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

该项目获得了一个移动操作机器人平台，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，这样机器人就可以在更广阔的环境中进行操作和改变，而不受地域限制。具体而言，该项目指定启用：-基于视觉的移动机器人导航；-视觉引导的自主对象操作和装配应用；-运动和操作的统一运动生成和控制；和-人机交互和协作。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，特别是在制造业中，主要被设计为固定在生产线上，只能执行高精度和可重复性的预定义动作，传感有限，没有自主性或智能，这极大地限制了它们的进一步应用。为了增强机器人的功能和扩展其应用范围，通常不存在一个基本要素：操作和运动能力的集成，使机器人能够在更广阔的环境中不受地域限制地操作和改变。此外，机器人需要配备一定程度的自主性和智能，这样他们就可以自己决定做什么和怎么做。支持者的目标是通过提供这种集成来最大限度地利用机器人平台。更广泛的影响：建议研究的成果将显著加强大学的研究和教育基础设施，并促进本地产业、附近院校和大学之间的密切互动和合作。人们对机器人进一步促进人类科学技术水平的热情和期望，对技术和教育的新发展，以及对机器人和相关领域合格研究人员和工程师的培训提出了巨大的需求。这项工作的结果不仅提供了所需的结果，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-工业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.