A method has been developed for accurately determining the differential movement of known objects from multiple camera views. The method has been applied to a robot System to find the repeatability and accuracy of the robot in both rotational and translational terms and also for tracking an object using visual feedback.

At present, the procedure which is most widely used to identify an object consists of displacing its image in order that it be as close as possible to a reference pattern, and then to make a decision based upon the value of an Euclidean distance. This decision may be either in a deterministic framework or in a statistical one. The transformations so involved are translation and rotation. It is shown that, if one takes for granted the invariance of the amount of information involved by the object considered as an informational source, then there is another class of transformations, referred to as deformation, which should be also taken into account. The question is examined, and its consequences in the design of artificial vision are outlined in both the deterministic and stochastic cases.

A low cost tactile sensor using commercially available conductive silicone rubber has been developed. It comprises a two dimensional array arranged in 3 mm centre-to-centre distance. Each sensor element has a zero-force resistance of about 0.3 kohm and it has a logarithmic characteristic curve of resistance versus force. An 8 × 8 prototype tactile sensor array over an area of 3 cm × 3 cm has been fabricated and mounted on the gripper of a robot for testing and evaluation. The associated software has also been developed. The limitations of the sensor are also discussed.

This paper describes a novel tactile sensor array designed to provide information about the material constitution and shape of objects held by a robot manipulator. The sensor is modeled on the thermal touch sense which enables humans to distinguish between different materials based on how warm or cold they feel. Some results are presented and methods of analysing the sensor data are discussed.

This paper is related to the problem of navigation of a mobile robot amidst obstacles. In order to easily take into account any modification of the environment, we propose a very simple representation of the obstacles, based on the use of rectangles, as well as a matrix description of the spatial relationships between the obstacles. We also present a path planner based on a A* algorithm, the features of which are specifically designed for our world of rectangles. The cost function takes into account both the length of the path and the number of turns. Some experimental results and implementation details are also given in this paper.

The minimum-time and subminimum-time joint trajectories of manipulators with geometric path constraints are planned in consideration of physical constraints based on kinematics and dynamics. The idea of time scaling is introduced, i.e. a time scale factor k(t) and a set of joint trajectories, called reference trajectories, are used to describe all the sets of trajectories tracing the specified geometric path. The desirable factor k(t) which makes the travelling time as short as possible is obtained by two proposed methods: the first one is an iteratively improving method using B spline, and the second one is a directly minimizing method. These two methods are preferably applied to a geometric collision-free path of a manipulator.

Minimum distance algorithms may be used in robotic simulation programs to provide the user with the distances of approach of the manipulator to obstacles in the work environment; this is important for task planning using graphical simulation of configuration maps, and for the implementation of automatic detection of (imminent) collision in robot task development Systems that are based on a graphical simulation facility. In this paper we present algorithms that may be used for the calculation of distances between objects, not necessarily convex, that are made up of unions of convex polyhedra and cylindrically shaped objects (where the cross-section of the cylinder may be ellipsoidal, rather than circular).

The payload variation has been one of the principal reasons in reducing path tracking accuracy and complicating controller design. In this paper, the trajectory and input sensitivities for the payload variation are investigated for three different robot configurations which include unbalanced, inaccurately balanced and balanced configurations. Based upon the sensitivity theory, simulation studies were made to evaluate the sensitivities of these configurations with respect to payload variations. The simulation results are discussed in detail and compared for the three configurations.

This paper discusses one problem of robot dynamics rarely mentioned in papers relevent to this field. It is the problem of torsional effects in torque transmissions (reducers, shafts, transmission chains, etc.). The problem is significant since oscillations can appear to be due to these effects. The complete dynamic model, which includes these effects, is derived and the possible simplifications considered. The position of feedback transducers is discussed since it appears as an important problem when it is intended to minimize the influence of these elastic vibrations. The discussion is based on eigenvalues and simulation results.

Intensified automation related to computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) is viewed by Soviet planning authorities as a major means for increased productivity in Soviet industry. But efforts to increase automation are conditioned by the political–economic environment in which industrial production Systems are engineered and managed. The forces driving Soviet automation efforts are examined, and some tentative judgments are made on the proposed prospects for implementing changes aimed at enhancing the potential contribution of CIM to increased productivity in Soviet industry. The article is based on author's chapters in a forthcoming book, Soviet Automation: Perspectives and Prospects, edited by Jack Baranson (Mt. Airy, Md.: Lomond Publications, 1987).