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New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Robotics and Automation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2023) | Viewed by 22173

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Prof. Dr. Kanstantsin Miatliuk

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Department of Robotics and Mechatronics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45A, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Interests: mechatronic systems design; robotics; design methods; systems sciences
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Henrik Gordon Petersen

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Guest Editor

The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
Interests: robotics; motion planning; robotic assembly; grippers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The conceptual model creation of the mechatronic and robotic systems being designed is the actual task which is performed in the frames of automation and robotics, mechatronics, engineering design, computer-integrated manufacturing, computer-aided design, and other related subject fields. The conceptual model of the designed mechatronic object is usually created before generating the concrete mathematical models necessary to perform design tasks at the detailed design phase of the object life cycle. Among the widespread models and methods which are usually used at the conceptual and detailed design phases are models of classical mathematics and artificial intelligence, logical–dynamical and hybrid systems, knowledge-based engineering, etc.

Implementation of the design approaches and conceptual model which take into account the abovementioned methods and allow the connected formal descriptions of mechatronic system structure, its functional representation as a unit in its environment, mechatronic system environment, and human–computer interactions is a challenging task. This model should be used at the conceptual design phase and allow an easy transformation to the concrete mathematical models used at the detailed design phase of robotic and other mechatronic systems life cycles. The conceptual model should also take into account the connected descriptions of mechatronic subsystems of different nature, i.e., mechanical, electronic, electromechanical, and computer.

The main aim of this Special Issue is to seek high-quality submissions that highlight emerging methods of conceptual and detailed design of mechatronic systems and show the results of specific robotic and other mechatronic systems design, as well as the results of their practical implementation.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

Engineering design methods;
Mechatronic systems;
Systems engineering;
Modular robots;
Robotics: companion robots, industrial robots, healthcare robots, and soft robots;
Human–computer interaction.

Prof. Dr. Kanstantsin Miatliuk
Prof. Henrik Gordon Petersen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

conceptual design
mechatronic systems
robotic systems
human–computer interaction
design methods

Related Special Issue

New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems: 2nd Edition in Applied Sciences

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1709 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Kinematic Modeling of a Trepanation Surgical Robot System

by Adam Wolniakowski, Roman Trochimczuk, Vassilis Moulianitis and Kanstantsin Miatliuk

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(16), 9110; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13169110 - 10 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 936

Abstract

This paper presents the concept of a parallel medical robotic service system to assist in a surgical procedure involving precise exploratory trepanation holes in a patient’s skull. The target position and orientation of the trepanation tool in the cranial region is determined using a prior intracranial image analysis using an external medical imaging system. A trepanning actuation system is attached to the end-effector of the parallel robot. The end-effector will act as an accurate positioner for the trepanning drill in the medical intervention area. The conceptual design of the mechanical actuation subsystem of a trepanning robot was developed in the SolidWorks 2022 software environment. The virtual model of the kinematic chain of the robot and the assumed design parameters were used to analytically derive the equations describing the inverse kinematics task. An analysis of the forward kinematics task of the parallel manipulator was also carried out using analytical and numerical methods. A workspace analysis was performed using Matlab based on the kinematic model of the parallel robot. This paper significantly advances the field by presenting the conceptual design of the actuation subsystem, deriving the kinematics equations, conducting a thorough workspace analysis, and establishing a foundation for subsequent control-algorithm development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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11 pages, 4001 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Design and Control of a Linear Rotary Electro-Hydraulic Servo Drive Unit

by Andrzej Milecki, Arkadiusz Jakubowski and Arkadiusz Kubacki

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8598; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158598 - 26 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1478

Abstract

In this paper, a new solution for an electro-hydraulic servo drive is proposed, which consists of two electro-hydraulic servo drives: one with a hydraulic cylinder and one with a hydraulic rotary motor. In the proposed drive, the linear actuator is attached to a horizontal base and the hydraulic motor is mounted on the actuator piston rod. Thus, the output signal of the drive is the lifting and lowering of the element suspended on the rope. The paper describes the structure, kinematics, dynamics, and control of a novel electro-hydraulic servo drive. A servo valve and a proportional valve are used to control the flow of the hydraulic cylinder and the hydraulic motor. Special attention is paid to the construction of two actuators in one drive unit. The controller is based on the PLC controller. The measuring system uses laser displacement sensors and an encoder. The results of laboratory investigations are discussed in the paper. The proposed drive contains all of the characteristics of a mechatronic device. The main contribution of this study is the proposal of the controller architecture and the algorithm to control the speed and position when lifting or lowering loads. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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18 pages, 1314 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Robust Algorithm Software for NACA 4-Digit Airfoil Shape Optimization Using the Adjoint Method

by Naser Tanabi, Agesinaldo Matos Silva, Jr., Marcosiris Amorim Oliveira Pessoa and Marcos Sales Guerra Tsuzuki

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4269; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074269 - 28 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1582

Abstract

Optimizing the aerodynamic shape of an airfoil is a critical concern in the aviation industry. The introduction of flexible airfoils has allowed the shape of the airfoil to vary, depending on the flight conditions. Therefore, in this study, we propose an algorithm that is capable of robustly optimizing the shape of the airfoil based on variable parameters of the airfoil and flight conditions. The proposed algorithm can be understood as an optimization method, which employs the adjoint method, a powerful tool for estimating the sensitivity of the model output to the input in numerous studies. From an aerodynamic perspective, the development of shape geometry is a crucial step in airfoil development. The study used NACA-4 digit airfoils as input for the initial assumption and the range of shape change. The optimal shape was found using the proposed algorithm by defining one NACA profile as the initial value and another NACA profile as the limit for the optimized shape, considering the aerodynamic coefficients and flight conditions. However, morphing airfoils have certain deformation limitations. As an innovation in the algorithm, bounds were defined for the shape change during optimization so that the result can be constructed within the capabilities of the morphing wing. These bounds can be adjusted (depending on the capabilities of the airfoils). To validate the proposed algorithm, the study compared it with a previous flow solver for the same airfoil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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14 pages, 3197 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Multi-Objective Optimization Method of a Mobile Robot Milling System Construction for Large Cabins

by Ke Wen, Zhiqiang Zhang, Jiabo Zhang, Xiaohui Zhang, Tao Chen, Xin Gao and Wen Zhang

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2288; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042288 - 10 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1297

Abstract

Constructing mobile robot milling systems with multiple mounting surfaces for large cabins still has several unsolved issues, such as huge economic and time costs, unpredictable milling accuracy and milling time. Hence, a multi-objective optimization method for constructing a mobile robot milling system of large cabins is proposed in the current paper. Firstly, mathematical models of constructing the system and the optimization objective function are established. Thereafter, a multi-objective optimization method for the mobile robot milling system construction based on NSGA-II (Fast Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm) is proposed. Finally, feasibility and validity of the proposed method are verified through comparing the optimization result with two practical mobile robot systems. Results show that the proposed method is able to estimate different combinations’ milling accuracy, cost and time consumption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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16 pages, 4641 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bearing Fault Diagnostics Based on the Square of the Amplitude Gains Method

by Rafał Grądzki, Błażej Bartoszewicz and José Emiliano Martínez

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2160; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042160 - 8 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1306

Abstract

The article presents an adaptation of a parametric diagnostic method based on the square of the amplitude gains model, which was tested in experimental studies on bearing damage detection (outer race, inner race, bearing balls damage). The described method is based on the shaft displacement signal analysis, which is affected by vibrations coming from the bearings. The diagnostic model’s parameters are determined by processing the signal from the time domain to the frequency domain in a few steps. Firstly, the recorded signal is divided into two observation periods, next the analytical autocorrelation functions are determined and approximated by a polynomial. Then, the diagnostic thresholds are adopted, and the model parameters are converted into damage maps that are easy to interpret and assess the technical condition of the bearings. The presented method shows the technical condition of bearings in a qualitative way. Depending on the received color damage maps, it is possible to determine their level of wear. Green and blue indicate poor wear or no damage, red indicates increased wear, and black clearly indicates a damaged bearing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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22 pages, 2685 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

From Simulations to Accelerated Testing: Design of Experiments for Accelerated Load Testing of a Wind Turbine Drivetrain Based on Aeroelastic Multibody Simulation Data

by Baher Azzam, Ralf Schelenz, Martin Cardaun and Georg Jacobs

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010356 - 27 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1823

Abstract

The trend of increasing the power output and nominal load capacities of wind turbines (WT) over time has been driving the construction of testing facilities with increasing load capacities for testing WT drivetrain components prior to field deployment. Due to the high investment and operational costs of such facilities, a need exists to design accelerated tests that cover load situations corresponding to expected field conditions while maintaining high time-efficiency. This investigation addresses this need by presenting a methodology to achieve the following goals. Firstly, identifying ranges and combinations of WT 6-degree of freedom (6-DOF) rotor loads is to be expected in the field. This is achieved using aeroelastic multibody simulations (MBS) of an MBS WT model being subjected to simulated wind fields covering the design load cases outlined in the IEC 61400-1 standard and by analyzing the simulated time-series data to design accelerated tests that efficiently and realistically cover the design space of the variables, e.g., 6-DOF rotor loads, to be applied during WT drivetrain testing. The designed tests are to take place on a purpose-built test rig that allows for the application and control of the 6-DOF drivetrain input loads and rotational speed. Using the proposed method, accelerated tests were designed that efficiently cover load combinations within the realistic regions of the design space. A comparison with a full factorial design of experiments shows a significant (95+ %) reduction in total test time as well as the ability of the proposed method to help to avoid unsustainable and unrealistic load conditions within the design space that could result in costly, unintended drivetrain failures during testing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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17 pages, 13438 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Uniform vs. Lognormal Kinematics in Robots: Perceptual Preferences for Robotic Movements

by Jose J. Quintana, Miguel A. Ferrer, Moises Diaz, Jose J. Feo, Adam Wolniakowski and Konstantsin Miatliuk

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(23), 12045; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122312045 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1182

Abstract

Collaborative robots or cobots interact with humans in a common work environment. In cobots, one under-investigated but important issue is related to their movement and how it is perceived by humans. This paper tries to analyze whether humans prefer a robot moving in a human or in a robotic fashion. To this end, the present work lays out what differentiates the movement performed by an industrial robotic arm from that performed by a human one. The main difference lies in the fact that the robotic movement has a trapezoidal speed profile, while for the human arm, the speed profile is bell-shaped and during complex movements, it can be considered as a sum of superimposed bell-shaped movements. Based on the lognormality principle, a procedure was developed for a robotic arm to perform human-like movements. Both speed profiles were implemented in two industrial robots, namely, an ABB IRB 120 and a Universal Robot UR3. Three tests were used to study the subjects’ preference when seeing both movements and another analyzed the same when interacting with the robot by touching its ends with their fingers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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21 pages, 3005 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation and Implementation of a Mobile Robot Trajectory Planning Solution by Using a Genetic Micro-Algorithm

by Jose Eduardo Cardoza Plata, Mauricio Olguín Carbajal, Juan Carlos Herrera Lozada, Jacobo Sandoval Gutierrez, Israel Rivera Zarate and Jose Felix Serrano Talamantes

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(21), 11284; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122111284 - 7 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1751

Abstract

Robots able to roll and jump are used to solve complex trajectories. These robots have a low level of autonomy, and currently, only teleoperation is available. When researching the literature about these robots, limitations were found, such as a high risk of damage by testing, lack of information, and nonexistent tools. Therefore, the present research is conducted to minimize the dangers in actual tests, increase the documentation through a platform repository, and solve the autonomous trajectory of a maze with obstacles. The methodology consisted of: replicating a scenario with the parrot robot in the gazebo simulator; then the computational resources, the mechanism, and the available commands of the robot were studied; subsequently, it was determined that the genetic micro-algorithm met the minimum requirements of the robot; in the last part, it was programmed in simulation and the solution was validated in the natural environment. The results were satisfactory and it was possible to create a parrot robot in a simulation environment analogous to the typical specifications. The genetic micro-algorithm required only 100 generations to converge; therefore, the demand for computational resources did not affect the execution of the essential tasks of the robot. Finally, the maze problem could be solved autonomously in a real environment from the simulations with an error of less than 10% and without damaging the robot. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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20 pages, 4706 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimal Kinematic Task Position Determination—Application and Experimental Verification for the UR-5 Manipulator

by Charalampos Valsamos, Kanstantsin Miatliuk, Adam Wolniakowski, Vassilis Moulianitis and Nikos Aspragathos

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(18), 9352; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12189352 - 18 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1253

Abstract

A method for determining the optimal position of a robotic task within a manipulator’s workspace considering the minimum singularity free paths in joint space in order to achieve a high kinematic performance is presented. The selected performance criterion was the minimization of the joint velocities during task execution under a given end effector velocity. The proposed method is applied to place kinematic tasks for a UR-5 manipulator. Joint speed measurements are compared for the optimal and the “bad” task positions and the results show that at the optimal position, lower joint speeds are exerted during task execution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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9 pages, 1774 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CageView: A Smart Food Control and Monitoring System for Phenotypical Research In Vivo

by Mohammad Saeedi, Ali Maddahi, Amir Mahdi Nassiri, Michael Jackson and Kourosh Zareinia

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(10), 4966; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12104966 - 14 May 2022

Viewed by 1754

Abstract

The present work introduces an automated and smart system (named CageView) used to monitor a mouse, detect motion, and control access to food in accordance with experimental schedules. We describe the components of the CageView platform and give a summarized description on how we employed a convolutional neural network to detect and recognize a mouse in real time before presenting the results of a case study. In particular, CageView is a programmable and remotely operable system such that (1) an experimenter at a remote workstation may set up a feeding and fasting schedule that allows feeding and fasting without requiring the physical presence of a staff member, (2) the experimenter can control access to food in real time regardless of the preset schedule, (3) the experimenter has real-time access to a live video feed to assess the mouse, (4) an artificial intelligence system tracks the mouse’s location and physical activity, and (5) a record is kept of activity, which can be displayed as a 2D representation of mouse movement or a histogram showing mouse movement in 15-min blocks for the duration of the experiment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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10 pages, 17301 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Unification of Legged and Aerial Robots for Planetary Exploration Missions

by Jakub Haluška, Anton Koval and George Nikolakopoulos

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(8), 3983; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12083983 - 14 Apr 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1932

Abstract

In this article, we address the task of developing a unified solution that incorporates quadruped and aerial robots for planetary exploration missions. The designing process takes recommendations provided by Boston Dynamics for building custom payloads for the Spot robot, as well as its kinematic constraints. The unification task itself encompasses design of a passive drone landing platform as a hardware link between the Spot robot and the drone, which has active locking and unlocking capabilities required to securely keep the drone on the Spot independently whether it is standing or moving. Thus, in the designed unification solution, the landing platform does not impact the overall robot mobility and has no interference with the robot’s legs. The initial solution design was extensively evaluated in a series of tests at the laboratory, which demonstrated its viability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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23 pages, 5321 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synergetic Synthesis of Nonlinear Laws of Throttle Control of a Pneumatic Drive

by Elena Obukhova, Gennady E. Veselov, Pavel Obukhov, Alexey Beskopylny, Sergey A. Stel’makh and Evgenii M. Shcherban’

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(4), 1797; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12041797 - 9 Feb 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1740

Abstract

Currently, a significant trend in control in robotic systems is developing and improving linear and nonlinear control algorithms to improve the overall quality of production with high accuracy and adaptability. The present study considers a synergistic synthesis of throttle control of a pneumatic distributor valve and backpressure control for piston rod positioning. The article presents the synthesis of control laws for the position of a pneumatic cylinder piston using the method of analytical design of aggregated regulators (ADAR) of synergetic control theory (STC), which allows operation with nonlinear mathematical models, eliminating the loss of information about the object during linearization. A comparative calculation of the energy efficiency of backpressure control and throttle control methods was carried out, while the numerical value of the total airflow with throttle control is 0.0569 m³⁄s and, with backpressure control, it is 0.0337 m³⁄s. Using a P controller in a linear model gives a transient oscillatory process damped in 2–2.5 s. When using a PID controller, the process has an overshoot equal to 11.5%, while the synergistic controller allows you to smoothly move the drive stem to a given position without overshoot. The parametric uncertainty analysis of the considered mathematical model is carried out. The model’s main parameters are identified, which change the actual functioning of the system under study. The inconsistency of applying classical control laws based on typical controllers to parametrically indeterminate mathematical models is shown. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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19 pages, 1160 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Innovative Optimization Design Procedure for Mechatronic Systems with a Multi-Criteria Formulation

by Cuauhtémoc Morales-Cruz, Marco Ceccarelli and Edgar Alfredo Portilla-Flores

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(19), 8900; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11198900 - 24 Sep 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2322

Abstract

This paper presents an innovative Mechatronic Concurrent Design procedure to address multidisciplinary issues in Mechatronics systems that can concurrently include traditional and new aspects. This approach considers multiple criteria and design variables such as mechanical aspects, control issues, and task-oriented features to formulate a concurrent design optimization problem that is solved using but not limited to heuristic algorithms. Furthermore, as an innovation, this procedure address all considered aspects in one step instead of multiple sequential stages. Finally, this work discusses an example referring to Mechatronic Design to show the procedure performed and the results show its capability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenges in Conceptual Design of Robotic and Mechatronic Systems)

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