Name: the modular design and production of an intelligent robot based on a closed-loop control strategy
Uploaded: 2017-10-14T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about The Modular Design and Production of an Intelligent Robot Based on a Closed-Loop Control Strategy at JoVE.com

The authors would like to express their gratitude to Mr. Yaojie He for his assistance in performing the experiments reported in this paper. This work was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61673117).

1. Construction of the Machine

<ol>
	<li>Assemble the chassis as illustrated, securing mechanical components using appropriate fasteners. (Figure 1) 
	NOTE: The chassis, which comprises the baseboard, motor, wheels, etc., is the primary component of the robot responsible for its motion. Thus, during assembly, keep the bracket straight.</li>
	<li>Tin the wire lead and both the positive and negative electrodes. Solder two wire leads onto the two ends of the motor, connecting the...

<ol>
	<li>Charalampous, K., Kostavelis, I., Gasteratos, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Robot+navigation+in+large-scale+social+maps:+An+action+recognition+approach.">Robot navigation in large-scale social maps: An action recognition approach.</a> Expert Syst Appl. 66 (1), 261-273 (2016).</li><li>Huang, Y., &amp;Wang, Q. N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Disturbance+rejection+of+Central+Pattern+Generator+based+torque-stiffness-controlled+dynamic+walking.">Disturbance rejection of Central Pattern Generator based torque-stiffness-controlled dynamic walking.</a> Neurocomputing. 170 (1), 141-151 (2015).</li><li>Tepljakov, A., Petlenkov, E., Gonzalez, E., Belikov, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Digital+Realization+of+Retuning+Fractional-Order+Controllers+for+an+Existing+Closed-Loop+Control+System.">Digital Realization of Retuning Fractional-Order Controllers for an Existing Closed-Loop Control System.</a> J Circuit Syst Comp. 26 (10), 32-38 (2017).</li><li>Siluvaimuthu, C., Chenniyappan, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Low-cost+Reconfigurable+Field-programmable+Gate+Array+Based+Three-phase+Shunt+Active+Power+Filter+for+Current+Harmonic+Elimination+and+Power+Factor+Constraints.">A Low-cost Reconfigurable Field-programmable Gate Array Based Three-phase Shunt Active Power Filter for Current Harmonic Elimination and Power Factor Constraints.</a> Electr Pow Compo Sys. 42 (16), 1811-1825 (2014).</li><li>Brogardh, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Present+and+future+robot+control+development+-+An+industrial+perspective.">Present and future robot control development - An industrial perspective.</a> Annu Rev Control. 31 (1), 69-79 (2007).</li><li>Wang, E., Huang, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+Novel+DoubleClosed+Loops+Control+of+the+Three-phase+Voltage-sourced+PWM+Rectifier.">A Novel DoubleClosed Loops Control of the Three-phase Voltage-sourced PWM Rectifier.</a> Proceedings of the CSEE. 32 (15), 24-30 (2012).</li><li>Li, D. H., Chen, Z. X., Zhai, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Double+Closed-Loop+Controller+Design+of+Brushless+DC+Torque+Motor+Based+on+RBF+Neural+Network.">Double Closed-Loop Controller Design of Brushless DC Torque Motor Based on RBF Neural Network.</a> , 1351-1356 (2012).</li><li>Tian, H. X., Jiang, P. L., Sun, M. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Double-Loop+DCSpeed+Regulation+System+Design+Basd+On+OCC).">Double-Loop DCSpeed Regulation System Design Basd On OCC).</a> , 889-890 (2014).</li><li>Xu, G. Y., Zhang, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Double+Closed-Loop+Feedback+Controller+Design+for+Micro+Indoor+Smart+Autonomous+Robot).">Double Closed-Loop Feedback Controller Design for Micro Indoor Smart Autonomous Robot).</a> , 474-479 (2011).</li><li>Chen, Y. N., Xie, B., Mao, E. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Electric+Tractor+Motor+Drive+Control+Based+on+FPGA.">Electric Tractor Motor Drive Control Based on FPGA.</a> , 271-276 (2016).</li><li>Zhang, J., Zhou, Y. J., Zhao, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Study+on+Four-quadrant+Operation+of+Brushless+DC+Motor+Control+Method.">Study on Four-quadrant Operation of Brushless DC Motor Control Method.</a> Proc. International Conference on Mechatronics, Robotics and Automation. (ICMRA 2013). , 1363-1368 (2013).</li><li>Joice, C. S., Paranjothi, S. R., Kumar, V. J. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Digital+Control+Strategy+for+Four+Quadrant+Operation+of+Three+Phase+BLDC+Motor+With+Load+Variations.">Digital Control Strategy for Four Quadrant Operation of Three Phase BLDC Motor With Load Variations.</a> Ieee T Ind Inform. 9 (2), 974-982 (2013).</li><li>Drumheller, Z., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Optimal+Decision+Making+Algorithm+for+Managed+Aquifer+Recharge+and+Recovery+Operation+Using+Near+Real-Time+Data:+Benchtop+Scale+Laboratory+Demonstration.">Optimal Decision Making Algorithm for Managed Aquifer Recharge and Recovery Operation Using Near Real-Time Data: Benchtop Scale Laboratory Demonstration.</a> Ground Water Monit R. 37 (1), 27-41 (2017).</li><li>Wang, X. S., GAO, Y., Cheng, Y. H., Ma, X. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Knowledge-guided+genetic+algorithm+for+path+planning+of+robot.">Knowledge-guided genetic algorithm for path planning of robot.</a> Control Decis. 24 (7), 1043-1049 (2009).</li></ol>

In this paper, we designed a type of intelligent robot that can be built autonomously. We implemented the proposed intelligent search algorithm and autonomous recognition by integrating several software programs with hardware. In the protocol, we introduced basic approaches for configuring the hardware and debugging the intelligent robot, which may help users design a suitable mechanical structure of their own robot. However, during actual operation, it is necessary to pay attention to stability of the structure, its ope...

Robots are complex, intelligent machines that combine knowledge of several disciplines, including mechanics, electronics, control, computers, sensors and artificial intelligence 1,2. Increasingly, robots are assisting or even replacing humans in the workplace, especially in industrial production, due to the advantages robots possess in performing repetitive or dangerous tasks. The design of the intelligent robot protocol in the current study is based on a closed-loop control strategy, specifically path planning based on a genetic algorithm. Furthermore, the functional modules have been strictly divided3,4, which may provide a solid foundation for future optimization work, so that the robots have a strong capacity for upgrades.
The modular implementation of the robotic platform is based primarily on the following methods: multi-dimensional combination control strategy in motor control module5,6, and intelligent exploration based on a genetic algorithm in the optimization algorithm module.
We use double closed-loop control of the DC motor and four-quadrant motor operation in the motor control module. Double closed-loop speed control means that the output of the speed regulator serves as the input of the current regulator, allowing it to control the current and torque of the motor. The advantage of this system is that the torque of the motor can be controlled in real-time based on the difference between the given speed and the actual speed. When the difference between given and actual speeds is relatively large, the motor torque increases and the speed changes faster to drive the motor speed toward the given value as quickly as possible, which makes for rapid speed regulation7,8,9. Conversely, when the speed is relatively close to the given value, it can automatically reduce the torque of the motor to avoid excessive speed, allowing the speed to achieve the given value relatively quickly with no error6,10. Since the equivalent time constant of the electric current loop is relatively small, the four-quadrant motor11,12 can respond more quickly to suppress the impact of interference when the system is subject to external interference. This allows it to improve the stability and anti-jamming ability of the system.
We choose a genetic intelligent optimization algorithm with the highest efficiency based on the results of a simulation run in MATLAB. A genetic algorithm is a stochastic parallel search algorithm based on the theory of natural selection in genetics. It constitutes an efficient method for finding the global optimal solution in the absence of any initial information. It regards the solution set of the problem as a population, thereby increasing the quality of the solution via continuous selection, crossover, mutation and other genetic operations. With regard to path planning by intelligent robots, difficulty arises as a result of insufficient initial information, complicated environments and nonlinearity. Genetic algorithms are better able to solve the problem of path planning because they possess global optimization ability, strong adaptability and robustness in solving nonlinear problems; there are no specific restrictions on the problem; the calculation process is simple; and there are no special requirements for the search space 13,14.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>L1-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>L2-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>L3-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>L4-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>L5-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>L5-2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>U3A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>U3B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>U3C</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>U3F</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>U3G</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>U3H</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>U3J</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>I3</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>I5</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>I7</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>structural parts</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>CGJ</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>link component</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>LM1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>link component</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>LM2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>link component</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>LM3</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>link component</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>LM4</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>link component</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>LX1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>link component</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>LX2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>link component</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>LX3</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>link component</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>LX4</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Steering gear structure component</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>KD</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Steering gear structure component</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>DP</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Infrared sensor</td>
			<td>UPTECMONYH HAR</td>
			<td>E18-B0</td>
			<td>Digital sensor</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Infrared&#160;Range&#160;Finder</td>
			<td>SHARP</td>
			<td>GP2D12</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gray level sensor</td>
			<td>SHARP</td>
			<td>GP2Y0A02YK0F</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>proMOTION&#160;CDS</td>
			<td>SHARP</td>
			<td>CDS&#160;5516</td>
			<td>The robot steering gear</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>motor drive module</td>
			<td>Risym</td>
			<td>HG7881</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>solder wire</td>
			<td>ELECALL</td>
			<td>63A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>terminal</td>
			<td>Bright wire</td>
			<td>5264</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>motor</td>
			<td>BX motor</td>
			<td>60JX</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>camera</td>
			<td>Logitech</td>
			<td>C270</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Drilling machine</td>
			<td>XIN XIANG</td>
			<td>16MM</td>
			<td>Please be careful</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Soldering station</td>
			<td>YIHUA</td>
			<td>8786D</td>
			<td>Be&#160;careful&#160;to&#160;be&#160;burn</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>screwdriver</td>
			<td>EXPLOIT</td>
			<td>043003</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tweezers</td>
			<td>R`DEER</td>
			<td>RST-12</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

the modular design and production of an intelligent robot based on a closed-loop control strategy

Intelligent robots are part of a new generation of robots that are able to sense the surrounding environment, plan their own actions and eventually reach their targets. In recent years, reliance upon robots in both daily life and industry has increased. The protocol proposed in this paper describes the design and production of a handling robot with an intelligent search algorithm and an autonomous identification function.
First, the various working modules are mechanically assembled to complete the construction of the work platform and the installation of the robotic manipulator. Then, we design a closed-loop control system and a four-quadrant motor control strategy, with the aid of debugging software, as well as set steering gear identity (ID), baud rate and other working parameters to ensure that the robot achieves the desired dynamic performance and low energy consumption. Next, we debug the sensor to achieve multi-sensor fusion to accurately acquire environmental information. Finally, we implement the relevant algorithm, which can recognize the success of the robot&#39;s function for a given application.
The advantage of this approach is its reliability and flexibility, as the users can develop a variety of hardware construction programs and utilize the comprehensive debugger to implement an intelligent control strategy. This allows users to set personalized requirements based on their needs with high efficiency and robustness.

In the diagram of the double closed-loop motion control program, purple represents a given speed signal and yellow represents the value of the control system output. Figure 17 clearly shows that the double closed-loop control system is significantly more effective than an open-loop system. The actual overshoot of the output of the double closed-loop system is relatively small and the dynamic performance of the system is better. ( Figure 1...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about The Modular Design and Production of an Intelligent Robot Based on a Closed-Loop Control Strategy at JoVE.com

The Modular Design and Production of an Intelligent Robot Based on a Closed-Loop Control Strategy

We present a protocol on modular design and production of intelligent robots to help scientific and technical workers design intelligent robots with special production tasks based on personal needs and individualized design.

Intelligent robots are part of a new generation of robots that are able to sense the surrounding environment, plan their own actions and eventually reach ...

the-modular-design-production-an-intelligent-robot-based-on-closed

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SSVEP-based Experimental Procedure for Brain-Robot Interaction with Humanoid Robots

Brain-Robot Interaction (BRI), which provides an innovative communication pathway between human and a robotic device via brain signals, is prospective in helping the disabled in their daily lives. The overall goal of our method is to establish an SSVEP-based experimental procedure by integrating multiple software programs, such as OpenViBE, Choregraph, and Central software as well as user developed programs written in C++ and MATLAB, to enable the study of brain-robot interaction with humanoid robots.
This is achieved by first placing EEG electrodes on a human subject to measure the brain responses through an EEG data acquisition system. A user interface is used to elicit SSVEP responses and to display video feedback in the closed-loop control experiments. The second step is to record the EEG signals of first-time subjects, to analyze their SSVEP features offline, and to train the classifier for each subject. Next, the Online Signal Processor and the Robot Controller are configured for the online control of a humanoid robot. As the final step, the subject completes three specific closed-loop control experiments within different environments to evaluate the brain-robot interaction performance.
The advantage of this approach is its reliability and flexibility because it is developed by integrating multiple software programs. The results show that using this approach, the subject is capable of interacting with the humanoid robot via brain signals. This allows the mind-controlled humanoid robot to perform typical tasks that are popular in robotic research and are helpful in assisting the disabled.

The overall goal of this method is to establish an SSVEP-based experimental procedure by integrating multiple software programs to enable the study of brain-robot interaction with humanoid robots, which is prospective in assisting the sick and elderly as well as performing unsanitary or dangerous jobs.

Brain-Robot Interaction (BRI), which provides an innovative communication pathway between human and a robotic device via brain signals, is prospective in ...

Morphology Control for Fully Printable Organic&#8211;Inorganic Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells Based on a Ti-alkoxide and Semiconducting Polymer

The photoactive layer of a typical organic thin-film bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell commonly uses fullerene derivatives as the electron-accepting material. However, fullerene derivatives are air-sensitive; therefore, air-stable material is needed as an alternative. In the present study, we propose and describe the properties of Ti-alkoxide as an alternative electron-accepting material to fullerene derivatives to create highly air-stable BHJ solar cells. It is well-known that controlling the morphology in the photoactive layer, which is constructed with fullerene derivatives as the electron acceptor, is important for obtaining a high overall efficiency through the solvent method. The conventional solvent method is useful for high-solubility materials, such as fullerene derivatives. However, for Ti-alkoxides, the conventional solvent method is insufficient, because they only dissolve in specific solvents. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to morphology control that uses the molecular bulkiness of Ti-alkoxides without the conventional solvent method. That is, this method is one approach to obtain highly efficient, air-stable, organic-inorganic bulk-heterojunction solar cells.

Morphology Control for Fully Printable Organic&amp;#8211;Inorganic Bulk-heterojunction Solar Cells Based on a Ti-alkoxide and Semiconducting Polymer

A method for fully printable, fullerene-free, highly air-stable, bulk-heterojunction solar cells based on Ti alkoxides as the electron acceptor and the electron-donating polymer fabrication is described here. Moreover, a method for controlling the morphology of the photoactive layer through the molecular bulkiness of the Ti-alkoxide units is reported.

The photoactive layer of a typical organic thin-film bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell commonly uses fullerene derivatives as the electron-accepting ...

Predicting Catalyst Extrudate Breakage Based on the Modulus of Rupture

The mechanical strength of extruded catalysts and their natural or forced breakage by either collision against a surface or by a compressive load in a fixed bed are important phenomena in catalyst technology. The mechanical strength of the catalyst is measured here by its bending strength or flexural strength. This technique is relatively new from the perspective of applying it to commercial catalysts of typical sizes used in the industry. Catalyst breakage by collision against a surface is measured after a fall of the extrudates through the ambient air in a vertical pipe. Quantifying the impact force is done theoretically by applying Newton's second law. Measurement of catalyst breakage due to stress in a fixed bed is done following the standard procedure of the bulk crush strength test. Novel here is the focus on measuring the reduction in the length to diameter ratio of the extrudates as a function of the stress.

Here we present a protocol to measure the modulus of rupture of an extruded catalyst and the breakage of said catalyst extrudates by collision against a surface or by compression in a fixed bed.

The mechanical strength of extruded catalysts and their natural or forced breakage by either collision against a surface or by a compressive load in a ...

A 100 KW Class Applied-field Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster

Applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters (AF-MPD thrusters) are hybrid accelerators in which electromagnetic and gas dynamic processes accelerate plasma to high speed; they have considerable potential for future space applications with the significant advantages of high specific impulse and thrust density. In this paper, we present a series of protocols for designing and manufacturing a 100 kW class of AF-MPD thruster with water-cooling structures, a 130 V maximum discharge voltage, a 800 A maximum discharge current, and a 0.25 T maximum strength of magnetic field. A hollow tantalum tungsten cathode acts as the only propellant inlet to inhibit the radial discharge, and it is positioned axially at the rear of the anode in order to relieve anode starvation. A cylindrical divergent copper anode is employed to decrease anode power deposition, where the length has been reduced to decrease the wall-plasma connecting area. Experiments utilized a vacuum system that can achieve a working vacuum of 0.01 Pa for a total propellant mass flow rate lower than 40 mg/s and a target thrust stand. The thruster tests were carried out to measure the effects of the working parameters such as propellant flow rates, the discharge current, and the strength of applied magnetic field on the performance and to allow appropriate analysis. The thruster could be operated continuously for significant periods of time with little erosion on the hollow cathode surface. The maximum power of the thruster is 100 kW, and the performance of this water-cooled configuration is comparable with that of thrusters reported in the literature.

The goal of this protocol is to introduce the design of a 100 kW class applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thruster and relevant experimental methods.

Applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters (AF-MPD thrusters) are hybrid accelerators in which electromagnetic and gas dynamic processes accelerate ...

O-cresol Concentration Online Measurement Based On Near Infrared Spectroscopy Via Partial Least Square Regression

Unlike macroscopic process variables, near-infrared spectroscopy provides process information at the molecular level and can significantly improve the prediction of the components in industrial processes. The ability to record spectra for solid and liquid samples without any pretreatment is advantageous and the method is widely used. However, the disadvantages of analyzing high-dimensional near-infrared spectral data include information redundancy and multicollinearity of the spectral data. Thus, we propose to use partial least squares regression method, which has traditionally been used to reduce the data dimensionality and eliminate the collinearity between the original features. We implement the method for predicting the o-cresol concentration during the production of polyphenylene ether. The proposed approach offers the following advantages over component regression prediction methods: 1) partial least squares regression solves the multicollinearity problem of the independent variables and effectively avoids overfitting, which occurs in a regression analysis due to the high correlation between the independent variables; 2) the use of the near-infrared spectra results in high accuracy because it is a non-destructive and non-polluting method to obtain information at microscopic and molecular scales.

The protocol describes a method of predicting o-cresol concentration during the production of polyphenylene ether using near-infrared spectroscopy and partial least squares regression. To describe the process more clearly and completely, an example of predicting the o-cresol concentration during the production of polyphenylene is used to clarify the steps.

Unlike macroscopic process variables, near-infrared spectroscopy provides process information at the molecular level and can significantly improve the ...

Manufacturing, Control, and Performance Evaluation of a Gecko-Inspired Soft Robot

This protocol presents a method for manufacturing, control, and evaluation of the performance of a soft robot that can climb inclined flat surfaces with slopes of up to 84&#176;. The manufacturing method is valid for the fast pneunet bending actuators in general and might, therefore, be interesting for newcomers to the field of actuator manufacturing. The control of the robot is achieved by means of a pneumatic control box that can provide arbitrary pressures and can be built by only using purchased components, a laser cutter, and a soldering iron. For the walking performance of the robot, the pressure-angle calibration plays a crucial role. Therefore, a semi-automated method for the pressure-angle calibration is presented. At high inclines (&#62; 70&#176;), the robot can no longer reliably fix itself to the walking plane. Therefore, the gait pattern is modified to ensure that the feet can be fixed on the walking plane.

This protocol provides a detailed list of steps to be performed for the manufacturing, control and evaluation of the climbing performance of a gecko-inspired soft robot.

This protocol presents a method for manufacturing, control, and evaluation of the performance of a soft robot that can climb inclined flat surfaces with ...

Elaborate Control of Inkjet Printer for Fabrication of Chip-based Supercapacitors

There are tremendous efforts in various fields to apply the inkjet printing method for the fabrication of wearable devices, displays, and energy storage devices. To get high-quality products, however, sophisticated operation skills are required depending on the physical properties of the ink materials. In this regard, optimizing the inkjet printing parameters is as important as developing the physical properties of the ink materials. In this study, optimization of the inkjet printing software parameters is presented for fabricating a supercapacitor. Supercapacitors are attractive energy storage systems because of their high power density, long lifespan, and various applications as power sources. Supercapacitors can be used in the Internet of Things (IoT), smartphones, wearable devices, electrical vehicles (EVs), large energy storage systems, etc. The wide range of applications demands a new method that can fabricate devices in various scales. The inkjet printing method can break through the conventional fixed-size&#160;fabrication method.

This paper provides a technique for manufacturing chip-based supercapacitors using an inkjet printer. Methodologies are described in detail to synthesize inks, adjust software parameters, and analyze the electrochemical results of the manufactured supercapacitor.

There are tremendous efforts in various fields to apply the inkjet printing method for the fabrication of wearable devices, displays, and energy storage ...

A Modeling and Simulation Method for Preliminary Design of an Electro-Variable Displacement Pump

Electro-hydrostatic actuators (EHAs) have been considerably researched in academia, and their applications in various industrial fields are expanding. The variable-speed EHA has now taken priority over the variable-displacement EHA, but its driving motor and associated electronics encounter issues when applied in high-power applications: low-dynamics, high thermal dissipation, high price, etc. Therefore, a variable-displacement EHA equipped with an electro-variable displacement pump (EVDP) has been considered. The EVDP itself is a mechatronic system that integrates a piston pump, a ball screw, a gearbox, and a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). Consequently, the EVDP needs to be investigated to ensure its system-level performance when applied in an EHA. In addition to the previous research on the technical parameters of the EVDP, a dedicated design method is necessary for further reducing the cost of using the EVDP and exploring its performance potential. Here, a simulation based EVDP preliminary design method is selected for designing a 37 kW EVDP. Firstly, a previously proposed multidisciplinary model of the EVDP is extended by improving the parameter generation, including the EVDP life, reliability, control models, etc. Secondly, the proposed model is partially verified using a downsized prototype. Thirdly, the EVDP is simulated at a system level, supported by the proposed model. The EVDP performance is evaluated according to the specified design requirements. The temperature, bandwidth and accuracy, reliability and lifetime, etc., are all predicted for the EVDP. The simulation results demonstrate the EVDP's applicability in variable-displacement EHA. The proposed modeling and simulation method can be used to evaluate diverse EVDP performance and respond to general design requirements. The method can also support the resolution of the preliminary design challenges in terms of limited information and robustness. Therefore, the proposed method is appropriate for the realization of the simulation-based EVDP preliminary design method.

A simulation model specifically supporting the preliminary design of an electro-variable displacement pump (EVDP) is developed and partially verified by experiments. The control performance, life, reliability, etc., can all be evaluated using the proposed model, which covers the main performance requirements under the EVDP preliminary design task.

Electro-hydrostatic actuators (EHAs) have been considerably researched in academia, and their applications in various industrial fields are expanding. The ...

Data Communication Based on MQTT in a Polymer Extrusion Process

This work aims at building a flexible data communication structure for a polymer processing machine by employing a publisher-subscriber based protocol called Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT), which is operated over TCP/IP. Even when using conventional equipment, processing data can be measured and recorded by various devices anywhere through an Internet communication. A message-based protocol allows flexible communication that overcomes the shortcomings of the existing server-client protocol. Multiple devices can subscribe to the processing data published by source devices. The proposed method facilitates data communication between multiple publishers and subscribers. This work has implemented a system that publishes data from the equipment and additional sensors to a message broker. The subscribers can monitor and store the process data relayed by the broker. The system has been deployed and run for a film extrusion line to demonstrate the effectiveness.

This work proposes a flexible method for data communication between a film extrusion system and monitoring devices based on a message protocol called Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT).

This work aims at building a flexible data communication structure for a polymer processing machine by employing a publisher-subscriber based protocol ...

Design and Application of a Fault Detection Method Based on Adaptive Filters and Rotational Speed Estimation for an Electro-Hydrostatic Actuator

The electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA) is a promising actuating apparatus used in flight control systems for more electric aircraft (MEA) due to its high power density and low maintenance. Since the reliability of the system decreases with increasing complexity, fault detection is becoming increasingly important. In this paper, an adaptive filter was designed based on a normalized least mean square (NLMS) algorithm, which could identify the resistance of the motor windings online to detect electrical faults in the EHA. Additionally, based on the analytical relationship between rotational speed and displacement, a rotational speed estimation method was designed. By comparing the actual rotational speed with the estimated one, hydraulic faults could be detected. To verify the efficacy of the aforementioned method, software was applied for the modeling and simulations, which included fault injection and detection. On this basis, an experimental platform was built and then subjected to a series of validation experiments. The results indicate that the fault detection method has the potential to detect electrical and hydraulic faults in an EHA.

In this paper, an adaptive filter based on a normalized least mean square (NLMS) algorithm and a rotational speed estimation method are introduced to detect the electrical and hydraulic faults of the electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA). The efficacy and feasibility of the aforementioned methods are verified through simulations and experiments.

The electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA) is a promising actuating apparatus used in flight control systems for more electric aircraft (MEA) due to its high ...