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The global production tends towards more sustainable manufacturing, which forces manufacturers to constantly change and adapt. In our case, we are considering the FESTO CP LAB 400 production line, primarily designed for the training of personnel in the field of automation, which is essential for maintaining competitiveness in today's world. The production line consists of seven fully automated workstations and one manual assembly workstation, which represents the bottleneck of the production system. The paper presents a comparative study of the lines (human assembly vs. collaborative robot assembly) with an emphasis on economic and environmental aspects. The input parameters of the production line were obtained based on real-world measurements, while the assembly time of the collaborative robot was determined through simulation studies. The results of the study are presented graphically and numerically and confirm the contribution of the introduction of a collaborative robot to the assembly workstation in both financial and environmental terms.

Modern factories are subject to rapid technological changes, including the advancement of robotics. A key manufacturing solution in the fourth industrial revolution is the introduction of collaborative robots (cobots), which cooperate directly with human operators while executing shared tasks. Although collaborative robotics has tangible benefits, cobots pose several challenges to human-robot interaction. Proximity, unpredictable robot behavior, and switching the operator’s role from a co-operant to a supervisor can negatively affect the operator’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses, resulting in their lower well-being and decreased job performance. Therefore, proper actions are necessary to improve the interaction between the robot and its human counterpart. Specifically, exploring the concept of human-robot interaction (HRI) fluency shows promising perspectives. However, research on conditions affecting the relationships between HRI fluency and its outcomes is still in its infancy. Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional survey study was twofold. First, the relationships of HRI fluency with job performance (i.e., task performance, organizational citizenship behavior, and creative performance) and job satisfaction were investigated. Second, the moderating role of the quantitative workload in these associations was verified. The analyses carried out on data from 200 male and female cobot operators working on the shop floor showed positive relationships between HRI fluency, job performance, and job satisfaction. Moreover, the study confirmed the moderating role of the quantitative workload in these relations. The results showed that the higher the workload, the lower the relationships between HRI fluency and its outcomes. The study findings are discussed within the theoretical framework of the Job Demands-Control-Support model.

The spread of cobotsin common industrial practice has led constructors to prefer the development of collaborative features that are necessary to prevent injuries to operators over the realization of simple kinematic structures for which the joints-to-workspace mapping is well known. An example is given by the replacement in serial robots of spherical wrists with safer solutions, where the danger of crushing and shearing is intrinsically avoided. Despite this tendency, the kinematic map between actuated joints and the Cartesian workspace remains of paramount importance for robot analysis and programming, deserving the attention of the research community. This paper proposes a closed-form solution for the inverse kinematics of a class of 6R robotic arms with six degrees of freedom and non-spherical wrists. The solutions are worked out by a single polynomial, of minimum degree, in terms of one of the positioning parameters chosen for the description of the robot posture. The roots of such a polynomial are then back-substituted to determine all the remaining unknowns. A numerical example is finally shown to verify the validity of the proposed implementation for a commercial collaborative robot.

The trend towards industrialization and digitalization has led more and more companies to deploy robots in their manufacturing facilities. In the field of collaborative robotics, the KUKA LBR iiwa is one of the benchmark robots. To communicate these robots with different components and generate an interoperability infrastructure, the software libraries provided by Robot Operating System are now widely widespread. However, the latency that such communication between devices often generates, diminishes the potential of machine learning control techniques, such as reinforcement learning, when the robot must react swiftly in an unstructured environment. This paper presents a scalable and unified control system that supports both Robot Operating System and direct control and outperforms current control frameworks in terms of exploiting the functionalities of the KUKA LBR iiwa. The framework's documentation can be found at https://libiiwa.readthedocs.io and its source code is available on GitHub at https://github.com/Toni-SM/libiiwa.

The features of collaborative robots (cobots), like lightweight, easy programming, and flexibility, meet the production automation requirements in SMEs. However, SME productions are usually in semi-structured or cluttered environments, which raises major challenges in implementing cobot systems in SME production, for instance, increasing the visual perception of cobots, handling diverse tasks, and fast deploying cobot systems, etc. Therefore, we propose an automation framework for SME production by addressing these challenges with cobots to facilitate their production. First, the learning-based vision system is developed and implemented with the You Only Look Once (YOLOv5) for object detection, and with the Convolutional Neural Network cascaded with a Support Vector Machine (CNN-SVM) for quality control of products. Then, the multi-functional gripper system is designed and fabricated to be capable of performing multiple operations and tasks without tool changing, and be able to tolerate a certain level of changes in the environment. After that, a digital twin of the robotic system is developed, which enables the system developer to save time in troubleshooting and debugging, and the customers to have a customized model with all the elements and functions required before system deployment. Finally, the onsite testing of the integrated system is conducted in collaboration with our SME industrial partner, and the test results show that the cobot system can perform the automated production process well and accurately. It is feasible to extend the application of such a cobot system to other SME productions.

The paper presents a new version of the existing elastic band algorithm used for path finding, with application in the field of collaborative robotics and point-to-point movements. The algorithm places control points on the path and dynamically modifies the position of these control points in reaction to any obstacles located or moving in the workspace. The control points are updated in the robot space (TCP space), obstacles are represented by a set of grid-aligned voxels acquired by a camera system. Repulsive forces are created between the obstacles and the robot body (represented by a set of points covering evenly the surface of individual links) and transferred to the locations of the elastic band control points. The method is computationally effective and provides a smooth and length-optimal path while considering collisions in a more accurate manner than traditional usage of simple bounding volumes. The dynamic iterative updating of elastic band provides a clear principle for modification of the trajectory even close to the actual location of the robot as it is following the trajectory. The algorithm is verified on a set of practical experiments made on a physical UR3 robot with simulated obstacles, and the results are also compared to other commonly used methods for dynamic obstacle avoidance. Web of Science 10 106987 106972

U ovom diplomskom radu obrađena je konceptualna ideja skidanje srha pomoću kolaborativnog robota. Srh je prisutan nakon velikog broja primarnih postupaka proizvodnje, poput lijevanja, kovanja i štancanja. Skidanje srha ne zahtjeva velike obradne snage, pa investiranje u zaseban CNC sustav obrade često nije isplativ. Lakše dostupni (i jeftiniji) kolaborativni roboti pružaju mogućnost 5-osne obrade. U sklopu ovog rada, za primjer obrade uzima se aluminijski naplatak. Za potrebu ovog rada prema materijalu obrade projektirana je obradna glava koja ima mogućnost 5-osne obrade naplatka. Odabran je rezni alat, proračunat pogon i osmišljen cjelokupan elektronički dio koji upravlja obradom. Konstruirana su kompaktna kućišta koja štite i povezuju sve komponente potrebne za obradu. Temeljem toga izrađen je nefunkcionalni prototip modeliranog uređaja metodama aditivne proizvodnje. Za potrebe virtualne simulacije izrađen je 3D model dobivenog naplatka, iz kojega je izvučena putanja alata. Pomoću softverskog paketa Fusion 360 izrađen je program za 5-osnu strojnu obradu. Taj program pretvoren je u putanju unutar virtualnog okruženja RoboDK. Unutar RoboDK softvera izrađena je potpuna robotska stanica koja sliči stvarnom radnom prostoru UR5 robota. Pronađena je odgovarajuća konfiguracija robota, položaja naplatka i CAM postavke programa u kojima UR5 robot može izvršiti obradu skidanjem čestica. Generiran je program za CB2 kontroler stvarnog UR5 robota, na kojemu je simulirana obrada pomoću nefunkcionalnog prototipa obradnog vretena. In this diploma paper we deal with the conceptual idea of deburring using collaborative robots. Sharp edges are present after numerous primary production processes, such as casting, forging, and stamping. Deburring does not require a lot of machining power, so investing in a separate CNC machining system is often not viable. Easily available collaborative robots provide the ability for 5-axis machining. In this paper, an aluminum alloy wheel is taken as an example of machining. A machining spindle was designed that has the possibility of 5-axis machining of the wheel material. Based on the alloy material, a cutting tool was selected, and an electric motor drive was calculated. Entire electronic section that controls the machining spindle was developed. Compact housings has been constructed that protects and connects all components necessary for machining operation. Based on this, a non-functional prototype of the modeled device was produced using FDM methods. For the purposes of virtual machining simulation, a 3D model of the wheel was created, from which the tool path was extracted. A program for 5-axis machining was created using the Fusion 360 software package. Generated program is converted into a tool path within the RoboDK virtual environment. Within the RoboDK software, a full robot station is created that replicates in the real workspace of the UR5 robot. An appropriate configuration of the UR5 robot, wheel position and CAM settings within the program was found in which a robot can perform machining processing. A program was generated for the CB2 controller of an actual UR5 robot, on which machining was simulated using a non-functional machining spindle prototype.

The introduction of collaborative robots aims to make production more flexible, promoting a greater interaction between humans and robots also from physical point of view. However, working closely with a robot may lead to the creation of stressful situations for the operator, which can negatively affect task performance. In Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), robots are expected to be socially intelligent, that is, capable of understanding and reacting accordingly to human social and affective clues. This ability can be exploited implementing affective computing, which concerns the development of systems able to recognize, interpret, process, and simulate human affects. Social intelligence is essential for robots to establish a natural interaction with people in several contexts, including the manufacturing sector with the emergence of Industry 5.0. In order to take full advantage of the human-robot collaboration, the robotic system should be able to perceive the psycho-emotional and mental state of the operator through different sensing modalities (e.g. facial expressions, body language, voice, or physiological signals) and to adapt its behavior accordingly. The development of socially intelligent collaborative robots in the manufacturing sector can lead to a symbiotic human-robot collaboration, arising several research challenges that still need to be addressed. The goals of this paper are the following: (i) providing an overview of affective computing implementation in HRI; (ii) analyzing the state-of-art on this topic in different application contexts (e.g. healthcare, service applications, and manufacturing); (iii) highlighting research challenges for the manufacturing sector.

This paper presents a comparison between two different 6R articulated robot architectures, one with a spherical wrist and the other with a non-spherical wrist and three consecutive parallel axes, which are found mainly in collaborative arms. The performance of the two architectures has been evaluated in terms of linear and rotational velocity using the Kinematic Directional Index (KDI). The results highlight the relation between the robot’s velocity along a direction and the joint velocities. In this way, the proposed approach allows the evaluation of the best performance in a direction and the joints that limit the considered motion.

In manufacturing, ergonomic and productivity benefits may result from combining the sensing and dexterity of the human workers with the strength of collaborative robots (cobots). Anyway, manual tasks requiring repetitive motion or working with robots can cause musculoskeletal disorders especially of the hands. In such a context, this paper proposes a novel solution that includes both a full body inertial system and a dedicated solution for hand tracking. This allows implementing the standard methods for assessing ergonomic indexes and to introduce new advanced task analyses based on gesture evaluation. The benefits reached by the integrated system for body and hand tracking can be exploited in the virtual prototyping of collaborative workstation in the manufacturing domain. Different software packages have been considered to model and simulate the collaboration between the operator and the cobot. In particular, Unity and ROS are used to develop the virtual scene and control the cobot behavior and the HTC Vive Head Mounted Display (HMD) to interact with the virtual environment. Physical ergonomics is evaluated by using both a full body suit (XSENS) and sensorized gloves (MANUS). The solution has been applied to the simulation of a virtual production line where the operator collaborates with a six-axis cobot (NIRYO ONE). Test tasks require the operator to move and manage different objects and tools by simulating different types of grasping. Real-time feedback about ergonomics, in terms of posture evaluation and alerts in case of critical condition, is shown to the operator as well as the automatic generation of reports for the post-process evaluation of the entire process. The results show how the use of these tools can be effective in the ergonomic evaluation of a collaborative robotic workstation which requires manual tasks.

SummaryToday, demandsin industrial manufacturing mandate humans to work with large-scale industrial robots, and this collaboration may result in dangerous conditions for humans. To deal with this situation, this work proposes a novel approach for redundant large-scale industrial robots. In the proposed approach, an admittance controller is designed to regulate the interaction between the end effector of the robot and the human. Additionally, an obstacle avoidance algorithm is implemented in the null space of the robot to prevent any possible unexpected collision between the human and the links of the robot. After safety performance of this approach is verified via simulations and experimental studies, the effect of the parameters of the admittance controller on the performance of collaboration in terms of both accuracy and total human effort is investigated. This investigation is carried out via 8 experiments by the participation of 10 test subjects in which the effect of different admittance controller parameters such as mass and damper are compared. As a result of this investigation, tuning insights for such parameters are revealed.

The article deals with the issue of development, design, production and revival of a test workplace equipped with a collaborative robot and human service. The proposed solution is based on the need to train the company's employees during the completion of gear sets. Since it is not a large-scale production, it was necessary to design the educational equipment in such a way that it is portable and can be placed within different workplaces and offers sufficient variability. The variability of the device makes it possible to modify the device so that the difficulty of the training is adapted to the knowledge of a trainedworker. The developed device allows improving the manual, logical and programming competences of a worker, У статті розглянуто питання розробки, проєктування, виробництва та запуску випробувального робочого місця, оснащеного колаборативним роботом і людиною-сервісом. Запропоноване рішення базується на необхідності навчання працівників підприємства під час комплектації зубчастих пар. Оскільки це не великомасштабне виробництво, необхідно було спроєктувати навчальне обладнання таким чином, щоб воно було портативним, його можна було розміщувати на різних робочих місцях і мало достатню варіативність. Варіативність устаткування дозволяє йогомодифікувати таким чином, щоб складність навчання була адаптована до знань працівника, що навчається. Розроблене устаткування дозволяє підвищити мануальні, логічні та програмні навички працівника. Ручні навички вдосконалюються за рахунок необхідності використання ручних інструментів під час складання, якими працівник повинен вміти керувати за встановлений час. Логічну компетентність працівника можна покращити, додавши додаткові шестерні з різною кількістю зубів, що змушує працівника виконати базовий розрахунок передавального числа для складання вузла. Компетентність працівників у програмуванні покращується завдяки необхідності програмування колаборативного робота, щоб він міг безпечно пересуватися в обмеженому просторі. Розрахункові зазори в опорах та між шестернями вимагають необхідності точного програмування та оптимізації руху. Розроблене навчальне робоче місце підходить для вдосконалення знань працівників, які вже мають досвід подібної діяльності та потребують підвищення продуктивності, оптимізації процесів або скорочення часу простою. Запропонований колаборативний робот характеризується достатньою вантажопідйомністю та радіусом дії. Для програмування робота, а також керування роботом методом відтворення використовується планшет із сенсорним керуванням. Це дозволяє прискорити процес створення відповідних траєкторій і оптимізувати логічні функції робота.

Collaborative robots are an indispensable element of both industry 4.0 and industry 5.0, the latter of which gives special emphasis to the human facet of the human-robot collaboration. To facilitate such an interaction, attention should be given to the design of the cobot, including its interface, which enables communication with the user. Programming through the interface and performing a task with the robotic device are responsible for the user experience (UX), which comprises both pragmatic and hedonic aspects. In order to design the most positive experience for users, their perspectives must be considered, which is achieved through the identification of UX goals. In this respect, a systematic review was conducted to revise the UX goals present in the literature. The following seven UX goals were identified: safety, relationship, usability, inspiration, flexibility, efficiency, and accomplishment. These findings represent the first systematic categorization of UX goals for the specific design of cobots, that should empirically be tested.

[ES] Los controladores de los robots colaborativos habitualmente son cerrados. Permiten al usuario enviar al robot un conjunto de comandos predeterminados, pero no permite implementar formas más complejas de control. Por lo que el propósito de este proyecto, es realizar un control distribuido con robots UR3, donde parte del control se realice desde el propio robot, utilizando su interfaz y sus funciones, y la otra parte se realice mediante un PC externo, en este caso con lenguaje Python. De esta forma se aprovechan las funciones ya implementadas en el robot (cinematica, dinámica, etc) pudiéndolas ampliar con funciones propias del desarrollador. Se estudiara la manera de poder conectarse al sensor externo de fuerza y par del robot, sin necesidad de utilizar la interfaz del robot, y poder así leer sus valores. La parte fundamental del trabajo consistirá en la realización de una seria de experimentos para realizar un control coordinado de dos robots colaborativos UR3. El objetivo principal será comparar los 3 movimientos básicos del robot (MoveL , MoveJ y MoveP) para que en todos se pueda realizar un movimiento coordinado y posteriormente que ambos puedan transportar un objeto. Con el Movimiento MoveJ, se puede producir una mayor desviación para la coordinación de ambos robots, por lo que se va a realizar un control por bucle interior-exterior, el lazo interior que esta implementado por el fabricante del robot, es un control cerrado y limitado, y el lazo exterior será un control por velocidad con un regulador proporcional. Para el control por velocidad se utilizara el comando SpeedL del robot UR3, donde el robot maestro se moverá haciendo una trayectoria y el robot esclavo lo seguirá. Se estudiara el tiempo óptimo para conseguir una buena recepción y envió de datos entre los robots y el PC externo. Al ser este un tiempo mayor que el periodo de muestreo de los robots, puede causar una mayor desviación entre ellos, ya que este envío de datos se realizaría una menor cantidad de veces, por lo que se realiza un experimento donde se guardan las posiciones del maestro en un archivo de datos previamente, para así poder saber el robot esclavo la posición actual del maestro y su posición en el instante siguiente. Por último, se realiza un estudio del tipo de generador de trayectoria que tiene el robot UR3, así como la viabilidad de realizar un experimento basado en la inversa del generador de trayectoria, observando los tiempos entre las fases de velocidad, su velocidad y su aceleración. Para finalizar, se realizaran los planos de robot UR3, así como un presupuesto del proyecto., [EN] The collaborative robot controllers are usually closed source. It allow the user to send default commands to the robot, but not enable to implement more complex ways of control. Thus, the purpose of this project is to perform a distributed control using UR3 robots, where a part of the control be carried out by the robot itself, using its interface and functions, and the other side is realised using an external PC, in this case, in Python language. This way, we can benefit from the functions implemented at the robot (kinematic, dynamic, etc) and will extend it with developer own functions. Will be consider the way to connect to the external robot sensors of power and torque, without the need to use the robot interface, and this way can read its values. The essential part of the work will consist on the completion of a set of experiments to make a coordinated control of two collaborative UR3 robots. The main objective will be compare the tree basic robot movements (MoveL, MoveJ and MoveP) so that they can perform a coordinated movement and subsequently, that both may transport an object. The MoveJ movement may cause a greater deviation to the coordination of both robots. To avoid this, an internal-external loop control will be performed. The internal link implemented by the robot manufacturer is a closed and limited control. The external link will be a speed control with a proportional regulator. For the speed control will be use the SpeedL command of the UR3 robot, where the master robot will move performing a path, and the slave will follow it. I will study what is the optimal time to achieve a good sending and receiving data between the robots and the external PC. As a bigger time that the sampling period, this may result in a greater deviation between the robots, as the data sending would be performed a smaller number of times. Therefore, a experiment is realized, where we save the master robot positions in a data file, so that the slave robot may know the current position of the master robot and its position and the next moment. Finally, the path generator type of the UR3 robot is studied, just as the viability of doing an experiment base on the reverse of the path generator, monitoring the time between the speed stages, the current speed and its acceleration. To conclude, the UR3 robot drawings will be made, as well as a budget of the project.

Registration protocol for PRISMA scoping review that comprehensively overviews current sensor-enabled safety systems for human-robot collaboration in the manufacturing industry.

U ovom je radu opisana i demonstrirana mogućnost primjene robota kolaborativne prirode proizvođača FANUC. Kolaborativni roboti omogućili su izravnu interakciju čovjeka i robota koja je nužna za izvođenje određenih procesa, poput sklapanja proizvoda. U obavljanju takvih procesa roboti su opremljeni raznim senzorima od kojih se ističe senzor sile montiran na vrhu prirubnice robota. Neke od primjena korištenog senzora sile FS-15iA objašnjene su u ovom radu za izvođenje određenih demonstrativnih procesa. Za potrebe izvođenja tih procesa izrađeni su jednostavni predmeti rada i postav koji objedinjuje sve procese. Velik dio korištenih elemenata modeliran je u CAD softverskom paketu, a zatim 3D printan. Prikazani procesi programirani su u programskom paketu ROBOGUIDE. Jedan dio procesa odnosi se na prikaz funkcija kontrole sile (eng. force control) čiji je program pisan pomoću programske podrške na privjesku za učenje (eng. teach pendant). Drugi dio procesa odnosi se na vođenje robota pomoću 3D printane ručke te bilježenje ključnih točaka robotskog programa za izvođenje jednostavnog „uzmi i stavi“ programa (eng. pick and place). Taj se proces ostvaruje pomoću koda napisanog u programskom jeziku KAREL. This bachelor thesis describes and demonstrates the possibility of using a collaborative robot made by the Japanese company FANUC. Collaborative robots have allowed direct human-robot interaction which is necessary in order to perform certain processes, such as product assembly. For performing such processes, robots are equipped with different kinds of sensors of which the force sensor, mounted on the top of the robot's flange, stands out. Particular applications of the used FS-15iA force sensor are explained through performing certain demonstrative processes. Simple work objects and a layout have been made in order to carry out these processes. Most of the used elements have been designed in a CAD software package and then 3D printed. Previously mentioned processes have been programmed in the ROBOGUIDE software package. One part of the process refers to displaying different force control functions which have been utilized in a program that has been written on the teach pendant program support. The other part of the process refers to guiding the robot using a 3D printed handle in order to record the key positions for the execution of a simple pick and place program. This process is realized using a code that has been written in the KAREL programming language.

[ES] El trabajo abordará el diseño e implementación de una aplicación robotizada para el robot colaborativo UR3 (de la marca Universal Robots) equipado con un sistema de visión. La tarea que realizará el robot consiste en reconocer distintos tipos de pieza y realizar el montaje de estas de forma adecuada. Dichas piezas serán diseñadas y fabricadas durante el trabajo y se realizarán pruebas experimentales que permitan validar el funcionamiento de todo el sistema. En el propio trabajo, se ha tratado con aspectos como el diseño y la impresión 3D de las piezas, la programación del robot y la implementación del sistema de visión al robot. Además, a la vez que se explica en esta memoria el procedimiento que se ha realizado, se expondrá los diferentes problemas que han surgido durante este trabajo y cómo se han resuelto., [EN] In this project will address the design and implementation of an application robotized to the collaborative robot UR3 (of the brand Universal Robots) equipped with a vision system. The task that will perform robot consist of recognizing different types of parts and assembly them properly. These parts will be design and manufactured during project and experimental test will be carried out to validate the operation of entire system. In the project itself, aspects such us design and 3D printing of parts, the programming of robot and implementation of vision system to robot have been dealt with. In addition, while procedure of that has been carried out is explained in this report, the different problems that have arisen during this project and how they have been resolved will be explained., [CA] El treball abordarà el disseny e implementació d’una aplicació robotitzada para el robot col·laboratiu UR3 (de la marca Universal Robots) equipat con un sistema de visió. La tasca que realitzarà el robot consistí en reconèixer diferents tipus de peça i realitzar el muntatge d’aquestes de forma adequada. Aquestes peces, seran dissenyades i fabricades durant el treball i es realitzaran probes experimentals que permeten validar el funcionament de tot el sistema.

Zaključna naloga obravnava analizo funkcij kolaborativnega robota DOBOT CR3 za izvedbo enostavne robotske aplikacije primi in spusti. V okviru teoretičnega dela naloge je predstavljen obravnavan robot DOBOT CR3, krmilnik DOBOT CC162 in program DobotSCStudio. Osrednji del naloge predstavlja eksperiment in izvedba različnih scenarijev za aplikacije primi in spusti ter vrednotenje glavnih programskih funkcij robota, kot so strega kosov, trk robota z objektom, zaustavitev robota v sili, funkcijske tipke in LED indikatorji. Prikazan je način programiranja kolaborativnega robota in preverjanje njegovih funkcionalnosti. Zelo pomemben del naloge predstavlja izdelava elektropnevmatskega prijemala robota in programiranje robota za izvedbo strežnih operacij. Zaključni del naloge obsega končno vrednotenje robotskega sistema in utemeljitev o možnosti uporabe robota DOBOT CR3 v industrijskih aplikacijah s sodelovanjem človeka. The thesis deals with the function analysis of collaborative robot DOBOT CR3 to perform a simple robotic pick-and-place application. The theoretical part of the thesis presents the discussed robot DOBOT CR3, the controller DOBOT CC162 and the program DobotSCStudio. The core of the thesis shows the experiment and the performing of different scenarios for pick-and-place applications as well as the evaluation of the main program functions of the robot which are the handling of products, the collision between the robot and an object, the emergency stop of the robot, function keys and LED indicators. It shows the way of programming the collaborative robot and testing its functionality. A very important part of the thesis consists of the production of the electropneumatical gripper for the robot and programming the robot for executing handling operations. The concluding part of the thesis consists of the final evaluation of the robot system and the argumentation about the use of robot DOBOT CR3 in industrial applications with human collaboration.

A laboratory eye-tracking experiment using a gaze-cueing paradigm to examine the effects of different robot-eyes (abstract, human, non-social) for an industrial human-robot-interaction context.

A videobased online vignette study is used to examine the effect of transparency and reliability on interaction experience in a simulated human-robot collaboration assembly task.

Collaborative robots, in other words cobots, are good examples of the extent to which the developments in the robotics sector have come from the beginning of the 21st century. Cobots, which came into our lives with the understanding of the importance of automation technologies in the production sector, aimed to minimize the errors encountered due to production while increasing the production capacity and speed in industrial productions. Cobots, which have been used in different fields since the first day of its emergence, have been used in the fight against the pandemic, when the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which started to be seen in the world at the end of 2019, caused a pandemic. The development process of collaborative robots, namely cobots, to protect human life and reduce the effects of the pandemic with the onset of the pandemic, has been examined by making use of past research. In this study, the success and widespread impact values of Cobots during the COVID-19 epidemic and pandemic were investigated and revealed., Kolaboratif robotlar diğer bir değişle cobotlar, 21. yüzyılın başlangıcından itibaren, robotik sektöründeki gelişmelerin geldiği boyutlara iyi birer örnek teşkil etmektedir. Özellikle otomasyon teknolojilerinin üretim sektöründeki öneminin anlaşılması ile hayatımıza giren cobotlar, endüstriyel üretimlerde üretim kapasitesi ve hızını artırırken, üretimden dolayı karşılaşılan hataları en aza indirgemeyi hedeflemiştir. Ortaya çıktığı ilk günden günümüze kadar farklı alanlarda kullanılmakta olan cobotların SARS-CoV-2 virüsünün sebep olduğu, 2019 yılının sonlarında dünyada görülmeye başlanan koronavirüs (COVID-19) hastalığının pandemiye yol açmasıyla, pandemi ile mücadelede kullanımına başlanmıştır. Kolaboratif robotların yani cobotların, pandeminin başlaması ile insan hayatını korumak ve pandeminin etkilerinin azaltılması yolunda girdiği gelişme süreci, geçmiş araştırmalardan faydalanılarak incelenmiştir. Bu çalışmada, COVID-19 salgını ve pandemi sürecinde, Cobotların gösterdiği başarı ve yaygın etki değerleri araştırılarak ortaya koyulmuştur.

Human hands are essential in everyday tasks, mainly manipulating and grasping objects. Thus, accurate and precise three-dimensional (3D) models of digitally reconstructed hands are valuable to the world of ergonomics. A 3D scan-to-render system called the “3D hands model rendering using a 6-degrees of freedom (DoF) collaborative robot” is proposed to ensure that a person receives the best possible outcome for their unique anatomy. The description implies this is using a 6-DoF robot with a two-dimensional (2D) camera sensor that will encompass all forms of the production line in a timely, low-cost, precise, and accurate manner so that an individual can go to and scan their hand and have an actual 3D reconstruction print within the same facility, the same day. It is expected to generate an accurate hand model using structure from motion (SFM) system techniques to create a dense point cloud using photogrammetry. The point cloud is used to develop the tetrahedral mesh of the surface of the hand. This mesh is then refined to filter out the noise of the point cloud. The mesh can produce a precise 3D model that can tailor products to the consumer's needs. The results show the effectiveness of the 3D model of the hand.

Naloga obsega razvoj robotskega sistema za mikrodoziranje. To je precizno doziranje praškastih materialov v določen nosilec. Sistem sestoji iz nalaganja materiala na dozirno spatulo in doziranja v dozirno posodo. Tehniki nalaganja in doziranja sta izvedeni po zgledu človeka. Demonstracijo nalagalnega giba smo posneli s kinestetičnim vodenjem robota. Gib je parametriziran z uporabo dinamičnih primitivov gibanja (DMP), kar nam dovoljuje prilagajanje nalagalnega mesta v odjemni posodi. To je določeno s pregledom površine praška z laserskim senzorjem. Demonstracije dozirnega giba smo posneli z optičnim sistemom za zajem gibanja. Gib smo prilagodili izvedbi z robotom in ga parametrizirali s periodičnimi dinamičnimi primitivi gibanja (pDMP). Doziranje poteka kot regulacija frekvence dozirnega giba na podlagi modela praška ter merjene mase v dozirni posodi in na spatuli. Preizkusili smo tudi regulacijo s PID regulatorjem, vendar se je izkazala za nezanesljivo. Sistem smo testirali z mikrokristalno celulozo (MCC), na območju [0,~30]~mg. Razširjena negotovost rezultatov je podobna negotovosti meritev: 2,6~mg. Največja prispevka k slednji sta variabilnost vzorcev in motnje iz okolja, predvsem spremembe zračnega tlaka. Ker negotovost meritev vpliva na kvaliteto modela sklepamo, da bi v primernejšem okolju lahko dosegli še boljše rezultate. Robot je bolj natančen, kakor človek z enako tehniko. Z natančnostjo izurjenih strokovnih delavcev je primerljiv, odvisno od izkušenj. Za namensko grajenimi stroji zaostaja približno za faktor 10. This work encomapsses the development of a robotic microdosing system. Microdosing is the science of precise delivery of powders into a chosen vessel. The system consists of two parts: loading material onto the dosing spatula and microdosing said material into the dosing dish. Both actions are exectued by following human demonstration. The demonstration of the loading motion was recorded by kinesthetic guidance of the robot arm. The motion was parametrized with dynamic movement primitives (DMPs), allowing us to dynamically adjust the loading point in the loading area. The loading point's location is determined by scanning the powder surface with a laser scanner. The demonstrations of the dosing motion were captured using an optic motion tracking system. We adjusted the motion to be suitable for execution with the robot and parametrized it using periodic dynamic movement primitives (pDMPs). Microdosing is realised as regulation of the dosing motion's frequency, based on a model of the powder in conjuction with the measured mass in the dosing dish and on the spatula. We also considered and tested PID regulation, which proved unreliable. We performed an evaluation of the system in the range [0,~30]~mg, using microcrystal cellulose (MCC) powder. The expanded uncertianty of the results is similar to that of measurements: 2.6~mg. The most significant contributors to the latter are the variablity of samples and environmental noise, predominantly changes in air pressure. Because the quality of measurements directly affects the quality of our model, we presume considerably better results could be obtained in a more suitable environment. The robot achieves greater precision than a human using the same technique. It's precision is comparable to that of trained experts, with some variance due to differing levels of experience. It's unable to meet the precision of purpose built machinery, falling short by about a factor of 10.

The task of screwing is based on a set of actions with no added value, requiring precision, attention, and repeatability. These set of actions could consist of alienating and demanding activity for a human operator. Collaborative robotics can facilitate the performance of such tasks. This investigation focuses on the development of a smart station for the automated screwing of fittings in pneumatic manifolds. The collaborative robot Sawyer produced by Rethink Robotics is equipped with an appropriate end-effector and was utilized to receive the fittings from a vibrating feeder towards the end-effector. This facilitated centering of the fittings on the threaded holes, and the performance of the screwing task on a set of manifolds placed on a rotating station. The design of the end-effector and its prototype is described. In addition, the proposed automated process was experimentally tested and its effectiveness was validated.

As robots' use increases in every sector of human life, the demand for cheap and efficient robots has also enlarged. The use of two or more simple robot is preferable to the use of one sophisticated robot. The agriculture industry can benefit from installing a robot, from seeding to the packaging of the product. A precise analysis is required for the installation of two collaborative robots. This paper discusses the motion control analysis of two collaborative arms robots in the fruit packaging system. The study begins with the relative motion analysis between two robots, starting with kinematics modeling, image processing for object detection, and the Fuzzy Logic Controller's design to show the relationship between the robot inputs and outputs. The analysis is carried out using SCILAB, open-source software for numerical computing engineering. This paper is intended as the initial analysis of the feasibility of the real experimental system.

In this paper, the design of novel slotless permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) for a collaborative robot was studied considering the manufacture process of winding. The winding manufacture process of novel slotless PMSM was proposed in three steps. First, the two types of coil units were manufactured based on the winding jig to assemble the coil units. Second, the coil unit was manufactured using the injection molding based on the plastic material such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). Third, the units of the coil were assembled to form a stator winding. Considering this manufacture process of winding, the slotless motor design was studied for the collaborative robot. For the design and analysis of slotless motor, finite element analysis (FEA) was performed through ANSYS Maxwell. The electromagnetic performance was analyzed according to the pole-slot combination. Considering the space of the collaborative robot, the basic model was designed. Based on the basic model, the electromagnetic performance was analyzed according to the design parameters such as the thickness of magnet and yoke and turns per slot. Considering the torque and current density, the final model was designed. To verify the FEA results, the slotless motor was manufactured and the experiment and FEA results were compared.

Parameter identification of the dynamic model of collaborative robots is the basis of the development of collaborative robot motion state control, path tracking, state monitoring, fault diagnosis, and fault tolerance systems, and is one of the core contents of collaborative robot research. Aiming at the identification of dynamic parameters of the collaborative robot, this paper proposes an identification algorithm based on weighted least squares and random weighted particle swarm optimization (WLS-RWPSO). Firstly, the dynamics mathematical model of the robot is established using the Lagrangian method, the dynamic parameters of the robot to be identified are determined, and the linear form of the dynamics model of the robot is derived taking into account the joint friction characteristics. Secondly, the weighted least squares method is used to obtain the initial solution of the parameters to be identified. Based on the traditional particle swarm optimization algorithm, a random weight particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed for the local optimal problem to identify the dynamic parameters of the robot. Thirdly, the fifth-order Fourier series is designed as the excitation trajectory, and the original data collected by the sensor are denoised and smoothed by the Kalman filter algorithm. Finally, the experimental verification on a six-degree-of-freedom collaborative robot proves that the predicted torque obtained by the identification algorithm in this paper has a high degree of matching with the measured torque, and the established model can reflect the dynamic characteristics of the robot, effectively improving the identification accuracy.

In this paper, a new comprehensive dynamic friction model for a collaborative industrial robot joint that considers the velocity, temperature, and load torque is proposed. The variation of load-dependent friction among the four-quadrant operation depending on the sign of load-torque and speed is studied. The new model’s passivity property is analyzed to obtain a physically meaningful and experimentally identified friction model. A sufficient condition is presented in terms of a simple algebraic inequality involving the parameters of the model. The model parameter identification procedure and validation of model effectiveness are demonstrated experimentally on a commercial collaborative robot manipulator. Moreover, the proposed friction model’s benefits are demonstrated in two different robot applications: friction compensation and direct teaching (smooth lead-through programming) applications. Significant tracking performance improvement in the root-mean-square errors up to 76% was achieved with the proposed friction model compared to the uncompensated cases in the friction compensation application. In the direct teaching application, the new model, which precisely estimates joint friction, results in a significant decrease in interaction forces up to 66%. These experimental results validate the performance of the proposed friction model.

Smart factories should be able to respond to catastrophic situations proactively, such as recalls caused by production line disruptions and equipment failures. Therefore, the necessity for predictive maintenance technology, such as fault detection or diagnosis of equipment has increased in recent years. In particular, predicting the faults of collaborative robots is becoming increasingly crucial because smart factories pursue efficient collaboration between humans and devices. However, collaborative robots have the characteristic of executing programmable motions designed by an operator, rather than performing fixed tasks. If existing fault diagnosis methods are applied to non–fixed programmable motions, problems arise in terms of setting absolute criteria for fault analysis, interpreting the meanings of detected values, and fault tracking or fault cause analysis. Therefore, we propose a method of programmable motion-fault detection by analyzing motion residuals to solve the three problems mentioned above. The proposed method can expand the fault diagnostic range of collaborative robots.

In this paper, a mobile manipulation system for automatized logistic applications is presented. The robotic system is specifically designed for depalletizing/palletizing tasks, namely is product extraction from homogeneous pallets and assembly of new heterogeneous pallets. The robotic system is mainly composed by an autonomous vehicle, a collaborative robotic arm and a lifting device, which is able to collect products from different pallet layers. The handling strategy is not based on lifting items, as in classical pick-and-place operations, but on dragging them aboard the mobile vehicle. As the payload weight is not supported by the arm, the overall robotic system is very light compared to the manipulated items, which is a paramount benefit for a mobile collaborative application. This paper presents the mechanical design, the hardware selection and the experimentation in a laboratory scenario, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed manipulation strategy.

Over the years, industrial robots had been used for numerous of repeatable tasks in different fields of industry, especially in automotive. Due to the safety reasons, robotized working stations had to be isolated by safety cell. Nowadays, we can observe a strong trend of automation and robotization of production processes, which is considered as the fourth industrial revolution. Industry 4.0 has brought new opportunities and challenges. One of the key directions of Industry 4.0 is Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC). According to this concept, collaborative robot, which is equipped with appropriate safety and collision avoidance systems, can assist the human in the most effortable and monotonic tasks in the same workspace without additional safety guard. In this paper the characteristic of Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC), safety regulations, as well as application examples of collaborative robots, are presented., The Malopolska School of Economics in Tarnow Research Papers Collection, Tom 48 Nr 4 (2020)

Industry 4.0, as an enabler of smart factories, focuses on flexible automation and customization of products by utilizing technologies such as the Internet of Things and cyber–physical systems. These technologies can also support the creation of virtual replicas which exhibit real-time characteristics of a physical system. These virtual replicas are commonly referred to as digital twins. With the increased adoption of digitized products, processes and services across manufacturing sectors, digital twins will play an important role throughout the entire product lifecycle. At the same time, collaborative robots have begun to make their way onto the shop floor to aid operators in completing tasks through human–robot collaboration. Therefore, the focus of this paper is to provide insights into approaches used to create digital twins of human–robot collaboration and the challenges in developing these digital twins. A review of different approaches for the creation of digital twins is presented, and the function and importance of digital twins in human–robot collaboration scenarios are described. Finally, the paper discusses the challenges of creating a digital twin, in particular the complexities of modelling the digital twin of human–robot collaboration and the exactness of the digital twin with respect to the physical system.

[ES] El mecanizado con brazos robots ha sido estudiado aproximadamente desde los años 90, durante este tiempo se han llevado a cabo importantes avances y descubrimientos en cuanto a su campo de aplicación. En general, los robots manipuladores tienen muchos beneficios y ventajas al ser usados en operaciones de mecanizado, tales como, flexibilidad, gran área de trabajo y facilidad de programación, entre otras, frente a las Máquinas Herramientas de Control numérico (MHCN) que necesitan de una gran inversión para trabajar piezas muy grandes o incrementar sus grados de libertad. Como desventajas, frente a las MHCN, los brazos robóticos poseen menor rigidez, lo que combinado con las altas fuerzas producidas en los procesos de mecanizado hace que aparezcan errores de precisión, desviaciones en las trayectorias, vibraciones y, por consiguiente, una mala calidad en las piezas fabricadas. Entre los brazos robots, los brazos colaborativos están en auge debido a su programación intuitiva y a sus medidas de seguridad, que les permiten trabajar en el mismo espacio que los operadores sin que estos corran riesgos. Como desventaja añadida de los robots colaborativos se encuentra la mayor flexibilidad que estos tienen en sus articulaciones, debido a que incluyen reductores del tipo Harmonic drive. El uso de un control de fuerza en procesos de mecanizado con brazos robots permite controlar y corregir en tiempo real las desviaciones generadas por la flexibilidad en las articulaciones del robot. Utilizar este método de control es beneficioso en cualquier brazo robot; sin embargo, el control interno que incluyen los robots colaborativos presenta ventajas que permiten que el control de fuerza pueda ser aplicado de una manera más eficiente. En el presente trabajo se desarrolla una propuesta real para la inclusión del control de esfuerzos en el brazo robot, así como también, se evalúa y cuantifica la capacidad de los robots industriales y colaborativos en tareas de mecanizado. La propuesta plantea cómo mejorar la utilización de un control de fuerza por bucle interior/exterior aplicado en un brazo colaborativo cuando se desconocen los pares reales de los motores del robot, así como otros parámetros internos que los fabricantes no dan a conocer. Este bucle de control interior/exterior ha sido utilizado en aplicaciones de pulido y lijado sobre diferentes materiales. Los resultados indican que el robot colaborativo es factible para realizar tales operaciones de mecanizado. Sus mejores resultados se obtienen cuando se utiliza un bucle de control interno por velocidad y un bucle de control externo de fuerza con algoritmos, Proporcional-Integral-Derivativo o Proporcional más Pre-Alimentación de la Fuerza., [CA] El mecanitzat amb braços robots ha estat estudiat aproximadament des dels anys 90, durant aquest temps s'han dut a terme importants avanços i descobriments en el que fa al seu camp d'aplicació. En general, els robots manipuladors tenen molts beneficis i avantatges al ser usats en operacions de mecanitzat, com ara, flexibilitat, gran àrea de treball i facilitat de programació, entre d'altres, davant de Màquines Eines de Control Numèric (MECN) que necessiten d'una gran inversió per treballar peces molt grans o incrementar els seus graus de llibertat. Com a desavantatges, enfront de les MECN, els braços robòtics posseeixen menor rigidesa, el que combinat amb les altes forces produïdes en els processos de mecanitzat fa que apareguin errors de precisió, desviacions en les trajectòries, vibracions i, per tant, una mala qualitat en les peces fabricades. Entre els braços robots, els braços col·laboratius estan en auge a causa de la seva programació intuïtiva i a les seves mesures de seguretat, que els permeten treballar en el mateix espai que els operadors sense que aquests corrin riscos. Com desavantatge afegida als robots col·laboratius es troba la major flexibilitat que aquests tenen en les seves articulacions, a causa de que inclouen reductors del tipus Harmonic drive. L'ús d'un control de força en processos de mecanitzat amb braços robots permet controlar, i corregir, en temps real les desviacions generades per la flexibilitat en les articulacions del robot. Utilitzar aquest mètode de control és beneficiós en qualsevol braç robot, però, el control intern que inclouen els robots col·laboratius presenta avantatges que permeten que el control de força es puga aplicar d'una manera més eficient. En el present treball es desenvolupa una proposta real per a la inclusió del control d'esforços en el braç robot, així com s'avalua i quantifica la capacitat dels robots industrials i col·laboratius en tasques de mecanitzat. La proposta planteja com millorar la utilització d'un control de força per bucle interior/exterior aplicat en un braç col·laboratiu, quan es desconeixen els parells reals dels motors del robot, així com altres paràmetres interns que els fabricants no donen a conèixer. Aquest bucle de control interior/exterior ha estat utilitzat en aplicacions de polit sobre diferents materials. Els resultats indiquen que el robot col·laboratiu és factible de realitzar aquestes operacions de mecanitzat. Els seus millors resultats s'obtenen quan s'utilitza un bucle de control intern per velocitat i un bucle de control extern de força amb els algoritmes Proporcional-Integral-Derivatiu o Proporcional més Pre-alimentació de la Força., [EN] Machining with robot arms has been studied approximately since the 90s; during this time, important advances and discoveries have been made in its field of application. In general, manipulative robots have many benefits and advantages when they are used in machining operations, such as flexibility, large work area, and ease of programming, among others, compared to Numerical Control Machine Tools (NCMT) that need a great investment to work very large pieces or increase their degrees of freedom. As for disadvantages, compared to NCMT, robotic arms have lower rigidity, which, combined with the high forces produced in machining processes, causes precision errors, path deviations, vibrations, and, consequently, poor quality in the manufactured parts. Among robot arms, collaborative arms are on the rise due to their intuitive programming and safety measures, which allow them to work in the same space without risk for the operators. An added disadvantage of collaborative robots is their flexibility in their joints because they include Harmonic drive type reducers. The use of force control in machining processes with robot arms makes possible to control and correct, in real-time, the deviations generated by the flexibility in the robot's joints. The use of this control method is beneficial for any robot arm. However, the internal control included in collaborative robots has advantages that allow the force control to be applied more efficiently. In this work, a real proposal is developed to include effort control in the robot arm. The capacity of industrial and collaborative robots in machining tasks is evaluated and quantified. The proposal recommends how to improve the use of an inner/outer force control loop applied in a collaborative arm, when the real torques of the robot's motors are unknown and other internal parameters that manufacturers do not disclose. This inner/outer control loop has been used in polishing and sanding applications on different materials. The results indicate that the collaborative robot is feasible to perform such machining operations. Best results are obtained using an internal velocity control loop and external force control loop with Proportional-Integral-Derivative or Proportional plus Feed Forward., The authors are grateful for the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and European Union, grant DPI2016-81002-R (AEI/FEDER, UE). This work was funded by the CONICYT PFCHA/DOCTORADO BECAS CHILE/2017 – 72180157.

Robotising organic agriculture has recently been growing in an attempt to alleviate the cost of sustainable large scale food production under decreased use of pesticides. One of the main goals is to reduce human labour input by replacing it with a robotic workforce. ¿e focus of this thesis is on a collaborative manipulator arm capable of conducting various plant treatments autonomously. In order to achieve sufficient versatility with respect to different crops and procedures, existing robotic solutions need to overcome their limited capabilities in terms of perception, motion planning, or dexterous manipulation. ¿is thesis aims to explore and expand the state of the art robot capabilities in these domains. Replacing human labour requires robot perception to imitate human capabilities, even though here it is not possible to rely on millennia of evolutionary progress. Imitation strategies are deployed instead, both in the inference machine design through the concept of neural networks, and on the level of learning strategies through concepts such as transfer and sim2real learning. As shown in this thesis through the development of a perception module for robotic manipulation in indoor farming conditions, these approaches manage to imitate and occasionally even outperform human capabilities. Furthermore, this thesis demonstrates how manipulation modules that use these perception results as input in planning phases can execute safe and compliant manipulation procedures with limited feedback. Finally, the thesis explores and extends the capabilities of novel tactile sensing technologies, and their potential in enriching contact feedback during manipulation of fragile objects. Moderna poljoprivreda rezultat je brojnih prilagodbi koje su omogućile masovnu proizvodnju hrane. Uz tešku mehanizaciju, jedna od najznačajnijih takvih prilagodbi jest upotreba pesticida, usprkos višestruko utvrđenim činjenicama o negativnom utjecaju na okoliš i na sav živi svijet, uključujući biljke, vodene i kopnene divlje životinje, kukce oprašivače, ali i ljude. Održiva alternativa upotrebi pesticida u proizvodnji hrane je organska poljoprivreda, u kojoj je glavno oružje u borbi protiv štetnika i bolesti mehanički rad. Već je sada teško zadovoljiti zahtjeve za radnom snagom potrebne za održivu proizvodnju hrane velikih razmjera, a u kombinaciji s rastućom potražnjom za hranom diljem svijeta zbog rasta ljudske populacije ovaj problem postaje sve izraženiji. Doda li se tome činjenica da ovakva vrsta mehaničkog rada odgovara opisu dosadnih, ponavljajućih i opasnih poslova, jasno je da je idealan kandidat za zamjenu ljudskog rada robotskim. Ako je suditi prema rezultatima uvođenja robotizacije u druga područja ljudskog rada, kao primjerice industrijsku proizvodnju, korištenjem robota istovremeno se mogu osigurati i veća učinkovitost, bolja kvaliteta, i lakša skalabilnost, uz primarni cilj i benefit rasterećenja ljudske radne snage. Robotizacija poljoprivrede nije novi koncept, već velika istraživačka tema u kojoj se ugrubo mogu prepoznati dva pristupa. Stariji pristup, već uvelike primjenjen u komercijalnoj proizvodnji, fokusira se na razvoj strojeva za tradicionalni uzgoj na otvorenom. U ovakvim se primjenama teži postizanju što višeg stupnja autonomije velikih strojeva koji su inicijalno projektirani za ljudskog operatera. Ovakvi strojevi uglavnom se optimiraju za robusnost i efikasnost na velikoj skali, to jest cilj je obrada što većih površina u što kraćem vremenu. Pritom postizanje visoke preciznosti nije jedan od primarnih ciljeva. Noviji smjer istraživanja i razvoja poljoprivredne robotike koncentrira se na sustave za uzgoj u zatvorenim prostorima, kao što su staklenici i plastenici. Zahvaljujući činjenici da je u ovakvoj vrsti uzgoja radno okruženje u određenoj mjeri strukturirano, ovaj se pristup često smatra prikladnijim za implementaciju autonomnih robotskih rješenja izvorno dizajniranih za industrijska okruženja. Drugim riječima, umjesto pretvaranja snažnih strojeva u autonomne robote, ovdje se postojeće sustave autonomnih robota, razvijene za industrijske zadatke, prilagođava i programira za provođenje poljoprivrednih aktivnosti. Nadogradnjom postojećih rješenja razvoj se značajno ubrzava, a dobivena rješenja su efikasnija i pouzdanija. U ovoj vrsti poljoprivrednog uzgoja, umjesto kvantitete fokus je na preciznosti obavljanja agrotehničkih zadataka, budući da se autonomnim strojevima emulira ljudski mehanički rad i biljke se obrađuju pojedinačno. Istraživanje opisano u ovom radu, provedeno u sklopu projekta SpECULARIA, bavi se problemima iz domene poljoprivredne robotike. Cilj projekta je razvoj heterogenog robotskog sustava za autonomni uzgoj biljaka u staklenicima. Sustav se sastoji od bespilotne letjelice, mobilnog robota i robotskog manipulatora. Svaki robot u ovom heterogenom sustavu ima ograničen specifičan skup sposobnosti, ali kada rade zajedno, mogu se primijeniti za postizanje raznolikih ciljeva u strukturiranom okruženju kao što je zatvorena organska farma. Uloga letjelice je nadzor plantaže i identifikacija biljaka kojima je potreban tretman. Opremljena je manipulatorom s više stupnjeva slobode koji nosi senzore za nadzor kao što su kamera i multispektralna kamera. Zahvaljujući manipulatoru omogućen je precizan nadzor uz let na sigurnoj udaljenosti, izvan područja u kojem bi utjecaj letjelice bio štetan za biljke. Budući da je uzgoj organiziran kontejnerski, drugi dio robotskog sustava čine mobilni roboti opremljeni mehanizmom za transport uzgojnih kontejnera između njihovih uzgojnih pozicija u stakleniku i stanice za obradu. Stanica za obradu je radni prostor robotskog manipulatora čiji je zadatak delikatno rukovanje biljkama. Manipulator obavlja razne aktivnosti biljne higijene i agrotehničke zahvate kao što su orezivanje, branje plodova, oprašivanje, kontrola uroda ili kontrola vlage u zemlji. Upravo ove aktivnosti i njihovo ostvarenje kroz preciznu senzoriku i podatnu aktuaciju robotskog manipulatora u fokusu su ovog istraživanja. Kako bi se osiguralo pažljivo rukovanje s osjetljivim biljkama koje se ne bi smjele ozlijediti prilikom obrade, rješenja razvijena za robotski manipulator na nekoliko razina emuliraju ljudske mogućnosti percepcije i manipulacije. Pritom se koriste principi podatnog upravljanja, mekane robotike i senzorike, i umjetne inteligencije. Metode strojnog i dubokog učenja koriste se za izgradnju trodimenzionalnog semantičkog i funkcionalnog modela biljke. Takav model biljke može se koristiti za autonomnu identifikaciju, planiranje i provođenje potrebnih agrotehničkih zahvata. Za provedbu agrotehničkih zahvata poput branja plodova, kidanja zaperaka, mjerenja vlage i drugih sličnih aktivnosti razvijeni su algoritmi planiranja gibanja i podatnog upravljanja manipulatorom. Pod podatnim upravljanjem podrazumijevamo upravljanje pozicijom robotskog manipulatora tako da se pritom u obzir uzimaju mjerene dodirne sile. Mjerenje dodirnih sila može se dobiti iz različitih izvora, a jedan primjer je meki taktilni senzor s dizajnom i programskom podrškom izvedenom u skladu s principima mekane robotike. Ova disertacija je organizirana u osam poglavlja. Prvo poglavlje disertacije daje uvod u temu kroz motivaciju i opis otvorenih pitanja u području istraživanja. Također se definiraju hipoteze istraživanja i znanstveni doprinosi disertacije. Drugo poglavlje daje pregled područja za različite domene kojima se disertacija bavi. Sljedeća tri poglavlja bave se glavnim doprinosima i rezultatima disertacije. Tako treće poglavlje razmatra vizualnu percepciju u poljoprivrednoj robotici, četvrto se bavi podatnim upravljanjem robotskim manipulatorima, a peto domenom taktilnih senzora. Šesto poglavlje iznosi zaključke donesene kroz rezultate disertacije. Sedmo poglavlje daje popis objavljenih radova koji čine disertaciju, dok osmo poglavlje opisuje doprinos autora na svakome od njih. Potom je izložen popis literature korištene u disertaciji te su priloženi radovi na kojima se disertacija zasniva. Disertacija je izrađena po skandinavskom modelu te ju čine tri časopisna i jedan konferencijski članak. Glavni doprinosi disertacije su izloženi i opisani u nastavku poglavlja.

U ovom radu predstavljena je primjena kolaborativnog robota u zajedničkom radu čovjeka i robota. Koristeći povratnu vezu s ugrađenih senzora te razvojem adekvatne programske podrške robot može prepoznati direktne naredbe od strane čovjeka i prilagoditi svoj rad njima. Kao standardan strojni dio, za laboratorijsku demonstraciju interakcije čovjeka i robota, odabrano je sklapanje reduktora. U ovom zadatku robot odrađuje „teži“ dio posla, odnosno dobavlja dijelove, a čovjek onaj dio za koji su potrebne finije motoričke vještine, odnosno pritezanje malih vijaka. This paper presents application of collaborative robot in joint work of human and robot. Using feedback from built-in sensors, and with development of adequate program support, robot can recognize direct commands form human and adapt its work accordingly. As a standard machine part, an assembly of a reducer have been chosen to represent a laboratory display of cooperation between robot and human. While doing this work, robot does all the heavy lifting, while human does more dexterous work, i.e. tightening of small screws.

This paper presents a novel real-time collision-free speed alteration strategy using a danger index and an elite real-coded genetic algorithm (ERGA) for environments in which humans and robots coexist or cooperate, in order to guarantee the safety of an operator who works with a collaborative robot. A danger index based on ellipsoid modeling of the operator and robot describes the degree of safety during human-robot interactions. The ERGA and a penalty function are used to solve the constrained nonlinear optimization problem to change the handling speed of the robot. Comparative simulation results show the superiority of the proposed method by comparing to two existing methods. The applicability of the proposed method is verified using two experiments involving a 6-DoF industrial manipulator with an EtherCAT network protocol, an RGB-D sensor and a real-time operation system.

International audience; The collaborative robot (cobot) is a technology contributing to the industrial revolution Industry 4.0. Indeed, cobots’ flexibility and their easy-to-use solutions fill a gap with traditional robots to robotize manufacturing of products with low volume and high mix profiles. Parts needed to manufacture a product must first be presented to the cobot, so that afterwards it can perform operations such as assembly. The paper classifies the current part presenters. Then, a methodology is proposed to select the best presenter based on the characteristics of the parts and the workstation. To be aligned with markets requiring a high mix of products frequently renewed, the development times for part presenter design and for cobot programming are new data to select the best presenter. Indeed, at every part redesign, the part presenter changes and the cobot is reprogrammed. These two times are depreciated based on the lifespan quantity of the part. Lifespan quantity is the number of the same parts, which are dropped-off on the part presenter during the part’s lifespan, i.e. until its redesign. A concrete industrial use case is explained to test the methodology. Results conclude that a tray pattern is the best part presenter, except for parts with low lifespan quantity. Lifespan quantity of the part appears to be a significant parameter when deciding the best part presenter.

Safety of collaborative robotics has brought new aspects to safety compared to industrial robots. In collaborative robot cells human can be close to the collaborative robot, whereas in industrial robot cells the robots are mainly isolated from humans. The collaborative robots are assumed to be safer than industrial robots, but the vicinity to humans can create new risks, which need to be controlled. One new protective feature, compared to industrial robots, is limited impact force and pressure. Here the focus is on collaborative robots in welding applications. This hyperbook gives ideas, how to design safe collaborative robot cells. The text includes plenty of hyperlinks inside the hyperbook and also some links to requirements and sources of standards. The text can be divided into three parts: background to safety requirements, safety design process and examples of applying safety requirements in collaborative robot cells.

Safety of collaborative robotics has brought new aspects to safety compared to industrial robots. In collaborative robot cells human can be close to the collaborative robot, whereas in industrial robot cells the robots are mainly isolated from humans. The collaborative robots are assumed to be safer than industrial robots, but the vicinity to humans can create new risks, which need to be controlled. One new protective feature, compared to industrial robots, is limited impact force and pressure. Here the focus is on collaborative robots in welding applications. This hyperbook gives ideas, how to design safe collaborative robot cells. The text includes plenty of hyperlinks inside the hyperbook and also some links to requirements and sources of standards. The text can be divided into three parts: background to safety requirements, safety design process and examples of applying safety requirements in collaborative robot cells.

In the paradigm of smart factories, flexible and scalable manufacturing resources are essential. The human worker offers great flexibility; however, the operators are often a sparse resource in high-wage countries. Consequently, they are often responsible for several tasks at once and must prioritise the most critical ones. Consequently, the productivity on less critical tasks will suffer in the absence of the operator. In this paper, we present a case study on the effect on productivity when deploying a collaborative robot assistant in a plug and produce fashion to substitute a human worker at manual workstations on a production line. Realistic cycle and changeover times are derived from physical experiments and used in discrete event simulation to analyse two scenarios. The results show that if an operator must abandon his/her workstation, deploying a robot assistant as a substitute reduces the loss of productivity.

In pathology and legal medicine, the histopathological and microbiological analysis of tissue samples from infected deceased is a valuable information for developing treatment strategies during a pandemic such as COVID-19. However, a conventional autopsy carries the risk of disease transmission and may be rejected by relatives. We propose minimally invasive biopsy with robot assistance under CT guidance to minimize the risk of disease transmission during tissue sampling and to improve accuracy. A flexible robotic system for biopsy sampling is presented, which is applied to human corpses placed inside protective body bags. An automatic planning and decision system estimates optimal insertion point. Heat maps projected onto the segmented skin visualize the distance and angle of insertions and estimate the minimum cost of a puncture while avoiding bone collisions. Further, we test multiple insertion paths concerning feasibility and collisions. A custom end effector is designed for inserting needles and extracting tissue samples under robotic guidance. Our robotic post-mortem biopsy (RPMB) system is evaluated in a study during the COVID-19 pandemic on 20 corpses and 10 tissue targets, 5 of them being infected with SARS-CoV-2. The mean planning time including robot path planning is (5.72+-1.67) s. Mean needle placement accuracy is (7.19+-4.22) mm.

International audience

Collaborative robots (cobots) are important components of the Industry 4.0 paradigm and smart manufacturing. Cobots are known for their ability to interact with the operators in a shared workspace....

[ES] El objetivo es automatizar el proceso manual de insertar componentes en una placa electronica y se realizarlo mediante la introducción de robots colaborativos. Desde la recogida de piezas (elementos) por parte de uno de los robot, utilizando el material más adecuado para el agarre de piezas en los dedos del robot, hasta la colocación en posición de la propia placa proveniente del alamcen mediante una cinta transportadora. Se contemplarán las áreas tecnológicas del diseño mecánico y de materiales mediante el diseño y prototipado de las partes que estén en contacto con las piezas comerciales, para ello se utilizará el programa de CAD SolidWorks y la impresora 3D. Es necesario utilizar la programación adecuada para automatizar el proceso de forma que el robot situe en posición cada elemento sobre la placa electronica. También se centrará en el ámbito de la automatización y la robótica, donde aplicando los cálculos pertinentes, se buscará el hardware necesario para implementar el prototipo sobre una futura instalación dentro de la línea de ensamblaje. En este caso se utilizará el programa de simulación del propio fabricante del brazo robot y se generará el código para que permita realizar el ciclo de trabajo demorándose lo menos posible. El entorno de programación escogido es PolyScope de Universal Robots., [EN] The goal is to automate the manual process of inserting components on an electronic board and to do so by introducing collaborative robots. From the collection of parts (elements) by one of the robots, using the most suitable material for gripping parts in the fingers of the robot, until the placement in position of the plate itself coming from the warehouse by means of a conveyor belt. The technological areas of mechanical design and materials will be considered through the design and prototyping of the parts that are in contact with the commercial pieces, for this the SolidWorks CAD program and the 3D printer will be used. It is necessary to use the appropriate programming to automate the process so that the robot places in position each element on the electronic board. It will also focus on the field of automation and robotics, where by applying the relevant calculations, the necessary hardware will be sought to implement the prototype on a future installation within the assembly line. In this case, the simulation program of the manufacturer of the robot arm and the code will be generated so that it allows the work cycle to be carried out taking as little time as possible. The chosen programming environment is PolyScope from Universal Robots., [CA] L'objectiu és automatitzar el procés manual d'insertar components a una placa electrònica i realitzar-lo mitjançant la introducció de robots col·laboratius. Des de la recollida de peces (elements) per part d'un robot, utilitzant el material més adequat per a l'agarre de peces en els dits de l'arpa, fins a la col·locació en la posició de la pròpia placa provinent del magatzem mitjançant una cinta transportadora. Es contemplaran les àrees tecnològiques del disseny mecànic i de materials mitjançant el disseny i prototipat de les parts que estiguen en contacte amb les peces comercials, per a això s'utilitzarà el programa de CAD SolidWorks i la impressora 3D. És necessari utilitzar la programació adequada per a automatitzar el procés de manera que el robot situe en posició cada element sobre la placa electrònica. També es centrarà en l'àmbit de l'automatització i la robòtica, on aplicant els càlculs pertinents, es buscarà el maquinari necessari per a implementar el prototip sobre una futura instal·lació dins de la línia d'assemblatge. En aquest cas s'utilitzarà el programa de simulació del propi fabricant del braç robot i es generarà el codi perquè permeta realitzar el cicle de treball demorant-se el menys possible. L'entorn de programació triat és PolyScope d'Universal Robots

The fast-growing human–robot collaboration predicts that a human operator could command a robot without mechanical interface if effective communication channels are established. In noisy, vibrating and light sensitive environments, some sensors for detecting the human intention could find critical issues to be adopted. On the contrary, biological signals, as electromyographic (EMG) signals, seem to be more effective. In order to command a laboratory collaborative robot powered by McKibben pneumatic muscles, promising actuators for human–robot collaboration due to their inherent compliance and safety features have been researched, a novel modeling-based electromyographic signal (MBES) classifier has been developed. It is based on one EMG sensor, a Myotrac one, an Arduino Uno and a proper code, developed in the Matlab environment, that performs the EMG signal recognition. The classifier can recognize the EMG signals generated by three hand-finger movements, regardless of the amplitude and time duration of the signal and the muscular effort, relying on three mathematical models: exponential, fractional and Gaussian. These mathematical models have been selected so that they are the best fitting with the EMG signal curves. Each of them can be assigned a consent signal for performing the wanted pick-and-place task by the robot. An experimental activity was carried out to test and achieve the best performance of the classifier. The validated classifier was applied for controlling three pressure levels of a McKibben-type pneumatic muscle. Encouraging results suggest that the developed classifier can be a valid command interface for robotic purposes.

The collaborative robots (cobots) are one of the drivers of Industry 4.0, because they allow the automation and semi-automation of the process, yet allowing the flexibility of the production plan. The main area of cobots’ application are the assembly processes. For safety reasons, the assembly process is the most common process in the Learning Factory concept. Therefore, integration of cobot workstation in the Learning Factory assembly process is crucial to demonstrate modern aspects of the assembly, and manufacturing, as well. However, it is not an easy task, since proper design for cobot workstation must be selected to allow flexibility and reconfiguration of the Learning Factory. In this research, a multi-criteria analysis approach is used to select optimal design of the cobot workstation for application in the Learning Factory. The aim was to select the mobile and flexible workstation for cobot Franka Emika that will satisfy educational and research needs of the Lean Learning Factory at University of Split. Two different multi-criteria analysis methods were used for evaluation and ranking of alternatives: SAW (Simple Additive Weighting) and TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution). The comparison of the methods is presented and selection of the optimal design of the cobot workstation has been made. In the near future, selected workstation will be manufactured, assembled and used in the Learning Factory’s everyday activities.

[Resumen] A medida que aumenta la fisioterapia de rehabilitación, también aumenta el deseo de soluciones robóticas robustas y adaptables para estandarizar y automatizar procedimientos comunes. Sin embargo, las técnicas de control modernas todavía tienen que migrar a entornos centrados en la interacción humana como los que requiere la fisioterapia. Esto se debe en gran parte a la falta de entornos de aprendizaje que puedan aprovechar los modernos robots con control de fuerzas. El objetivo de este artículo es introducir un nuevo entorno de aprendizaje por refuerzo (RL) para el entrenamiento de un manipulador robótico controlado por fuerza tanto en simulación como en el mundo real. Este problema puede dividirse en tres componentes, cada uno de los cuales depende del anterior. En primer lugar, se requiere un controlador de control robusto que sirva de puente entre el lenguaje de programación nativo de los robots (C++) y el lenguaje de programación Python, donde se implementan la mayoría de los algoritmos de RL. En segundo lugar, un controlador de impedancia cartesiana que pueda ajustarse para funcionar en la simulación y en el mundo real, abstrayendo la mayor parte de la complejidad de la de la dinámica de cuerpos rígidos. Y, por último, la construcción del entorno RL basado en la omnipresente interfaz OpenAI Gym. [Abstract] As rehabilitation physiotherapy is on the rise, so too is the desire for robust and adaptable robotic solutions to standarise and automate common procedures. Yet modern control techniques have still to migrate to human-interaction centered environments such as the ones required in physiotherapy. This is in great part due to the lack of learning environments that can leverage modern force controlled robots. The aim of this paper is therefore to introduce a new reinforcement learning (RL) environment for learning and training of a force controlled robotic manipulator both in simulation and in the real world. This problem can be divided into three components, each one depending on the last one. First, a robust control driver is required that bridges between the robots native programming language (C++) and the Python programming language, where most RL algorithms are implemented. Second, a cartesian impedance controller that can be fitted to work both in simulation and in the real world, abstracting away most of the complexity of rigid body dynamics. And finally the construction of the RL environment based on the ubiquitous OpenAI Gym interface. Esta investigación ha recibido fondos de los proyectos ROBOASSET PID2020-113508RBI00; ALMA H2020-EIC-FETPROACT-2019; proyecto de I+D+i PLEC2021-007819 financiado por MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y por la Unión Europea NextGenerationEU/PRTR; RoboCity2030-DIH-CM, Madrid Robotics Digital Innovation Hub, S2018/NMT-4331, financiado por Programas de Actividades I+D en la Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid; S2018/NMT-4331

This paper describes a framework for using 3D simulation as a safety assessment tool based on ISO/TS 15066:2016 guidelines for a cobot work cell. A human-robot collaboration-based work cell has been developed. The digital counterpart of this work cell is developed beforehand to perform several safety assessments based on ISO/TS 15066:2016. It is observed that the 3D simulation model can be used as a safety assessment tool to ensure the safety of a cobot work cell even before its creation. The study also signifies the simulation software for safety and human factors in the design of a cobot cell.