Research topics We have undertaken some studies on intelligent control strategies and mechanical systems using computers. 1. Kinematic analysis of manipulators by task-performability. Designing the kinematics of manipulators has been based on motion characteristics, but not on task characteristics. The purpose of this study is to design the kinematics such that a manipulator can perform a given task. We have defined a measure of task-performability to evaluate the kinematics of an industrial manipulator performing a given assembly task. The ideal task zone of the manipulator can be determined for the assembly task using the task-performability measure. 2. A study on the biomechanics of the human finger. Performance of the human finger has been evaluated based on a planar kinematic model of the finger. 3. Development of a biped-walking robot adaptable to an external force or a nonflat walking surface. The motion of a biped-walking robot during one foot support can be represented by the inverted pendulum model, i.e. a linear model. The dynamics of horizontal motion at the robot's center of gravity can be simplified using this linear model. The robot has been designed such that its motion can be represented by this model. Control strategies have been implemented based on the model. The robot can walk on a computer simulation. 4. Development of a system for teaching a task to an industrial manipulator by measuring position and orientation of a marker using a signal camera. We developed an optical marker employing four LEDs as the teaching device. We have built a task-teaching system which tracks the marker and sends introductions to an industrial manipulator. An operator manipulators the marker and its position and orientation information are sent to an industrial manipulator as teaching commands which are fed through an interface system. 5. Development of a grinding robot employing a small oil-pressure-driven shovel. 6. Development of a vision system for automatic processing of ginger A vision system can detect the joints of a ginger root using image data of the ginger obtained by a CCD camera. The volume of the ginger is then estimated and employed in processing the ginger. |
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