Robotnik (Spain)

This paper presents an experimental Digital Twin platform developed as a Beyond 5G testbed for immersive remote and autonomous driving applications for mobile robots. The testbed, deployed in UPV facilities, integrates use cases involving the immersive and cyber-physical remote driving of mobile robots, which interact with real and virtual objects. In this controlled environment, we study the capacity and latency requirements of future autonomous driving use cases based on sensor offloading to the Edge. Our study focuses on evaluating the influence of 5 G communication across multiple latency sources, including video streaming, AI-assisted perception, and telecontrol. By identifying key bottlenecks in mobile robot teleoperation, this work provides insights into the latency constraints that must be addressed by future 6 G networks to enable the largescale deployment of autonomous driving across different industry verticals. The results show that, while the bottleneck of the system are the robot's motors (up to 589.65 ms), the 360 video latency (up to 433.3 ms) and the telecontrol latency (<tex>$\mathbf{1 2 2. 5 ~ m s}$</tex>) could be improved by network enhancements.

SRS is a European research project for building robust personal assistant robots using ROS (Robotic Operating System) and Care-O-bot (COB) 3 as the initial demonstration platform. In this paper, experience gained while building the SRS system is presented. A main contribution of the paper is the SRS autonomous control framework. The framework is divided into two parts. First, it has an automatic task planner, which initialises actions on the symbolic level. The planner produces proactive robotic behaviours based on updated semantic knowledge. Second, it has an action executive for coordination actions at the level of sensing and actuation. The executive produces reactive behaviours in well-defined domains. The two parts are integrated by fuzzy logic based symbolic grounding. As a whole, they represent the framework for autonomous control. Based on the framework, several new components and user interfaces are integrated on top of COB's existing capabilities to enable robust fetch and carry in unstructured environments. The implementation strategy and results are discussed at the end of the paper.

In this paper, authors present a highly flexible tooling system based on reconfigurable multi-point thermoforming (MPTF) methodology, which has been developed within an EU-granted FP7 project. The MPTF technology employs an actuated-punch matrix to dynamically configure a controllable tool working surface through digitally adjusting relative displacement of each punch in the matrix. Novel MPTF methods have been proposed through re-changing configurations of actuated-punch tooling system according to rapid thermoforming principles and relevant cladding applications. The tooling system includes an industrial-scale prototype of an MPTF tooling integrated with functional CAD/CAE/CAT software interfaces. The numerical simulation with an explicit FEM predicts the unexpected deformation defects of dimples and wrinkles regarding to discrete contact boundaries between punches and the sheet blank. Innovative techniques of variable blank-holder and deformable cushion have been implemented to suppress wrinkling and eliminate dimpling effectively. The tooling system has been successfully applied to manufacture complex double-curved panels, which are described as application examples. Compared with conventional fixed moulds, the flexible tooling offers robust, rapid and re-changeable means to make mould-less manufacturing large freeform panels.

To improve the performance of INS, the Competence Center for Applied Sensor Systems (CCASS) has successfully designed a low-cost INS with 6 accelerometers and 6 gyroscopes. The accuracy of this object-tracking system has been dramatically improved by Shaping-filter and Sensor-error model. According to the application of this navigation system, a pattern recognition algorithm will be developed to improve the stability and accuracy of the INS. This recognition algorithm is based on the Bayesian decision method, because it is a parametric technique with benefits of simplicity. Our developing application has finite start and stop points. In other words, the pattern of the movement might possibly be recognized with pattern recognition algorithms. Then, the position will be estimated based on the result of the developing pattern recognition module and the navigation module compensated with the error module. Moreover, this pattern recognition module might be successfully integrated with the error module, which is based on Kalmanfiltering. It might possible to use the result from the pattern recognition as a reference signal, as well as the reset point of the INS system.

Lack of standardization is often a key problem area limiting the applications of any new automated micro-handling technology, due to that equipment makers may have to spend an excessive amount of time and resources to customize automation solutions. Carrier-based material handling systems provide product-independent solutions. Product independency is an essential requirement for re-using material handling systems, because they allow product change without mechanical changes in the transport devices. This paper describes a new automated inter-machine material handling system for micro-manufacturing integration, based on the standard carrier DIN-32561. The main task of the system is to transport (full/empty) carriers between different stations/machines in a micro-manufacturing plant, to integrate assembly and manufacturing. The authors designed a conveyor belt and an automated guided vehicle system to fit into a linear pick-and-place micro-manufacturing plant. Prototypes of the different components were then developed and tested.