An Experimental Comparison Of Robot Kinematic Calibration Methods

Robot calibration is the process of enhancing the accuracy of a robot by modifying its control software. This book provides a comprehensive treatment of the theory and implementation of robot calibration using computer vision technology. It is the only book to cover the entire process of vision-based robot calibration, including kinematic modeling, camera calibration, pose measurement, error parameter identification, and compensation. The book starts with an overview of available techniques for robot calibration, with an emphasis on vision-based techniques. It then describes various robot-camera systems. Since cameras are used as major measuring devices, camera calibration techniques are reviewed. Camera-Aided Robot Calibration studies the properties of kinematic modeling techniques that are suitable for robot calibration. It summarizes the well-known Denavit-Hartenberg (D-H) modeling convention and indicates the drawbacks of the D-H model for robot calibration. The book develops the Complete and Parametrically Continuous (CPC) model and the modified CPC model, that overcome the D-H model singularities. The error models based on these robot kinematic modeling conventions are presented. No other book available addresses the important, practical issue of hand/eye calibration. This book summarizes current research developments and demonstrates the pros and cons of various approaches in this area. The book discusses in detail the final stage of robot calibration - accuracy compensation - using the identified kinematic error parameters. It offers accuracy compensation algorithms, including the intuitive task-point redefinition and inverse-Jacobian algorithms and more advanced algorithms based on optimal control theory, which are particularly attractive for highly redundant manipulators. Camera-Aided Robot Calibration defines performance indices that are designed for off-line, optimal selection of measurement configurations. It then describes three approaches: closed-form, gradient-based, and statistical optimization. The included case study presents experimental results that were obtained by calibrating common industrial robots. Different stages of operation are detailed, illustrating the applicability of the suggested techniques for robot calibration. Appendices provide readers with preliminary materials for easier comprehension of the subject matter. Camera-Aided Robot Calibration is a must-have reference for researchers and practicing engineers-the only one with all the information!

Calibration is playing an increasingly important role in industrial robotics. Higher accuracy demands are being placed on flexible assembly and manufacturing systems which in turn require robot manufacturers to produce higher quality precision robots.

Robot kinematic calibration is the process of enhancing the positioning accuracy of a given manipulator and must be performed after robot manufacture and assembly or during periodical maintenance. This dissertation presents new computationally efficient and robust kinematic calibration algorithms for industrial robots that make use of partial measurements. These include a calibration method that requires the supply of Cartesian coordinates of the calibration points (3DCAL) and another calibration technique that only requires the radial measurements from the calibration points to some reference (1DCAL). Neither method requires orientation measurements nor the explicit knowledge of the where-about of a reference frame. Contrary to most other similar works, both methods make use of a simplified version of the original Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) kinematic model. The simplified DH(-) model has not only proven to be robust and effective in calibrating industrial manipulators but it is also favored from a computational efficiency viewpoint since it consists of comparatively fewer error parameters. We present a conceptual approach to develop a set of guidelines that need to be considered in order to properly construct the DH(-) model such that it is parameterically continuous and non-redundant. We also propose an automated method to provide a characterization of the parameters that can be insightful in identifying redundant/irrelevant parameters and deducing the DH(-) error model of a manipulator. The method is a hybrid scheme comprised of the Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithm and a local solver/optimizer and it conducts a statistical analysis on the estimates of a given error parameter that is indicative of its relevance. For the type of industrial robots used in this dissertation, we made note that calibrating the home position only is sufficient to attain adequate results for most robotics applications. Hence, we put forward for consideration of a yet simpler calibration model; the DH(-)(-) model. We employ the Trust Region (TR) method to minimize the objective functions (solve for the error parameters of the simplified error models) of both frameworks (3DCAL and 1DCAL). We also compare the performance of the proposed methods to that of a state-of-the-art commercial system (Motocal) using the same materials, data and internationally recognized performance standards. Our experimental results suggest that our methods are more robust and yield better results compared to that of MotoCal.

Describes the details of the calibration process step-by-step, covering systems modeling, measurement, identification, correction and performance evaluation. Calibration techniques are presented with an explanation of how they interact with each other as they are modified. Shows the reader how to determine if, in fact, a robot problem is a calibration problem and then how to analyze it.

This book presents the most recent research advances in the theory, design, control and application of robotic systems, which are intended for a variety of purposes such as manipulation, manufacturing, automation, surgery, locomotion and biomechanics.

The International Symposium on Experimental Robotics (ISER) is a series of bi-annual meetings, which are organized, in a rotating fashion around North America, Europe and Asia/Oceania. The goal of ISER is to provide a forum for research in robotics that focuses on novelty of theoretical contributions validated by experimental results. The meetings are conceived to bring together, in a small group setting, researchers from around the world who are in the forefront of experimental robotics research. This unique reference presents the latest advances across the various fields of robotics, with ideas that are not only conceived conceptually but also explored experimentally. It collects robotics contributions on the current developments and new directions in the field of experimental robotics, which are based on the papers presented at the 13the ISER held in Québec City, Canada, at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, on June 18-21, 2012. This present thirteenth edition of Experimental Robotics edited by Jaydev P. Desai, Gregory Dudek, Oussama Khatib, and Vijay Kumar offers a collection of a broad range of topics in field and human-centered robotics.

In addition to the contributions presented at the 2018 International Symposium on Experimental Robotics (ISER 2018), this book features summaries of the discussions that were held during the event in Buenos Aires, Argentina. These summaries, authored by leading researchers and session organizers, offer important insights on the issues that drove the symposium debates. Readers will find cutting-edge experimental research results from a range of robotics domains, such as medical robotics, unmanned aerial vehicles, mobile robot navigation, mapping and localization, field robotics, robot learning, robotic manipulation, human–robot interaction, and design and prototyping. In this unique collection of the latest experimental robotics work, the common thread is the experimental testing and validation of new ideas and methodologies. The International Symposium on Experimental Robotics is a series of bi-annual symposia sponsored by the International Foundation of Robotics Research, whose goal is to provide a dedicated forum for experimental robotics research. In recent years, robotics has broadened its scientific scope, deepened its methodologies and expanded its applications. However, the significance of experiments remains at the heart of the discipline. The ISER gatherings are an essential venue where scientists can meet and have in-depth discussions on robotics based on this central tenet.

This two-volume set of LNCS 11643 and LNCS 11644 constitutes - in conjunction with the volume LNAI 11645 - the refereed proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Intelligent Computing, ICIC 2019, held in Nanchang, China, in August 2019. The 217 full papers of the three proceedings volumes were carefully reviewed and selected from 609 submissions. The ICIC theme unifies the picture of contemporary intelligent computing techniques as an integral concept that highlights the trends in advanced computational intelligence and bridges theoretical research with applications. The theme for this conference is “Advanced Intelligent Computing Methodologies and Applications.” Papers related to this theme are especially solicited, including theories, methodologies, and applications in science and technology.