As an interpretation of existing jamming effects, the main variables affecting the increase in stiffness due to jamming are known as system density, jamming density, pressure, and particulate temperature. The main variable, jamming density, is closely related to the distribution of particle size and contact properties such as particle shape and friction. However, the complexity of these variables makes it difficult to fully understand the mechanism of the jamming effect. In this paper, we focus on the jamming effects of particles that have more elastic properties than particles such as sand and coffee powder, which are commonly used as constituent particles of existing jamming, in order to reduce complicated factors such as temperature and concentrate on jamming effects based on elastic characteristics of particles. It was experimentally explored the possibility of increasing stiffness by mixing particles of different sizes rather than simply increasing the bending stiffness by controlling the particle size. Through simulations and experiments, we found a case where the stiffness of each particle size distribution is larger than the stiffness of each particle size.

To realize a robot hand interacting like a human hand, there are many tactile sensors sensing normal force, shear force, torque, shape, roughness and temperature. This sensing signal is essential to manipulate object accurately with robot hand. In particular, slip sensors make manipulation more accurate and breakless to object. Up to now several slip sensors were developed and applied to robot hand. Many of them used complicate algorithm and signal processing with vibration data. In this paper, we developed novel principle slip sensor using separation layer. These two layers are moved from each other when slip occur. Developed sensor can sense slip signal by measuring this relative displacement between two layers. Also our principle makes slip signal decoupled from normal force and shear force without other sensors. The sensor was fabricated using the NBR(acrylo-nitrile butadiene rubber) and the Ecoflex as substrate and a paper as dielectric. To verify our sensor, slip experiment and normal force decoupling test were conducted.

The versatility of a human hand is what the researchers eager to mimic. As one of the attempt, the redundant degree of freedom in the human hand is considered. However, in the force domain the redundant joint causes a control issue. To solve this problem, the force control method for a redundant robotic hand which is similar to the human is proposed. First, the redundancy of the human hand is analyzed. Then, to resolve the redundancy in force domain, the artificial minimum energy point is specified and the restoring force is used to control the configuration of the finger other than the force in a null space. Finally, the method is verified experimentally with a commercial robot hand, called Allegro Hand with a force/torque sensor.

This paper presents a method of improving the pose recognition accuracy of objects by using Kinect sensor. First, by using the SURF algorithm, which is one of the most widely used local features point algorithms, we modify inner parameters of the algorithm for efficient object recognition. The proposed method is adjusting the distance between the box filter, modifying Hessian matrix, and eliminating improper key points. In the second, the object orientation is estimated based on the homography. Finally the novel approach of Auto-scaling method is proposed to improve accuracy of object pose estimation. The proposed algorithm is experimentally tested with objects in the plane and its effectiveness is validated.

In this paper, we propose a cable climbing robot which can climb up and down the cables in the bridges. The robot mechanism consists of three parts: a wheel based driving mechanism, adhesion mechanism, and safe landing mechanism. The wheel based driving mechanism is driven by tooth clutches and motors. The adhesion mechanism plays the role of maintaining adhesion force by a combination of pantograph, ball screw, and springs even when the power is lost. The safe landing mechanism is developed for guaranteeing the safety of the robot during operations on cables. It can make the robot fall down with reduced speed by dissipating the gravitational forces. The robot mechanism is designed and manufactured for validating its effectiveness.

In this paper, we introduce an internal pipeline exploration of an in-pipe robot, based on the landmark recognition system. The fittings of pipelines such as elbows and branches are used as the landmarks. The robot recognizes the landmarks with a vision system by using the shadows of the elements, which are generated by the specially designed illuminator on the robot. By using a simple image-processing, the robot can easily detect and distinguish these landmarks while recognizing the direction of the pipeline path. Simultaneously, all information for exploration is continuously recorded and used to reconstruct the map of the pipelines. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by real experiments using the in-pipe robot MRINSPECT V for moving inside of the miniature urban 8-inch gas pipeline structure.

In this paper, we present a global localization and position error compensation method in a known indoor environment using magnet hall sensors. In previous our researches, it was possible to compensate the pose errors of xe, ye, θe correctly on the surface of indoor environment with magnets sets by regularly arrange the magnets sets of identical pattern. To improve the proposed method, new strategy that can realize the global localization by changing arrangement of magnet pole is presented in this paper. Total six patterns of the magnets set form the unique landmarks. Therefore, the virtual map can be built by using the six landmarks randomly. The robots search a pattern of magnets set by rotating, and obtain the current global pose information by comparing the measured neighboring patterns with the map information that is saved in advance. We provide experimental results to show the effectiveness of the proposed method for a differential drive wheeled mobile robot.

In this paper, a wall climbing robot, called LAVAR, is developed, which is using an impeller for adhering. The adhesion mechanism of the robot consists of an impeller and two-layered suction seals which provide sufficient adhesion force for the robot body on the non smooth vertical wall and horizontal ceiling. The robot uses two driving-wheels and one ball-caster to maneuver the wall surface. A suspension mechanism is also used to overcome the obstacles on the wall surface. For its design, the whole adhering mechanism is analyzed and the control system is built up based on this analysis. The performances of the robot are experimentally verified on the vertical and horizontal flat surfaces.

In this study, an anthropomorphic robot Hand, called “SKKU Hand III” is presented. The hand has thirteen DOF(Degree-Of-Freedom) and is designed based on the skeletal structure of the human hand. Each finger module(except thumb module) has three DOF and four joints with a saddle joint mechanism which has two DOF at the base joint. Two distal joints of the finger module are mechanically coupled by a timing belt and pulleys. The thumb module is composed of a finger module and an additional actuator, which makes it possible to realize the opposition between the thumb and the other fingers. In addition, the palm DOF of the human hand is mimicked with a spatial link mechanism between the index finger and the thumb. Thus, it can grasp objects more stably and more strongly. For the modularization of the robotic hand all the driving circuits are embedded in the hand, and only the communication lines supporting CAN protocol with DC power cable are given as an interface. Therefore, it is possible to apply it to any robot system the interface. To validate the feasibility of the SKKU Hand III, a series of the representative grasp experiments such as power, precision, intermediate grasp etc. are carried out with the object around us and its operation is demonstrated.

Recently researches on the window cleaning robot are being conducted actively. Moving mechanisms of these window cleaning robots are divided into two categories, which are towed type and walking type. Towed type is focused on fast cleaning on the flat surface of building and walking type has priority on cleaning task on relatively complex surface with overcoming obstacles. Currently commercialized towed type window cleaning robot has weakness that it is hard to adhere closely with the wall and easy to be affected by wind. In case of walking type it has the problem that the position errors are continuously accumulated during motion. In this paper, we propose new towed and walking type mechanism which can compensate previous weaknesses. After that we estimate the performance of each proposed mechanism by simulation.

In the high precision robot systems, the most popular tasks may be handling of micro-scale objects on a surface such as a micromanipulation robot system. In handling of micro-scale objects, the stiction effect becomes a fundamental issue since the micro-contact mechanics dominates the micromanipulation robot system. In the paper, a theoretical non-stick condition derived from the micro-contact mechanics is carried out for the propose of micro-scale object manipulation. To verify the non-stick condition, a micro-manipulation robot system equipped with a high precision stage system and a microscope system is developed. Experimental results show that the proposed non-stick condition guarantees successful micro-scale object manipulation.

Recently, robotic automation in clinical laboratory becomes of keen interest as a fusion of bio and robotic technology. In this paper, we present a new robotic platform for clinical tests suitable for small or medium sized laboratories using mobile robots. The mobile robot called Mobile Agent is designed as transfer system of blood samples, reagents, microplates, and any instruments. Also, the developed mobile agent can perform diverse tests simultaneously based on its cooperative and distributed ability. The driving circuits for the mobile agent are embedded in the robot, and each mobile agent communicates with other agents by using Bluetooth communication. The RFID system is used to recognize patient information. Also, the magnetic hall sensor is embedded to remove and compensate the cumulated error of locomotion at the bottom of mobile agent. The proposed mobile agent can be easily used for various applications because it is designed to be compatible with general software development tools. The Mobile agents are manufactured, and feasibility of the robot and localization of the agents using magnetic hall sensor are validated by preliminary experiments.

The docking and recharging system for a mobile robot must guarantee the ability of the mobile robot to perform its tasks continuously without human intervention. In this paper, two docking mechanisms are proposed with localization error-compensation capability for the auto recharging system. Friction forces or magnetic forces are used between the docking parts of the docking module and those of the docking station. In addition, an auto recharging system is developed to control the power. Since the system is modularized, it can easily be adapted to other robots.

In this research, a comprehensive study is performed upon the design of a quadruped walking robot. In advance, the walking posture and skeletal configuration of the vertebrate are analyzed to understand quadrupedal locomotion, and the roles of limbs during walking are investigated. From these, it is known that the forelimbs just play the role of supportingtheir body anbd help vault forward, while most of the propulsive force is generated by hind limbs. In addition, with the study of the stances on walking and energy efficiency, design criteria and control method for a quadruped walking robot are derived. The proposed controller, though it is simple, provides a useful framework for controlling a quadruped walking robot. In particular, introduction of a new rhythmic pattern generator relieves the heavy computational burden because it does not need any computation on kinematics. Finally, the proposed method is validated via dynamic simulations and implementing in a quadruped walking robot, called AiDIN(Artificial Digitigrade for Natural Environment)

Tactile sensation is one of the most important sensory functions for human perception of objects. Recently, there have been many technical challenges in the field of tactile display as well as tactile sensing. In this paper, we propose an innovative tactile display device based on soft actuator technology with ElectroActive Polymer(EAP). This device offers advantageous features over existing devices with respect to intrinsic flexibility, softness, ease of fabrication and miniaturization, high power density, and cost effectiveness. In particular, it can be adapted to various geometric configurations because it possesses structural flexibility, so it can be worn on any part of the human body such as finger, palm, and arm etc. It can be extensively applied as a wearable tactile display, a Braille device for the visually disabled, and a human interface in the future. A new design of the flexible actuator is proposed and its basic operational principles are discussed. In addition, a wearable tactile display device with 4x5 actuator array(20 actuator cells) is developed and its effectiveness is confirmed