SBIR Phase II: A Pneumatically Actuated Robot System

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目解决了直接驱动伺服执行器与不确定性工业机器人工厂耦合的挑战。在许多应用中，提高生产率需要更高的周期速率，这对机器运动学、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。与现有的机电伺服致动器（通过复杂的机械传动传递动力）相比，机器人连杆的直接驱动致动器可以实现简单的力学和快速运动，但不能在致动器和机器人装置之间提供动态隔离。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。该项目将研究和开发一种创新的直接驱动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，该策略依赖于有限的特定知识来优化对有界不确定性的鲁棒性。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提供重大进步。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，并进一步提高控制策略的有效性和理解，该策略提供了它们之间的有利耦合，迄今为止还不是实际可行的。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，从本研究中获得的控制知识可以扩展到许多电动伺服系统和一般的工业控制系统。两个细分市场将成为目标：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计算在内，机器人市场估计将达到190亿美元。机器人和GMC产业都极大地支持了国民经济，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，以及国防。工程和技术服务领域创造了高薪的高科技新工作。这项研究将开发机器人和工业自动化的新应用，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 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.