Multi-body Dynamic Modeling of Multi-legged Robots
This book describes the development of an integrated approach for generating the path and gait of realistic hexapod robotic systems. It discusses in detail locomation with straight-ahead, crab and turning motion capabilities in varying terrains, like sloping surfaces, staircases, and various user-defined rough terrains. It also presents computer simulations and validation using Virtual Prototyping (VP) tools and real-world experiments.
Mobile Robots : The Evolutionary Approach
The design and control of autonomous intelligent mobile robotic systems operating in unstructured changing environments includes many objective difficulties. There are several studies about the ways in which, robots exhibiting some degree of autonomy, adapt themselves to fit in their environments. The application and use of bio-inspired and intelligent techniques such as reinforcement learning, artificial neural networks, evolutionary computation and so forth in the design and improvement of robot designs is an emergent research topic. Researchers have obtained robots that display an amazing slew of behaviours and perform a multitude of tasks. These include perception of environment, planning and navigation in rough terrain, pushing boxes, negotiating an obstacle course, etc.
Hybrid Intelligent Systems : Analysis and Design
The objective of this edited volume is to offer a general view at the recent conceptual developments of Soft Computing (SC) regarded as a general methodology supporting the design of hybrid systems along with their diversified applications to modeling, simulation and control of non-linear dynamical systems. As of now, SC methodologies embrace neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms and chaos theory. Each of these methodologies exhibits well delineated advantages and disadvantages. Interestingly, they have been found useful in solving a broad range of problems. However, many real-world complex problems require a prudent, carefully orchestrated integration of several of these methodologies to fully achieve the required efficiency, accuracy, and interpretability of the solutions. In this edited volume, an overview of SC methodologies, and their applications to modeling, simulation and control, will be given in an introductory paper by the Editors. Then, detailed methods for integrating the different SC methodologies in solving real-world problems will be given in the papers by the other authors in the book. The edited volume will cover a wide spectrum of applications including areas such as: robotic dynamic systems, non-linear plants, manufacturing systems, and time series prediction.
Field and Service Robotics ; Vol. 25 : Results of the 5th International Conference
Field robots are robots which operate in outdoor, complex, and dynamic environments. Service robots are those that work closely with humans, with particular applications involving indoor and structured environments. There are a wide range of topics presented in this issue on field and service robots including: Agricultural and Forestry Robotics, Mining and Exploration Robots, Robots for Construction, Security & Defence Robots, Cleaning Robots, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and Autonomous Flying Robots.
Field and Service Robotics ; Vol. 24 : Recent Advances in Research and Applications
This unique collection is the post-conference proceedings of the 4th FSR in Lake Yamanaka, Japan at July 2003. This book edited by Shin’ichi Yuta, Hajime Asama, Sebastian Thrun, Erwin Prassler and Takashi Tsubouchi is rich by topics and authoritative contributors and presents the current developments and new directions in field and service robotics. The contents of these contributions represent a cross-section of the current state of robotics research from one particular aspect: field and service applications, and how they reflect on the theoretical basis of subsequent developments. Pursuing technologies aimed at realizing skilful, smart, reliable, robust field and service robots is the big challenge running throughout this focused collection.
3D-Position Tracking and Control for All-Terrain Robots
Rough terrain robotics is a fast evolving field of research and a lot of effort is deployed towards enabling a greater level of autonomy for outdoor vehicles. This book demonstrates how the accuracy of 3D position tracking can be improved by considering rover locomotion in rough terrain as a holistic problem. In this work, a mechanical structure allowing smooth motion across obstacles with limited wheel slip is used. In particular, it enables the use of odometry and inertial sensors to improve the position estimation in rough terrain. A method for computing 3D motion increments based on the wheel encoders and chassis state sensors is developed. The algorithm runs online and can be adapted to any kind of passive wheeled rover. Finally, sensor fusion using 3D-Odometry, inertial sensors and visual motion estimation based on stereovision is presented. The experimental results demonstrate how each sensor contributes to increase the accuracy and robustness of the 3D position estimation.





