Flexible co-manipulation and transportation with mobile multi-robot system

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address optimal positioning of a group of mobile robots for a successful manipulation and transportation of payloads of any shape. Design/methodology/approach The chosen methodology to achieve optimal positioning of the robots around the payload to lift it and to transport it while maintaining a geometric multi-robot formation is presented. This appropriate configuration of the set of robots is obtained by combining constraints ensuring stable and safe lifting and transport of the payload. A suitable control law is then used to track a virtual structure in which each elementary robot has to keep its desired position with respect to the payload. Findings An optimal positioning of mobile robots around a payload to ensure stable co-manipulation and transportation task according to stability multi-criteria constraints. Simulation and experimental results validate the proposed control architecture and strategy for a successful transportation task based on virtual structure navigation approach. Originality/value This paper presents a new strategy for co-manipulation and co-transportation task based on a virtual structure navigation approach. An algorithm for optimal positioning of mobile robots around a payload of any mass and shape is proposed while ensuring stability during the whole process by respecting multi-criteria task stability constraints.

An Omnidirectional Platform for Education and Research in Cooperative Robotics

“…The design is based on an omnidirectional mobile platform consisting of: three omnidirectional wheels attached to servo motors DYNAMIXEL AX-12A (4), one uEye XS camera (2), two 1KG load cells (5), traction wheels (1) mounted on two servo motors (3), a USB hub (7), and a cable guide (6). Figure 1.…”

“…While most of the mentioned work concentrates on moving the object from point A to point B, the object is assumed to be pre-grasped or it is pushed on the flat surface of the robots. A mechanical manipulator has been designed to be mounted on mobile robots to be used to collaboratively lift an object to the base of the robots [6,7]. This mechanism relies on friction induced between the set of manipulators and the surface of the object.…”

“…This technique has been used in leader-follower strategy in [4,10], where force readings are used to analyze the direction of the leader's movements considering that the leader could be a human, a human operated robot, or an autonomous robot. Our concept builds on the approach taken in [6,7], where lift is achieved by friction between the robots and the object, rather than direct grasping as in [4]. Indeed, our design adds the ability to tilt the object while in contact and provides free planar motion to the mobile platform to be used for cooperative transportation compared to a two-motor driven system which is not capable of doing omnidirectional motion.…”

Path Driven Dual Arm Mobile Co-Manipulation Architecture for Large Part Manipulation in Industrial Environments

“…Multi-robot systems are an alternative for force-based large part co-manipulation. Hichri et al address the flexible co-manipulation and transportation task with a mobile multi-robot system, tackling issues like the mechanical design [ 7 ] and optimal positioning of a group of mobile robots [ 18 ]. However, these approaches leave human operators out of the control strategy.…”

Wheel design and motion analysis of a new heavy-duty AGV in aircraft assembly lines

“…Hence, effective multi-body dynamics simulation methods such as ADAMS would be a suitable way to test the real motion characteristics of AGV. In recent years, some literatures related to vehicle dynamics simulation could be referred to: The 2 D and 3 D simulations of a mobile multi-robot system for payload co-manipulation and transportation are presented (Hichri et al , 2018). The virtual prototype of a four-wheel hybrid electric vehicle is established to study the rear motor control for vehicle stability enhancement (Kim et al , 2008).…”