SBIR Phase II: A Pneumatically Actuated Robot System

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目解决了将直接驱动伺服执行器耦合到具有不确定性的工业机器人工厂的挑战。在许多应用中寻求提高生产率需要更高的循环率，这对机器运动学、执行器和控制系统提出了很高的要求。运行速度的进一步提高必须解决直接耦合伺服执行器和机器人连杆机构所固有的动态挑战。与通过复杂的机械传动传递能量的现有机电伺服执行器相比，机器人连杆的直接驱动执行器能够实现简单的机械和快速运动，但不能在执行器和机器人工厂之间提供动态隔离。因此，直接驱动伺服执行器对对象参数的变化、未知干扰和未建模的动态都很敏感。该项目将研究和开发一种创新的、直接驱动的气动机器人执行器的原型，该执行器采用先进的控制策略来快速适应动态系统变化。将研究和开发一种新的控制策略的有效性，该策略依赖于对对象有限的特定知识来优化对有界不确定的鲁棒性。该项目的成功将为当代工业机器人系统在速度、负载能力和可负担性方面取得重大进展。该项目更广泛的影响/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的动态相互作用的了解，并进一步加强对提供它们之间有利耦合的控制策略的有效性和理解，这在实践中是不可行的。这有可能给机器人行业乃至整个工业自动化带来变革性的变化。此外，通过本研究获得的控制知识可以推广到许多电动伺服系统和一般的工业控制系统。两个细分市场将被瞄准：机器人和通用运动控制(GMC)，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包括在内，机器人市场估计价值190亿美元。机器人和GMC行业都通过从制造和食品加工到远程控制手术等医学进步以及国防等领域的应用，为国民经济提供了重要支持。工程和技术服务业创造了高薪的新高科技工作岗位。这项研究将在机器人和工业自动化方面开发新的应用，提供教育STEM机会，增进对科学和技术的理解，使美国在全球更具竞争力。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project addresses the challenge of coupling direct drive servo actuators to industrial robotic plants with uncertainties. Enhanced productivity sought in many applications requires higher cycle rates placing great demands on machine 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 robotic plant. Consequently, direct-drive servo actuators are sensitive to variations in plant parameters, unknown disturbances, and un-modeled dynamics. This project will investigate and develop a prototype of an innovative, direct-drive pneumatic robot actuator that employs an advanced control strategy to rapidly accommodate dynamic system variations. Effectiveness of a new control strategy that relies on limited specific knowledge of the plant to optimize robustness to bounded uncertainties will be researched and developed. Success of this project will provide for significant advances in speed, load capacity, and affordability in contemporary industrial robotic 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 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, the controls knowledge gained from this research can be extended to many electric servo systems and to industrial control systems in general. Two market segments will be targeted: robotics and general motion control (GMC), both estimated at $7 billion. If software, peripherals and systems engineering are included, the robotics market is estimated at $19 billion. Both the robotics and GMC industries significantly support 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 new applications in robotics and industrial automation, educational STEM opportunities, enhanced scientific and technological understanding, making the U.S. more competitive globally.