Towards Effective, Safe, and Affordable Robots for Assisting People at Home and Work

对于帮助老年人和残疾人、康复、农业和协助工厂工人等应用，对价格合理的机器人的需求尚未得到满足，尤其是机器人手臂，当靠近或直接接触人类时，它们可以安全操作。也许加拿大对这项技术的最大需求将是帮助家里的老年人。根据CBC新闻2017年Mark Gollom撰写的一篇文章，到2026年，家庭护理需求预计将以每年3.1%的速度增长，而家庭护理人员的年增长率仅为1%。文章指出，“技术，包括可以帮助老年人的机器人和人工智能，将需要发挥重要作用。”目前市面上能够提供所需功能和安全性的机械臂是无法负担得起的（花费5万美元或更多）。它们价格高昂的主要原因之一是用于移动关节的执行器。这项研究计划的长期愿景是创造知识和技术，使机器人能够在日常生活的许多方面帮助人们，无论是在家里还是在工作中。这些机器人必须能够控制它们所携带物体的位置，以及它们对物体施加的力。后者对于完成工作任务（如帮助组装易碎部件）或家庭任务（如帮助准备饭菜（如切西红柿））是必需的。我们的长期目标是：用安全、经济的替代品取代现有的机器人执行器；开发节能、轻便、便于运输的机器人；并开发有效控制这些机器人的硬件方法和软件算法。在接下来的5年里，该研究项目将专注于开发低成本、轻量化、强大、精确、即使传感器故障也安全的新型机器人执行器。我们将通过将能够提升自身重量100倍以上的气动执行器与小型快速电机相结合来实现这一目标。我们将开发改进的方法来制造我们的气动执行器。然后，我们将开发优化执行器设计的方法，以及由这些执行器驱动的机械臂，以实现更好的性能和更少的能源消耗。我们还将开发数学模型和软件算法来控制新的执行器和机械臂。机器人手臂的原型将接受普通的家庭和工作任务的测试，例如拿着并倒满一壶牛奶。本课题将培养博士研究生4名，硕士研究生4名，本科生5名。他们将接受机器人、设计、制造、建模和控制系统方面的专业培训，这将使他们在未来的职业生涯中受益。在接下来的15年或20年里，预计这项研究计划以及相关的研究计划将导致价格合理的机器人在家庭和工作中都能有效地帮助人们。

For applications such as assisting older adults and people with disabilities, rehabilitation, agriculture, and assisting factory workers, there is a unmet need for affordable robots, and robot arms in particular, that can operate safely when close to, or in direct contact with, people. Perhaps the greatest need for this technology in Canada will be to assist seniors at home. According to a 2017 CBC News article written by Mark Gollom, the demand for home care is projected to grow by 3.1%/year until 2026, while home care workers will only increase by 1%/year. The article states that "technology, including robotics and artificial intelligence that can aid senior residents, will need to play a significant role." Currently available robot arms that provide the required functionality and safety are not affordable (costing $50K or more). One of main reasons for their high price is the actuators used to move their joints.     The long-term vision of this research program is to create knowledge and technologies enabling robots to help people in many aspects of their daily lives, whether at home or at work. These robots must be capable of controlling the positions of the objects they carry, and the forces they apply to objects. The latter is necessary for performing work tasks such as helping to assemble fragile parts, or home tasks such as helping to prepare a meal (e.g. slicing a tomato). Our long-term goals are to: replace the existing robot actuators with safe and affordable alternatives; develop robots that are energy efficient, and light enough to be easily transported; and develop hardware methods and software algorithms for effectively controlling these robots.     Over the next 5 years the research program will focus on developing novel robot actuators that are low cost, lightweight, powerful, precise, and safe even if a sensor fails. We will accomplish this by combining our pneumatic actuator that can lift over 100 times its own weight with a small and fast-acting electric motor. We will develop improved methods for fabricating our pneumatic actuator. We will then develop methods for optimizing the designs of the actuator, and of a robot arm powered by these actuators, to perform better and use less energy. We will also develop mathematical models and software algorithms for controlling the new actuators and robot arm. The prototype robot arms will be tested with common home and work tasks, e.g. carrying and pouring from a full jug of milk. Four Ph.D. students, four Master's students and five undergraduate students will be trained in this research program. They will receive specialized training in robotics, design, manufacturing, modelling and control systems that will benefit them in their future careers. In the next 15 or 20 years it is expected that this research program, and related research programs, will lead to affordable robots effective at helping people both at home and work.