SBIR Phase II: Robotic Material Removal System

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段研究项目探索了机器人的创新，像生物一样，通过应用和感知接触力来操作。目前的位置控制机器人对许多制造任务的适用性有限，特别是那些与材料去除和表面处理有关的任务。模拟人类的徒手运动能力大大提高了机器人的能力。这样的机器人可以跟踪零件的轮廓，使其光滑和抛光。它可以感觉零件边缘以发现零件的位置，并将测量的几何形状与建模的理想形状进行比较，以检测精加工要求。机器人可以遵循整理策略，在工作时通过触摸获取所需的信息。在整个工业中，有能力的机器人的应用无处不在。几乎所有由铸造、锻造、机加工或成型制成的零件都需要某种程度的表面精加工，以达到最终所需的形状和光滑度。其他潜在的应用包括：机械装配、分类和包装不规则物体，以及双臂操作笨重物品。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II research project explores the innovation of a robot that, like biological creatures, operates by applying and sensing contact forces. Today's position-controlled robots have limited applicability to many manufacturing tasks, especially those related to material removal and surface finishing. Emulating a human's free-hand motion capability greatly advances robot capability. Such a robot could trace part contours to smooth and polish. It could feelfor part edges to discover a part's location, and compare measured geometry to a modeled ideal to detect finishing requirements. The robot could follow finishing strategies, acquiring needed information by touch as it worked.Applications for force capable robots are ubiquitous across industry. Virtually all parts made from casting, forging, machining, or molding require some degree of surface finishing to arrive at a final desired shape and smoothness. Other prospective applications include: mechanical assembly, sorting and packaging irregular objects, and dual-arm manipulation of heavy and bulky items.