In robotics, there are many different sensors and actuators mounted onto a robot which may also, in the case of modular robotics, be interchanged during operation. During development of new sensors or actuators, prototypes may also be mounted onto a robot to test functionality, where the new prototypes often have to be integrated manually into the robot environment. Proper, fast and secure identification of new sensor or actuator modules for the robot thus becomes important.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStable grasps are essential for robots handling objects. This is especially true for "robotized" large industrial machines as heavy and bulky objects that are unintentionally dropped by the machine can lead to substantial damages and pose a significant safety risk. Consequently, adding a proximity and tactile sensing to such large industrial machinery can help to mitigate this problem.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn certain industrial processes, ice aggregations on surfaces can occur under almost vacuum conditions and at very low to cryogenic temperatures due to residual water molecules. This aggregation can affect the performance of the process and it is therefore of interest to monitor such surfaces. In this paper, we present a capacitive ice measurement system capable to operate in vacuum and temperatures of about - 120 ∘ C and below.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMagnetic sensors provide an advantageous alternative localization method, primarily focusing on localization in surroundings where GPS, other radio frequency-based, as well as optical localization do not work or has severe limitations. Suitable for distances in the meter range, such magnetic localization may in particular be useful as artificial landmarks, e.g.
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