MRI: Acquisition of a Mobile Manipulation Robot Platform for Research and Education

该项目收购了一个移动的操作机器人平台，旨在解决机器人技术的几个主要挑战，通过集成操作和运动能力来提高机器人的功能和应用，使机器人可以在更广泛的环境中操作和改变，而不受地域限制。具体而言，该项目规定实现：-基于视觉的移动的机器人导航;-视觉引导的自主物体操纵和装配应用;-统一的运动生成和控制运动和操纵;以及-机器人与人的互动和协作。这项工作涉及许多领域的应用，如制造业，农业医疗保健，国土安全，公共服务和娱乐。目前的机器人，特别是在制造业，主要被设计成栓在生产线上，并且仅执行具有高精度和可重复性的预定义动作，具有有限的感测，并且没有自主性或智能性，这显著地限制了它们的进一步应用。为了增强机器人的功能并扩展其应用范围，通常不存在一个基本要素：集成操作和运动能力，以便机器人可以在更广泛的环境中操作和进行更改，而不受地域限制。此外，机器人需要具备一定程度的自主性和智能，这样它们才能自己决定做什么和如何做。 更广泛的影响：拟议研究的成果将大大加强大学的研究和教育基础设施，促进当地产业、附近机构和大学之间的密切互动和合作。对机器人的热情和期望，以进一步促进人类的科学和技术水平开辟了新的发展，技术和教育，以及在培养合格的研究人员和工程师在机器人和相关领域的大量需求。这项工作的成果不仅提供了必要的成果，而且提供了教育经验。研究问题将被改编为本科生和研究生课程的高级设计项目和论文主题。其中一些工作将作为专题讲座和实验室项目纳入核心课程。此外，欧姆龙和通用汽车的工业参与将加强现有的大学与工业的关系，并创造合作机会。

This project, acquiring a mobile manipulation robot platform, aims to address several major challenges of robotics technologies needed to boost robot functionality and applications by integrating manipulation and locomotion capabilities, such that a robot can operate and make changes in a broader environment without territorial restrictions. Specifically, the project specifies enabling:- Vision-based mobile robot navigation;- Vision-guided autonomous object manipulation and application to assembly;- Unified motion generation and control for locomotion and manipulation; and- Robot-human interaction and collaborations.This work addresses applications in many areas, such as manufacturing, agriculture health care, homeland security, public service, and entertainment.Current robots, particularly in manufacturing, have mainly been designed to be bolted on a production line and only execute a pre-defined action with high accuracy and repeatability with limited sensing and no autonomy or intelligence, which significantly restricts their further applications. To enhance the functionality of robots and extend their application scopes, an essential element is not often present: integration of manipulation and locomotion capabilities so that the robot can operate and make changes in a broader environment without territorial restrictions. Moreover, robots need to be equipped with a certain level of autonomy and intelligence so they can decide on their own what to do and how to do it. The proponents aim to maximize the usage of the robot platform by providing this integration.Broader Impacts:The outcomes of the proposed research should significantly enhance the university's research and education infrastructure and facilitate close interaction and collaboration between local industries, nearby institutions, and the university. The enthusiasm and expectations for robots to further promote human science and technological level open up a large demand for new developments on technologies and education, as well as in training qualified researchers and engineers in robotics and related fields. The outcomes of this work offer not only needed results but also educational experience. Research problems will be adapted as senior design projects and thesis topics for undergraduates and graduate programs. Some of this work will be integrated into core courses as special lectures and lab projects. Furthermore, industrial involvement from Omron and General Motors will strengthen existing university-industry relations and create collaborative opportunities.