SBIR Phase I: A Pneumatically Actuated Robot System

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目解决了十年来长期未解决的技术障碍的挑战，这些障碍阻碍了机器人系统性能的革命性提高。在许多应用中，提高生产率需要更高的周期速率，这对机器人运动学、执行器和控制系统提出了很高的要求。进一步提高运行速度必须解决伺服执行器和机器人机构直接耦合所固有的动力学挑战。与现有的机电伺服执行器（通过复杂的机械传动传递动力）相比，机器人连杆机构的直接驱动驱动可以实现简单的力学和快速运动，但不能提供执行器和机器人系统之间的动态隔离。因此，直接驱动伺服执行器对植物参数的变化、未知干扰和未建模的动力学非常敏感。这项研发研究了一种创新的、直接驱动的气动机器人执行器的可行性，该执行器与先进的控制算法相结合，可以快速适应动态系统的变化。一种新的控制策略的有效性是模型不敏感的，解决未知的干扰，未建模的动力学和未知的系统参数，将被研究和开发。这个项目的成功将提供一个平行的德尔塔机器人，它比现代德尔塔机器人系统更快、更精确、具有更大的负载能力，而且价格更便宜。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力包括进行工程研究，以加强对直接驱动伺服执行器和机器人机构之间动态相互作用的理解，并进一步提高对一种新的控制策略的有效性和理解，这种策略提供了它们之间的有利耦合，迄今为止还不实际可行。这有可能在机器人行业和一般的工业自动化中引入革命性的变化。此外，从本研究中获得的许多控制知识可以扩展到采用交流直线电机的系统，以及具有不匹配惯性比的机电伺服系统。该公司将瞄准两个细分市场：机器人和通用运动控制，这两个市场的估值均为70亿美元。如果将软件、外围设备和系统工程计算在内，机器人市场估计将达到190亿美元。平行德尔塔机器人估计占机器人市场的25%。机器人产业为国民经济提供了巨大的支持，其应用范围从制造业和食品加工，到远程控制手术等医疗进步，再到国防。工程和技术服务领域创造了高薪的高科技新工作。这项研究将开发革命性的新机器人应用，教育STEM机会，增强科学和技术理解，使美国在全球更具竞争力。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses the challenges of a decade's long unresolved technological barrier preventing a revolutionary increase in the performance of robotic systems. Enhanced productivity sought in many applications requires higher cycle rates placing great demands on robot kinematics, actuators and control systems. Further increase in operating speed must resolve dynamic challenges intrinsic in directly coupling servo actuators and robot linkages. When compared with existing electromechanical servo actuators - which route power through complex mechanical transmissions - direct-drive actuation of robot linkages enables simple mechanics and rapid motion, but does not provide dynamic isolation between the actuator and robot system. Consequently, direct-drive servo actuators are sensitive to variations in plant parameters, unknown disturbances, and un-modeled dynamics. This R&D investigates the feasibility of an innovative, direct-drive pneumatic robot actuator coupled with advanced control algorithms which rapidly accommodate dynamic system variations. Effectiveness of a new control strategy that is model insensitive, resolving unknown disturbances, un-modeled dynamics, and unknown system parameters, will be researched and developed. Success of this project will provide for a parallel delta robot that is significantly faster, more precise, possesses greater load capacity, and is substantially more affordable than contemporary delta robot systems. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project involves engineering research conducted to enhance understanding of the dynamic interaction between direct-drive servo actuators and robotic mechanisms, and further to enhance the effectiveness and understanding of a novel control strategy which provides for an advantageous coupling between them, heretofore not practically feasible. This has the potential of introducing transformative change in the robotics industry, and to industrial automation in general. Furthermore, much of the controls knowledge gained from this research can be extended to systems employing AC linear motors, and to electromechanical servos with mismatched inertia ratios. Two market segments will be targeted: robotics and general motion control, both estimated at $7 billion. If software, peripherals and systems engineering are included, the robotics market is estimated at $19 billion. Parallel delta robots are estimated at 25% of the robotics market. The robotics industry significantly supports the national economy with applications ranging from manufacturing and food processing, to medical advances such as remotely controlled surgery, and to national defense. Well paying new hi-tech jobs are created in engineering and technical services. This research will develop revolutionary new robotic applications, educational STEM opportunities, enhanced scientific and technological understanding, making the U.S. more competitive globally.