ABSTRACT
Real-time relative pose (RP) estimation is a cornerstone for effective multi-agent collaboration. When conventional global positioning infrastructure such as GPS is unavailable, the use of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology on each agent provides a practical means to measure inter-agent range. Due to UWB's precise range measurements and robust communication capabilities, external hardware installations are not needed. However, when only a single UWB device per agent is used, the relative pose between the agents can be unobservable, resulting in a complex solution space with multiple possible RPs. This letter proposes a novel method based on an Unscented Particle Filter (UPF) that fuses single UWB ranges with visual-inertial odometry (VIO). The proposed decentralized method solves the multi-modal solution in 3D (4-DoF) for the RP when it is unobservable. Moreover, a pseudo-state is introduced to correct the rotational drift of the agents. Through simulations and experiments involving two robots, the proposed solution was shown to be competitive and less computationally expensive than state-of-the-art algorithms. Additionally, the proposed solution provides all possible relative poses from the first measurement.
Constantin Scholz , Hoang-Long Cao , Emil Imrith , Nima Roshandel , Hamed Firouzipouyaei , Aleksander Burkiewicz , Milan Amighi , Sebastien Menet , Dylan Warawout Sisavath , Antonio Paolillo , Xavier Rottenberg , Peter Gerets, David Cheyns , Marcus Dahlem , Ilja Ocket , Jan Genoe , Kathleen Philips, Ben Stoffelen , Jeroen Van den Bosch , Steven Latre and Bram Vanderborght
ABSTRACT
Sensors are integrated into collaborative robot systems to ensure the safety of human workers by allowing them to perceive their environments, detect human presence, and adjust their actions accordingly. This preferred
reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses extension for scoping review (PRISMA-ScR) focuses on current sensor-enabled safety systems for human–robot collaboration (HRC) in the manufacturing industry based
on both scientific papers and patents. From the initial search of 6669 references, 281 underwent full-text review and segmentation based on the sensor technology, installation location, and safety operating mode according to the ISO/TS 15066 standard. In the last decade, there has been a clear trend of increasing sensor-enabled safety systems. The dominant sensors used are infrared (IR)-structured light, capacitive, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), resistive, stereo/depth camera, RaDAR, and laser scanners. The primary safety operating mode identified was speed and separation monitoring (SSM). Some systems integrate multiple sensor types, with the most common combinations being LiDAR with stereo cameras or LiDAR with capacitive sensors, and laser scanners with RaDAR. We suggest multisensor integration and standardized benchmarks for future development. This review is among the few that employ the PRISMA-P protocol to study sensor technologies and contribute to a more systematic understanding of the current state of the art in this area.
Constantin Scholz, Hoang-Long Cao, Ilias El Makrini, Bram Vanderborght
ABSTRACT
Robot-to-human communication is important for mutual understanding during human-robot collaboration. Most of the current collaborative robots (cobots) are designed with low levels of anthropomorphism. Therefore, the ability of cobots to express human-like communication is limited. In this work, we present an open-source platform named Antropo to increase the level of anthropomorphism of Franka Emika - a widely used collaborative robot arm. The Antropo platform includes three modules: a camera module for expressing eye gaze, a light module for visual feedback, and a sound module for acoustic feedback. These modules can be rapidly prototyped through 3D printers, laser-cutters, and off-the-shelf components available at a low cost. The Antropo platform can be easily installed on the Franka Emika robot. The added communication channels can be synchronised with the robot's motions to enhance mutual understanding. All hardware CAD design files and software files are released. The platform can be used to study human-like behaviours of cobots and the effects of these behaviours on different aspects of human-robot collaboration. We demonstrate the Antropo platform in an assembly task in which the Franka Emika robot expresses various human-like communicative behaviours via the added communication channels. We also present two industrial applications in which the Antropo platform was customised for the Universal Robots UR16e.