Dexterous Magnetic Manipulation of Non-Magnetic Objects with Stationary Electromagnetic Dipole-Field Sources

已经开发的用于非接触磁操作物体的方法通常假设这些物体包含大部分铁磁性材料。许多工程装置不含磁性材料，但含有导电材料。该奖项将支持使用固定电磁场源对非磁性但导电材料进行灵巧六自由度（6-DOF）操纵的研究。初步结果表明，磁场在物体中产生的涡流感应力和扭矩可以用来实现这一目标，为全新类型的机器人操作机会铺平道路。在这项研究中获得的知识有可能有助于解决人类面临的一个主要问题：轨道空间碎片。大多数太空碎片是由铝制成的：一种导电但无磁性的材料。迫切需要制定补救策略，以清除已经在轨道上的碎片，并在人造物体成为新的碎片之前对其进行修复或清除，以保护数量迅速增长的卫星，因为世界人口已经越来越依赖这些卫星。该奖项还将支持对研究生的培训和指导，将本科生纳入研究，并通过大学项目向K-12学生提供服务。本研究的目的是测试物理建模和机器人学习技术可以结合起来的假设，以改善对存在模型的导电非磁性物体的操作，并使用部分环绕物体的多个静止电磁旋转偶极子场源来操纵没有先验模型的物体。该研究将探索导电物体的最佳操作，其中涡流感应力-扭矩模型已经存在。它还将阐明在不同尺寸、壁厚和材料的导电球体上涡流诱导力-扭矩的广义模型，作为其他导电物体几何形状的一阶近似。该范围还包括检查系统缺乏目标对象模型的情况，并且必须从传感器观察中在线获取一个模型。最后，将通过开发6自由度中性浮力水基微重力模拟器对这些概念进行实验验证。该项目由跨部门机器人基础研究项目支持，由工程（ENG）和计算机与信息科学与工程（CISE）联合管理和资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Methods that have been developed for non-contact magnetic manipulation of objects have typically assumed that those objects comprise a large fraction of ferromagnetic material. Many engineered devices contain no magnetic material but do contain electrically conductive material. This award will support research on dexterous six degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) manipulation of non-magnetic, but electrically conductive materials using stationary electromagnetic field sources. Preliminary results indicate that eddy current-induced forces and torques produced in the objects by the magnetic fields can be used to achieve this objective, paving way for an entirely new class of robotic manipulation opportunity. The knowledge gained in this research has the potential to contribute a solution to a major problem facing humanity: orbital space debris. Most space debris is made of aluminum: a conductive but non-magnetic material. There is a dire need for remediation strategies to remove debris already in orbit and to repair or remove human-made objects before they become new debris, to protect the fast-growing number of satellites that the world’s population has grown to rely on. This award will also support training and mentorship of graduate students, inclusion of undergraduate students in research, and outreach to K-12 students through university programs.The objective of this research is to test the conjecture that physical modeling and robot-learning techniques can be combined to improve manipulation of conductive non-magnetic objects for which a model exists, and enable manipulation of objects with no prior model, using multiple stationary electromagnetic rotating-dipole-field sources that partially surround the object. The investigation will explore the optimal manipulation of conductive objects for which a model of eddy current-induced force-torque already exists. It will also elucidate a generalized model for eddy current-induced force-torque on conductive spheres of varying size, wall thickness, and material to serve as a first-order approximation for other conductive object geometries. The scope also includes examination of cases where the system lacks a model of the target object and must acquire one online from sensor observations. Finally, experimental validation of the concepts will be performed with the development of a 6-DOF neutral-buoyancy water-based microgravity simulator.This project is supported by the cross-directorate Foundational Research in Robotics program, jointly managed and funded by the Directorates for Engineering (ENG) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.