Evaluation Methods and Measurement Challenges for Industrial Exoskeletons.

In recent years, exoskeleton test methods for industrial exoskeletons have evolved to include simulated laboratory and field environments. Physiological, kinematic, and kinetic metrics, as well as subjective surveys, are used to evaluate exoskeleton usability. In particular, exoskeleton fit and usability can also impact the safety of exoskeletons and their effectiveness at reducing musculoskeletal injuries.

Multi-Robot Assembly Strategies and Metrics.

We present a survey of multi-robot assembly applications and methods and describe trends and general insights into the multi-robot assembly problem for industrial applications. We focus on fixtureless assembly strategies featuring two or more robotic systems. Such robotic systems include industrial robot arms, dexterous robotic hands, and autonomous mobile platforms, such as automated guided vehicles.

Model of Mobile Manipulator Performance Measurement using SysML.

Test methods for measuring safety and performance of mobile manipulators have yet to be developed. Therefore, potential mobile manipulator users cannot compare one system to another. Systems Modeling Language (SysML) is a general-purpose modeling language for systems engineering applications that supports the specification, analysis, design, verification, and validation of simple through complex systems, such as mobile manipulators.

Calibration of mobile manipulators using 2D positional features.

Robotic manipulators are increasingly being attached to Automatic Ground Vehicles (AGVs) to aid in the efficiency of assembly for manufacturing systems. However, calibrating these mobile manipulators is difficult as the offset between the robotic manipulator and the AGV is often unknown. This paper provides a novel, simple, and low-cost method for calibrating and measuring the performance of mobile manipulators by using data collected from a laser retroreflector that digitally detects the horizontal two-dimensional (2D) position of reflectors on an artifact as well as a navigation system that provides the heading angle and 2D position of the AGV.

Dynamic Metrology and ASTM E57.02 Dynamic Measurement Standard.

Optical tracking systems are used in a wide range of fields, and their market has dramatically increased over the past several years, reaching $1.2 billion in sales revenue in 2014. This article describes the new ASTM E3064 standard test method procedures for optical tracking systems and will outline the theoretical basis for the analysis of the data from these systems.

Survey of Research for Performance Measurement of Mobile Manipulators.

This survey provides the basis for developing research in the area of mobile manipulator performance measurement, an area that has relatively few research articles when compared to other mobile manipulator research areas. The survey provides a literature review of mobile manipulator research with examples of experimental applications. The survey also provides an extensive list of planning and control references as this has been the major research focus for mobile manipulators which factors into performance measurement of the system.

Mobile Robot and Mobile Manipulator Research Towards ASTM Standards Development.

Performance standards for industrial mobile robots and mobile manipulators (robot arms onboard mobile robots) have only recently begun development. Low cost and standardized measurement techniques are needed to characterize system performance, compare different systems, and to determine if recalibration is required. This paper discusses work at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and within the ASTM Committee F45 on Driverless Automatic Guided Industrial Vehicles.

Intelligence Level Performance Standards Research for Autonomous Vehicles.

United States and European safety standards have evolved to protect workers near Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV's). However, performance standards for AGV's and mobile robots have only recently begun development. Lessons can be learned from research and standards efforts for mobile robots applied to emergency response and military applications.

The NIST SPIDER, A Robot Crane.

The Robot Systems Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology has been experimenting for several years with new concepts for robot cranes. These concepts utilize the basic idea of the Stewart Platform parallel link manipulator. The unique feature of the NIST approach is to use cables as the parallel links and to use winches as the actuators.