Sharif Digital Repository

In this paper, a new approach for path generation and control of multi-agent systems is proposed. This method is based on global optimization techniques used for solving the inverse kinematic problem of redundant manipulators. Convergence of any performance function such as obstacle avoidance, collision avoidance, and heading angle to its global optimum is guaranteed by introducing a control law which is based on the Pontryagin's Maximum Principle. The efficacy of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated through simulation experiments. © 2006 IEEE  

In this paper, a new method is proposed for solving the obstacle avoidance problem of discretely actuated hyper-redundant manipulators. In each step of the solution, the closest collision to the base is removed and then the configuration of the next part of the manipulator is modified without considering the obstacles. This process is performed repeatedly until no collision is found. The Suthakorn method is applied to solve the inverse kinematics problem. Two new ideas are proposed to reduce the errors of this method: the two-by-two searching method, and iterations. To verify the proposed method, some problems are solved numerically for 2D and 3D manipulators, each in two different obstacle... 

Motion capture systems are used to gauge the kinematic features of the motion in numerous fields of research. Despite superb accuracy performance, the commercial systems are costly and difficult to use. To solve these issues, Kinect has been proposed as a low-priced markerless motion capture sensor, and its accuracy has been assessed using previous motion capture systems. However, in many of these studies, the anatomical joint angles captured using the Kinect are compared to the 3D rotation angles reported by the gold standard motion capture systems. These incompatibilities in the determination of the human joint angles can lead to higher error estimation. To accomplish a valid accuracy... 

In this paper, a three-invariant cap plasticity with a kinematic hardening rule is presented for powder materials. A general form is developed for the cap plasticity which can be compared with some common double-surface plasticity models proposed for powders in literature. The constitutive elasto-plastic matrix and its components are derived based on the definition of yield surface, hardening parameter and non-linear elastic behavior, as function of relative density of powder. The procedure for determination of powder parameters is described. Finally, the applicability of the proposed model is demonstrated in numerical simulation of triaxial and confining pressure tests. © 2006 Elsevier B.V.... 

In this paper, a new approach for online reactive path generation and control of multi-agent systems is proposed. This method is based on local optimization techniques used for solving the inverse kinematic problem of redundant manipulators. Convergence of the agents' velocities to the desired values in the null-space of the primary task is guaranteed by introducing a new control law. The efficacy of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated through simulation experiments. © 2006 IEEE  

This paper initially deals with the design of a new customized reconfigurable mobile parallel mechanism. This mechanism is called the 'Taar Reconfigurable ParaMobile' (TRPM), consisting of three mobile robots as the main actuators. Then, the kinematics and path planning for this mechanism are presented. The newly proposed mechanism is expected to circumvent some shortcomings of inspection operation in unknown environments with unexpected changes in their workspace, for example, in a water pipe with a non-uniform cross-sectional area. In this paper, 'Artificial Potential Field' (APF) has been assumed to be the path planning algorithm and its resulting attractive and repulsive forces are only... 

Forming Limit Diagrams are useful tools for evaluation of formability in the sheet metals. In this paper the effects of yield criteria on predictions of the right and left-hand sides of forming limit diagrams (FLDs) are investigated. In prediction of FLD, Hosford 1979, "Karafillis-Boyce" (K-B) and BBC2000 anisotropy yield functions have been applied. Whereas the prediction of FLD is based on the "Marciniak and Kuczynski" model, thus a numerical approach using the Newton-Raphson method has been used. Forming Limit Diagrams have been obtained for Al 6111-T4 and AA5XXX alloys and results have been compared with published experimental data. Results indicate that predictions of FLD are very... 

When a tensor-valued function σ(x) is continuous in regions ∑0 and ∑1, but has a finite jump across the interface Γ01 between ∑0 and ∑1, then Γ01 is referred to as singular surface relative to the field σ (x). In this paper, it is intended to give a general treatment of three-dimensional static and free vibration analysis of bodies composed of multi-phase elastic and/or piezoelectric bodies with electro-mechanical singular surfaces. The geometry of the medium, boundary conditions, and the geometry of the singular surfaces may be arbitrary. The displacement field and the electric potential in each region are expressed in terms of functions composed of 3-D series and special 3-D functions. The... 

This paper deals with the collision-free path planning of planar parallel robot by avoiding mechanical interferences and obstacle within the workspace. For this purpose, an Artificial Potential Field approach is developed. As the main contribution of this paper, In order to circumvent the local minima problem of the potential fields, a novel approach is proposed which is a combination of Potential Field approach, Fuzzy Logic and also a novel algorithm consisting of Following Obstacle as well as Virtual Obstacle methods, as a hybrid method. Moreover, the inverse kinematic problem of the 3-RRR parallel robot is analyzed and then the aforementioned hybrid method is applied to this mechanism in... 

A hyper-redundant manipulator is made by mounting the serial and/or parallel mechanisms on top of each other as modules. In discrete actuation, the actuation amounts are a limited number of certain values. It is not feasible to solve the kinematic analysis problems of discretely actuated hyper-redundant manipulators (DAHMs) by using the common methods, which are used for continuous actuated manipulators. In this paper, a new method is proposed to solve the trajectory tracking problem in a static prescribed obstacle field. To date, this problem has not been considered in the literature. The removing first collision (RFC) method, which is originally proposed for solving the inverse kinematic... 

A hyper-redundant manipulator is made by mounting the serial and/or parallel mechanisms on top of each other as modules. In discrete actuation, the actuation amounts are a limited number of certain values. It is not feasible to solve the kinematic analysis problems of discretely actuated hyper-redundant manipulators (DAHMs) by using the common methods, which are used for continuous actuated manipulators. In this paper, a new method is proposed to solve the trajectory tracking problem in a static prescribed obstacle field. To date, this problem has not been considered in the literature. The removing first collision (RFC) method, which is originally proposed for solving the inverse kinematic... 

The N-3 Revolute-Prismatic-Spherical (N-3RPS) manipulator is a kind of serial-parallel manipulator and has higher stiffness and accuracy compared with serial mechanisms, and a larger workspace compared with parallel mechanisms. The locking mechanism in each joint allows the manipulator to be controlled by only three wires. Modeling the dynamics of this manipulator presents an inherent complexity due to its closed-loop structure and kinematic constraints. In the first part of this paper, the inverse kinematics of the manipulator, which consists of position, velocity, and acceleration, is studied. In the second part, the inverse and forward dynamics of the manipulator is formulated based on... 

This paper presents inverse dynamics equations for a 3-UPS mechanism using virtual work principle. This mechanism has three UPS legs connecting the base to a triangular platform. By changing the orientation of leg's actuators a non-symmetric mechanism with a suitable workspace near the origin without any singularity is obtained. Direct and inverse kinematics Jacobian matrices of the mechanism are obtained by the Newton-Euler approach. Then the inverse dynamics problem is solved using the principle of virtual work, so that the force and torque of active actuators have been obtained by having external forces (force and torque) acted on the platform. Force analysis of the 3-UPS mechanism has... 

In General, there are two methods to analyse the inverse kinematic of manipulators, one of which can be selected with respect to the conditions and the type of the manipulator. One of the methods is the closed solution which is based on the analytical expressions or forth degree or less polynomial solution in which the calculations are non-repetitive. The other method is the numerical solution. In the numerical solutions, the numbers are repeated and generally it is much slower than the closed solutions. The slowness of this method is so noticeable in such a way that principally there is no interest to use the numerical solutions to solve kinematic equations. The purpose of the present paper... 

One of the most challenging problems in dealing with parallel manipulators is identifying their forward singular configurations. In such configurations these mechanisms become uncontrollable and cannot tolerate any external force. In this article a geometrical method, namely Constraint Plane Method (CPM), is introduced with the use of which one can easily obtain the singular configurations in many parallel manipulators. CPM is a methodical technique based on the famous Ceva plane geometry theorem. It is interesting to note that CPM involves no calculations and yields te result quickly. In addition, some of the previous geometrical methods led to many separate singular configurations;... 

The N-3 Revolute-Prismatic-Spherical (N-3RPS) manipulator is a kind of serial-parallel manipulator and has higher stiffness and accuracy compared with serial mechanisms, and a larger workspace compared with parallel mechanisms. The locking mechanism in each joint allows the manipulator to be controlled by only three wires. Modeling the dynamics of this manipulator presents an inherent complexity due to its closed-loop structure and kinematic constraints. In the first part of this paper, the inverse kinematics of the manipulator, which consists of position, velocity, and acceleration, is studied. In the second part, the inverse and forward dynamics of the manipulator is formulated based on... 

A novel SPD process for manufacturing of high strength tubes and cylinders by accumulative spin-bonding (ASB) is proposed. It is demonstrated that due to incremental deformation in this process, high strain rate without considerable temperature rise is achieved. This is accompanied with a high value of Zener-Hollomon parameter as a characteristic of this SPD process. ASB was applied to a commercially pure aluminum up to four cycles and its effects on the microstructure and mechanical properties were examined by optical microscopy, TEM, EBSD, microhardness and tension tests. The results show that ultra-fine grains are developed during the process by formation of subgrains at early stages...