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The advancement of smart sensors, wireless communication technologies, embedded system and Nano-technologies makes Textronics possible to develop smart textiles to monitor activities in modern applications; in addition to form a significant of Internet of Things (IoT) by connecting smart electronic textiles securely for regular applications such as healthcare, sports, automobile, and defense. This paper reviews the recent advances in E-textiles and smart textile and Textronics, and identifies the relationship between Textronics and mechatronics, and nano-technologies, soft computing and signal lines, in addition to describe the connecting between Textronics system designs, developments, and evaluation techniques. Textronics react to physical parameters along with other features, and make combine between the electronic and smart textiles using textile-based sensors, electrodes and other smart devices and materials. Research and development investments will foster the adoption of novel Textronics applications as sustainable and cost-effective solutions with light-weight, high-performance wearable devices and products for monitoring a wide range of activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasping and object manipulation have been considered key domains of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) since the beginning of automation, as they are the most common interactions between systems, or a system and its environment. As the demand for automation is spreading to increasingly complex fields of industry, smart tools with sensors and internal decision-making become necessities. CPS, such as robots and smart autonomous machinery, have been introduced in the meat industry in recent decades; however, the natural diversity of animals, potential anatomical disorders and soft, slippery animal tissues require the use of a wide range of sensors, software and intelligent tools. This paper presents the development of a smart robotic gripper for deployment in the meat industry. A comprehensive review of the available robotic grippers employed in the sector is presented along with the relevant recent research projects. Based on the identified needs, a new mechatronic design and early development process of the smart gripper is described. The integrated force sensing method based on strain measurement and magnetic encoders is described, including the adjacent laboratory and on-site tests. Furthermore, a combined slip detection system is presented, which relies on an optical flow-based image processing algorithm using the video feed of a built-in endoscopic camera. Basic user tests and application assessments are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The innovative energy-efficient vending machine for use in urban environment, called SVIEE-R, have been developed in the global context of reducing energy consumption and using alternative energies. In the design and prototype building phase of the SVIEE-R we analysed energy consumption for several models of the product delivery subsystem. In order to optimise the energy consumption for the product delivery subsystem we also considered the mechatronic delivery system with a spiral for packaged products. Building an energy efficient mechatronic delivery system allows to increase the lifetime of energy independent vending machines and concerning vending machines supplied from the public electricity grid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The use of modern design software allowed the analyse of the functioning of the mechatronic spiral systems from the design stage. The paper presents the research undertaken for the energy efficiency of the mechatronic spiral system using simulations of the operation validated through functional tests using a stand made by modern manufacturing technologies (laser cutting, 3D printing). The tests carried out were mainly aimed at evaluating the energy consumption of mechatronic spiral delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a method for determining the transmission efficiency of a gear reducer. The proposed method contains an identification theory to derive a dynamical model of motors. Using the identification theory, we propose a method to measure the torque transmission efficiency of the gear reducer. The identification theory is derived from the error between input and output data of the mathematical model of a target plant and actual time series data of the plant by an experiment. The dynamic characteristics of the gear reducer are calculated by identification theory for a system installing the motors. The target plant means a motor or a combined system consisting of the motor and the gear reducer. We discuss the torque constant as one parameter that determines motor characteristics. The torque constant value of the motor can be determined using the identification theory. Then, the torque transmission efficiency of the gear reducer can be decided by the torque constant value. In this paper, we first explain the algorithm of the identification theory, second discuss the results of identifying the motor torque constant, and finally examine the transmission efficiency of the gear reducer in the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial automation has played a pivotal role towards improvement of productivity, efficiency, working conditions, ergonomics and reduction of health hazards. While a large portion of industrial sectors and processes have or can be automated, certain domains serve as unexplored ground due to the complexity of the processes to be executed, size and material properties of the parts of interest and available space, which highlight the need for new automation technology. In this paper, a systematic classification of product complexity and common industrial processes versus the use of conventional and bio-inspired robots is presented, aiming to identify the benefits of bio-inspired robots over their conventional competitors. Moreover, a novel cable-driven snake robot design is presented, featuring a modular lightweight structure of several segments, each of them controlled by a 3-cable mechanism, providing them 2 degrees of freedom. It exhibits significant potential to demonstrate high levels of versatility in navigating inside intricate, confined environments and narrow passages, such as aircraft fuel tanks, enabling automation of unhealthy processes that traditionally require human intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we introduce a new type of human-inspired upper-limb prostheses. The Artificial Neuromuscular Prosthesis (ANP) imitates the human neuromuscular system in the sense of its compliance, backdrivability, natural motion, proprioceptive sensing, and kinesthetics. To realize this challenging goal, we introduce a novel human-inspired and simulation-based development paradigm to design the prosthesis mechatronics in correspondence to the human body. The ANP provides body awareness, contact awareness, and human-like contact response, realized via floating base rigid-body models, disturbance observers, and joint impedance control—concepts known from established state-of-the-art robotics. The ANP mechatronics is characterized by a four degrees of freedom (dof) torque-controlled human-like kinematics, a tendon-driven 2-dof wrist, and spatial orientation sensing at a weight of 1.7 kg (without hand and battery). The paper deals with the rigorous mathematical modeling, control, design and evaluation of this device type along initially defined requirements within a single prototype only. The proposed systemic and grasping capabilities are verified under laboratory conditions by an unimpaired user. Future work will increase the technology readiness level of the next generation device, where human studies with impaired users will be done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fundamental Mechatronics Research Institute at Osaka Electro-Communication University (MERI) has a research structure that includes five divisions. The institute conducts research on a wide variety of themes which cover a broad range of subjects. This paper introduces the institute's research activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechatronic industry is currently subject to huge changes challenging it to offer products matching individual customer requirements at competitive prices. The design of such products calls for sophisticated and complex components integration following different technologies. Since we are on the cusp of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in which the world of mechatronic production, network connectivity, the Internet of Things, and cyber-physical systems are correlated, the complexity of these systems increases exponentially, and we are talking about advanced mechatronic systems. To assist these changes, various methods, sweeping all project phases, are used by business houses. Predictive dependability assessment in the earlier design stage is considered a powerful metric used to evaluate the performances of different kinds of mechatronic products before the production phase. Altogether, dependability analysis ties the design directly to the desired functionality, operability, and integrity of the system. This paper explores an approach to assessing the dependability attributes, reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM), of repairable mechatronic systems based on timed colored Petri nets and a Monte Carlo simulation, integrating simultaneously diverse components technologies: mechanical, electronic, and software. The proposed approach is tested taking the case of a regenerative braking system. The methodology appears to be efficient for evaluating predictive RAM indicators (MTTFF, MTTR, MTBF...) for the whole system and for each individual component separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The vocalisations that an animal produces could provide a window into its emotional state. More knowledge on how emotional states are expressed in the vocalisations of birds could even be used to improve the welfare of farmed poultry. The present study introduced a novel device designed to trigger different emotional states in hens using different physical and chemical stimuli. The final device was able to elicit a broad range of vocalisations without any human interference. It was found that the hens not only actively used the device as a feeder but also responded vocally to both positive and negative stimuli. Preliminary findings indicate that the vocal responses of the hens vary as a function of the intensity of the emotional state they experience. This research contributes to understanding poultry emotions and has the potential to open new opportunities in understanding and improving their welfare in farming environments. Understanding the emotional states of animals is a long-standing research endeavour that has clear applications in animal welfare. Vocalisations are emerging as a promising way to assess both positive and negative emotional states. However, the vocal expression of emotions in birds is a relatively unexplored research area. The goal of this study was to develop an interactive feeding system that would elicit positive and negative emotional states, and collect recordings of the vocal expression of these emotions without human interference. In this paper, the mechatronic design and development of the feeder is described. Design choices were motivated by the desire for the hens to voluntarily interact with the feeder and experience the different stimuli that were designed to induce (1) positive low-arousal, (2) positive high-arousal, (3) negative low-arousal, and (4) negative high-arousal states. The results showed that hens were motivated to engage with the feeder despite the risk of receiving negative stimuli and that this motivation was sustained for at least 1 week. The potential of using the interactive feeder to analyse chicken vocalisations related to emotional valence and arousal is being explored, offering a novel proof of concept in animal welfare research. Preliminary findings suggest that hens vocalised in response to all four stimulus types, with the number of vocalisations, but not the probability of vocalising, distinguishing between low- and high-arousal states. Thus, the proposed animal–computer interaction design has potential to be used as an enrichment device and for future experiments on vocal emotions in birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition, functions, and characteristics of microclimate systems in small greenhouses are analyzed. The features that ensure the creation of favorable conditions for growing plants are identified. It is proposed to choose temperature and humidity as the parameters of priority provision. It is taken into account that modern methods and systems of microclimate of greenhouse facilities are focused on the regulation of air mass flows and heat exchange flows. The aim of the study is to create a mechatronic system for controlling air mass flows and heating elements to ensure heat balance in a greenhouse, taking into account the thermal radiation of the greenhouse object and heat exchange processes in a closed volume. A feature of the approach is a biased algorithm for controlling heat and mass transfer processes based on a daily weather forecast. A computer model of a greenhouse facility has been substantiated and developed, which takes into account heat exchange processes in the greenhouse, heat exchange with the external environment, added heat output by heaters, convection and forced air movement in the greenhouse. The study does not take into account the effect of water vapor on thermal radiation and the mixed convection mechanism inside the greenhouse. To generalize the model, the greenhouse was modeled without plants. Based on the results of the research, a mathematical model of changes in the heat flow of the greenhouse during the day was developed in SOLIDWORKS software. A one-day simulation of changes in air parameters in a greenhouse was performed to forecast the weather in the Kherson region (May 23, 2023). The simulation was based on the design parameters of the greenhouse, an initial temperature of 20 °C in the greenhouse, and an ambient temperature ranging from 14 °C to 20 °C according to the weather forecast. The modeling results were used to determine changes in the heat flux density on the greenhouse surfaces and the total heat output of heat exchange processes. It was found that the obtained characteristics provide an estimate of the total heat transfer coefficient and heat flux of the greenhouse, which served as the basis for determining the required power of heaters and developing a control cyclogram for the greenhouse temperature stabilization system. Based on the results of the model experiment, an operating mode for the heaters was developed. The results of the study and the developed algorithm for controlling heaters are suitable for use in mechatronic microclimate control systems, taking into account daily changes in environmental parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overall motion performance of mechatronic machines depends heavily on proper knowledge of the machine's characteristics, among which the inertia. Moreover, the inertia of most multi-body mechanisms, for example, reciprocating slider-crank mechanisms, varies as a function of the machine position, thereby challenging optimal control. Nevertheless, the inertia's variation is sometimes not known accurately enough or changes over time due to, e.g. a production process or premature wear, forcing an online control/correction of the inertia profile. Therefore, earlier, the author developed a new computational-friendly online method based on a frequency-specific magnitude response to estimate the machine's position-dependent load side inertia, assuming good knowledge of all other machine properties. Yet, to guarantee accuracy, the maximum machine speed during estimation had to be strongly reduced, resulting in an undesirable longer motion time. Therefore, in this work, the failure mechanism of the earlier proposed estimator is analysed and overcome by intelligently separating estimation and motion signals. As a result, the estimator is no longer limited by the machine's motion speed but rather by a maximum in the inertia variation per signal excitation period and, thus, time. Moreover, given this limiting variation, a guideline was established to evaluate the new method's estimation quality. Finally, both in simulation and on a physical machine, by taking advantage of the newly proposed method, the minimal required estimation time is reduced significantly (up to 50% on the machine) without diminishing the estimation accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work deals with the simulation and optimization of a tracking mechanism used to increase the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) systems. The proposed solar tracker is one with two degrees of freedom (so called dual-axis, or bi-axial), of the equatorial/polar type. The actuation of the tracking system is carried out with two linear actuators, one for each of the two movements. The study is carried out using a virtual prototyping platform that integrates, into a mechatronic concept, the commercial software packages ADAMS and EASY5. The optimization process is approached from three points of view, which target the mechanical device, the control system, and the bi-axial tracking program. All these optimization processes positively influence, in a specific way, the energy efficiency of the tracking system, which was comprehensively evaluated considering the data specific to the longest light-day of the year (i.e., summer solstice), where a net energy gain of 58.66% (by reference to the equivalent fixed system) was obtained. Similar numerical simulations corresponding to several representative days of the year have revealed that the annual net energy gain is around 42%, which fully justifies the use of the proposed tracking system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensors and actuators frequently encounter unexpected deviations from their optimal operating conditions, making their reliability an essential topic in many electric motor drives. In this paper, a comparison of structured residual synthesis methods for actuator and sensor additive fault detection and isolation (FDI) in a permanent magnet (PM) DC motor, applying two different approaches to the design of primary residuals, is presented. The first method involves a standard approach and is based on system transfer matrix synthesis. The second, more convenient approach involves the synthesis of primary residuals based on the analysis of subsystems that describe the observed system. Both methods are applicable for linear and time-invariant (LTI) systems but were successfully applied to a laboratory system that shows nonlinear behavior, time-variant properties, and is affected by a constant disturbance, thanks to the proposed technique of residual translation with the previous design of internal residuals. With the proposed method, all important performance characteristics of the residual generators such as fault sensitivity, reaction speed, and robustness are achieved. The technique can be applied to all mechatronic systems in general, whose behavior can be with satisfactory accuracy described by an LTI model. Given the transfer functions and state-space model of the system in the presence of faults in the Z domain with reduced order, presented technique is computationally efficient for embedded systems. Also, in addition to fault detection and isolation, the system can identify faults by analyzing fault sensitivities, nominal faults, and stationary residual values, making it superior for most FDI applications. A real-time experiment performed on a laboratory setup, which consists of a DC motor, an amplifier designed in the form of a linear electronic circuit, and a Compact RIO 9075 real-time processor is used to develop the FDI system, to generate residuals and confirm advantages of the proposed FDI technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work is to investigate the construction of fuzzy embedded control systems combining fast execution and parallel processing capabilities provided by Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and Reconfigurable Inputs/Outputs (RIO) chips. A fixed-point fuzzy controller is developed and implemented on a fast mechatronic system with high-speed control and high channel count on an FPGA target. This paper provides a brief introduction to deploying Fuzzy Logic Control (FLC) methods using RIO-FPGA technology. It suggests a technique for implementing the three stages that constitute the FLC and the PD-like FLC and PID-like FLC structures into practice. Controllers with 1 and 2 degrees of freedom are developed and tested experimentally. Parallel loops, key challenging advantage of LabVIEW programming, are utilized for decoding feedback signals, generating pulse trains for actuator's drivers and for calculation of control gains. An NI-SbRIO board that combines deployable devices with a real-time processor, a re-configurable FPGA, and analogue and digital input–output ports is used. The experimental work demonstrates the significant enhancement of implementing reconfigurable embedded fuzzy control upon such mechatronic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undergraduate research (UR) in engineering education is an important active learning strategy, and it is widely used through various implementation styles. Several studies have been conducted to assess the contribution of UR experience in the career path of alumni from an academic point of view and based on graduate studies. This paper is focused on the assessment of UR experience gained through a two-semester long "Undergraduate Research Projects" course sequence, on the professional career of mechatronics engineering alumni. The results of a survey-based investigation show that such UR experience is considered beneficial by the alumni in three main aspects: employment, entrepreneurship and the effect of the obtained knowledge and skills on the professional career. The feedback from the alumni has revealed that this experience contributes significantly to the development of their research abilities. In addition, many graduates emphasized that the UR experience is beneficial for employment as well as for their academic and professional development. The suggestions from the alumni concerning collaboration with the industry, course methodology, and selection of project topics form a basis for systematic UR model development by faculties in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional robot control theory assumes implicitly that robot manipulators are equipped with ideal torque actuators (i.e., torque-driven robots). However, it is important to note that both industrial robots and economical didactic ones do not typically feature such torque actuators. In contrast, many robotics laboratories engaged in academic and research activities employ robots equipped with position servo actuators, which do not support torque control input commands. This paper aims to bridge the gap between theory and practical implementation of robot control from an automatic control perspective. To achieve this goal, a new method is introduced for converting any torque requesting control system, designed for torque–driven robots, to be directly applied to robots using proportional embedded control with position servo actuators (servo–actuated robots lack direct torque input for control). The method relies on the inverse dynamics approach, considering the comprehensive nonlinear model of a position servo–actuated robot structure. This model encompasses servos dynamics, inheriting both the advantages and disadvantages associated with model–based control algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses accelerometer array calibration, focusing on determining the errors between multiple sensors. Micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) based triaxial accelerometers, key components of Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), are used in localization, robotics, and navigation systems. The requirements of these applications necessitate low-cost sensors, which makes MEMS IMUs a reasonable choice. However, these low-cost IMUs are significantly affected by systematic (i.e., bias, misalignment, scale-factor) and random errors. Achieving reliable sensor output depends on the precision of the executed calibration method. While traditional laboratory-based sensor calibration using specialized equipment (i.e., three-axis turntable) is accurate, it is time-consuming and costly. In contrast, in-field calibration techniques, which can be performed using a mechatronic actuator or a robotic arm, have gained popularity. These techniques involve comparing sensor measurements to established reference values. The MEMS sensors are increasingly being used in multi-sensor applications, which demands not only individual sensor error calibration but also important to determine the axis misalignment between the used sensors. During calibration process, various optimization algorithms (e.g., GA, PSO) can also be used to find the error parameters. The proposed measurement system allows for individual calibration of misalignment, bias, and scale factor of the sensor array, and eliminates between-sensor misalignment errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agile eye is classified as a 3-degrees of freedom (DOF) type 3-RRR spherical parallel mechanism (SPM) designed to replicate the movement patterns seen in the human eye. The end organ exhibits a range of motion inside a cone of vision spanning 140°, with a twist tolerance of ±30°. Additionally, the mechanism can achieve angular velocities exceeding 1000 °/s and angular accelerations surpassing 20 °/ $\text{s}^{2}$ . The objective of this research is to conduct a comprehensive examination of the direct and inverse kinematics of the spatial parallel manipulator (SPM) on a manipulator. The purpose of doing a kinematic analysis on the manipulator is to enhance the design optimization process, accurately determine the dimensions of all components, and improve the functionality of the computer-aided design (CAD) system. This study aims to ensure the efficient operation of the SPM and maximize its available workspace. Additionally, this study enables the achievement of a high level of stiffness inside the workspace and the establishment of clearly comprehensible limits for the workspace. Moreover, it facilitates the precise control of the SPM. An evaluation is conducted to assess the efficacy of the existing technique by comparing its outputs with those obtained from a virtual reality simulation using the commercially available software CopeliaSim. The control mechanism described in the present paper demonstrates a surplus in the resolution of precision problems while ensuring competitiveness at a controlled cost. The implementation of the robot revealed the effectiveness of the design approach adopted by recording an error of no more than 1%.

Physical therapy plays a crucial role in the motor recovery. Rehabilitation robots have emerged as significant advancement, enabling repetitive therapeutic interventions in both clinical and home settings. In this context, the development of a highly functional, reliable, portable, and cost-effective mechatronic systems for wrist and hand rehabilitation represents a significant step in the field. This article focused on the design and implementation of the M3Rob device, a 3-DoF wrist exoskeleton equipped with a force sensor, allowing for the execution of active therapies, recognized for their effectiveness in motor recovery. Hence, a close-loop admittance control utilizing a joint-space target trajectory as input is presented and experimentally evaluated across three distinct levels of assistance. Moreover, to address the need for rehabilitation targeting activities of daily living, the device enables the incorporation of a hand exoskeleton for simultaneously performing hand and wrist rehabilitation. Featuring a range of motion of 180° for pronation/supination, 120° for flexion/extension, and 75° for ulnar/radial deviation, in combination with joint torques spanning from 7.85 to 43.86 Nm, the device covers the required motions and forces essential for daily activities. The presented device offers a comprehensive solution for wrist and hand rehabilitation, effectively addressing critical challenges in motor recovery.

Production managers seek cost-effective methods to meet the basic requirements of a modern manufacturing system, as several conventional machine tools in most manufacturing industries face abandonment or require upgrades due to challenges related to precision and accuracy. This study presents an innovative mechatronic approach that combines three key machine tool parameters: speed, pressure and alignment modules. It integrates them into conventional machine tools as an integrity upgrading enabler through real-time monitoring. A dynamic programming model was used to obtain the integrity and a generated Python software named INTEGMAC, connected seamlessly with Integrity Evaluator 1.0 hardware to analyze real-time attributes of machine tools. INTEGMAC recommends remedial actions, where necessary, to enhance machine tool integrity and was successfully tested on a Boxford 11-30 Industrial Lathe, which improved the electric motor and spindle speeds, offset and angular misalignment, hydraulic and pneumatic pressure readings to meet the manufacturer’s benchmark specification. These collective modifications resulted in a significant increase in total integrity from 78.24% to 95.78%. Similar comparable results were obtained from follow-up tests to validate the performance of the developed system. This solution is currently applied in the machine tool industry and can also be extended to other industrial machines.

Fuzzy control has become one of the most effective tools for dealing with complex engineering processes. Over the years, research on fuzzy control systems has continuously evolved, witnessing numerous theoretical contributions and successful real-world achievements. The concept of model-free or data-driven fuzzy control was initially introduced with specific heuristics incorporated into the design. Due to the lack of a systematic framework for stability analysis in model-free fuzzy control, the significance of model-based fuzzy control has grown extensively. This approach ensures systematic design based on precise fuzzy models of the process. This survey focuses on the fundamental aspects of three prominent classes of fuzzy control. First, the paper commences with a review of Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy control systems. This includes discussions on stability analysis and controller design, exploring techniques to derive less conservative and/or complex results from a numerical burden perspective. Second, various aspects of data-driven fuzzy control are analysed in detail including a classification of the most popular data-driven control techniques and their combination with fuzzy control; a representative Iterative Feedback Tuning-based fuzzy controller is described. Third, this survey explores the fundamental aspects of evolving fuzzy control, with a particular emphasis on the significance of stability and control laws, which are not usually the primary focus of evolving intelligent systems research. For each discussed class of fuzzy control, the paper provides a selective list of mechatronics applications to illustrate their performance effectiveness, emphasising research papers published after 2011. Finally, drawing from recent advances in fuzzy control theory and mechatronics applications, future research directions and associated challenges are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechatronics virtual debugging technology has an important application prospect in the Industry 4.0 era, which is conducive to the optimization of automobile mechanisms. In order to enhance the performance of the virtual debugging system, the kinematics modelling and solution of open loop and closed loop mechanisms are realized based on multi rigid body kinematics. The offline dynamic interference checking technology is used to realize the real-time performance of the virtual debugging system. Moreover, the virtual debugging system development environment is built on the Solidworks 2018 platform. The experimental results show that the method under study is highly effective for the optimization of vehicle structure and the virtual debugging system has low requirements on the overall performance and stable running state. During the debugging process, the average system impact time is 44.3ms, indicating that the system has a fast response speed and good real-time performance. It is hoped that the research results can promote the development of virtual debugging technology in domestic automation equipment industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]