad. En su uso cotidiano, la redundancia es referida para indicar una repetición o un uso excesivo de un concepto. En el campo de la robótica, la redundancia puede ofrecer numerosos beneficios frente a los robots convencionales. Los robots hiper-redundantes poseen una mayor habilidad para sortear obstáculos, son tolerantes a fallos en algunas de sus articulaciones y también pueden ofrecer ventajas cinemáticas. En este artículo se presentan los conceptos generales para entender este tipo de robots, así como una clasificación de los mismos, su potencial, su problemática y su evolución a lo largo de la historia., [EN] Hyper-redundant robots are characterized by having a high number of degrees of freedom. The word redundant is commonly used to mean a repetition or excess of a concept. In the robotics scope, redundancy offers numerous advantages against traditional robots. Hyper-redundant robots provide better skills to avoid obstacles, they are fault-tolerant in some of their joints and exhibit kinematic advantages. This article presents general concepts to understand this kind of robots as well as a classification, their potential, drawbacks and an analysis of their evolution throughout their history.

[ES] Los robots hiper-redundantes son aquellos que tienen un número muy elevado de grados de libertad. En su uso cotidiano, la redundancia es referida para indicar una repetición o un uso excesivo de un concepto. En el campo de la robótica, la redundancia puede ofrecer numerosos beneficios frente a los robots convencionales. Los robots hiper-redundantes poseen una mayor habilidad para sortear obstáculos, son tolerantes a fallos en algunas de sus articulaciones y también pueden ofrecer ventajas cinemáticas. En este artículo se presentan los conceptos generales para entender este tipo de robots, así como una clasificación de los mismos, su potencial, su problemática y su evolución a lo largo de la historia., [EN] Hyper-redundant robots are characterized by having a high number of degrees of freedom. The word redundant is commonly used to mean a repetition or excess of a concept. In the robotics scope, redundancy offers numerous advantages against traditional robots. Hyper-redundant robots provide better skills to avoid obstacles, they are fault-tolerant in some of their joints and exhibit kinematic advantages. This article presents general concepts to understand this kind of robots as well as a classification, their potential, drawbacks and an analysis of their evolution throughout their history.

[ES] Los robots hiper-redundantes son aquellos que tienen un número muy elevado de grados de libertad. En su uso cotidiano, la redundancia es referida para indicar una repetición o un uso excesivo de un concepto. En el campo de la robótica, la redundancia puede ofrecer numerosos beneficios frente a los robots convencionales. Los robots hiper-redundantes poseen una mayor habilidad para sortear obstáculos, son tolerantes a fallos en algunas de sus articulaciones y también pueden ofrecer ventajas cinemáticas. En este artículo se presentan los conceptos generales para entender este tipo de robots, así como una clasificación de los mismos, su potencial, su problemática y su evolución a lo largo de la historia., [EN] Hyper-redundant robots are characterized by having a high number of degrees of freedom. The word redundant is commonly used to mean a repetition or excess of a concept. In the robotics scope, redundancy offers numerous advantages against traditional robots. Hyper-redundant robots provide better skills to avoid obstacles, they are fault-tolerant in some of their joints and exhibit kinematic advantages. This article presents general concepts to understand this kind of robots as well as a classification, their potential, drawbacks and an analysis of their evolution throughout their history.

[ES] Los robots hiper-redundantes son aquellos que tienen un número muy elevado de grados de libertad. En su uso cotidiano, la redundancia es referida para indicar una repetición o un uso excesivo de un concepto. En el campo de la robótica, la redundancia puede ofrecer numerosos beneficios frente a los robots convencionales. Los robots hiper-redundantes poseen una mayor habilidad para sortear obstáculos, son tolerantes a fallos en algunas de sus articulaciones y también pueden ofrecer ventajas cinemáticas. En este artículo se presentan los conceptos generales para entender este tipo de robots, así como una clasificación de los mismos, su potencial, su problemática y su evolución a lo largo de la historia., [EN] Hyper-redundant robots are characterized by having a high number of degrees of freedom. The word redundant is commonly used to mean a repetition or excess of a concept. In the robotics scope, redundancy offers numerous advantages against traditional robots. Hyper-redundant robots provide better skills to avoid obstacles, they are fault-tolerant in some of their joints and exhibit kinematic advantages. This article presents general concepts to understand this kind of robots as well as a classification, their potential, drawbacks and an analysis of their evolution throughout their history.

We report on a field exercise in which a team of human fire-fighters used robots to enact a realistic disaster response mission in an industrial environment. In this exercise we evaluated the technical working of an integrated robotic system and gained insights concerning the manner in which robots and information streams can be utilized effectively. We have learnt important lessons regarding the employment of human-robot teams in complex, realistic missions. © 2018 Authors. ACM SIGAI; ACM SIGCHI; IEEE Robotics and Automation (IEEE RAS)

The report considers the problem of delivery a cargo by remotely controlled a robotic systems wheel type. It is assumed that the movement of vehicles along the route takes place column, which are arranged at the start of the machine, the route consists of straight and curved portions movement. Determined to motion parameters column machines and the law of motion control for movement along a predetermined path.

The report considers the problem of delivery a cargo by remotely controlled a robotic systems wheel type. It is assumed that the movement of vehicles along the route takes place column, which are arranged at the start of the machine, the route consists of straight and curved portions movement. Determined to motion parameters column machines and the law of motion control for movement along a predetermined path.

The work presented in this thesis focuses on the design and testing of a casualty extraction robot intended to stabilize the head and neck of an unresponsive person. The employment of robots in dangerous locales such as combat zones or the site of a natural disaster has the potential to help keep first responders out of harm's way as well as to improve the efficiency of search and rescue teams. After a review of robotic search and rescue platforms the Semi-Autonomous Victim Extraction Robot(SAVER) is introduced. The necessity of a device intended to support the head and cervical spine during transport on a rescue robot is then discussed. The kinematic and dynamic analyses of various candidate differential mechanisms intended for the head stabilization device are described, and the chosen mechanism is demonstrated in a proof-of-concept device. Following testing with a simple PID controller, it was determined an advanced feedback controller with disturbance rejection capabilities was required. Linear Active Disturbance Rejection Control (LADRC) was chosen for its effectiveness in rejecting perturbations and handling modeling uncertainties. The performance the proposed LADRC control scheme was compared with PID in simulation and the results are presented. Finally, a prototype of the device was designed and built to validate the functionality of the subsystem, and the results of the corresponding experimentation are discussed.

Cognitive robotics addresses the emerging field of autonomous systems possessing artificial reasoning skills. Successfully-applied algorithms and autonomy models form the basis for study, and provide students an opportunity to design such a system as part of their class project. Theory and application are linked through discussion of real systems such as the Mars Exploration Rover.