10.05.2014 Views

Annual Report 2002 - Örebro universitet

Annual Report 2002 - Örebro universitet

Annual Report 2002 - Örebro universitet

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2002</strong> 49<br />

2.3.2 Research projects<br />

(A) Advanced mechatronic systems<br />

Project title: Lightweight Robot Arms<br />

Project leader: Anani Ananiev<br />

Project staff: Docent Ivan Kalaykov, Boyko<br />

Iliev<br />

Funding: KK Foundation and Faculty<br />

Cooperation: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences,<br />

Institute of Mechanics<br />

Synopsis:<br />

The objective is to create a lightweight robot arm with an open and re-configurable<br />

architecture for installing on top of mobile platforms (for example the Nomad 200 robot). The<br />

primary need for this arm came from the necessity of implementing mobile manipulation for<br />

the needs of the research in the Mobile Robotics Lab. The secondary goal encountered during<br />

the work on the project was the possibility to extend the application to other types of robotic<br />

tasks with more industrial emphasis, like food industry. Major contributions are large<br />

payload-to-weight ratio, space-saving design, flexible mounting, extremely low maintenance<br />

requirements, advanced open architecture controller.<br />

Two different models are designed and prototyped. The bigger arm corresponds in<br />

dimensions to the specific construction of the Nomad 200 mobile platform, while the smaller<br />

arm can be attached to various constructions, including also desktop installations. The smaller<br />

arm can be used also as a test platform for cooperative robot manipulation. The project is not<br />

directed to produce a PhD-thesis, but is a tool that can be used in other PhD projects.<br />

Results in <strong>2002</strong>:<br />

- The project ended in <strong>2002</strong> with the bigger arm moving on top of Nomad 200 robot and a<br />

desktop version of the smaller arm.<br />

- The arms were demonstrated at Tekniska mässan, Stockholm, October <strong>2002</strong> where they<br />

attracted significant interest. One WIPO international patent is already obtained and<br />

published in 2001.<br />

Future developments:<br />

- Further improvements aiming at achieving better performance have to be made as<br />

expected under the future VINNOVA-Robotdalen initiative.<br />

- Visual feedback and force-sensor feedback is currently under development and will be<br />

demonstrated during 2003.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!