Autonomous tactile object exploration and estimation using simple sensors

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dc.contributor.authorHollinger, James G.en
dc.contributor.committeechairBay, John S.en
dc.contributor.committeememberVanLandingham, Hugh F.en
dc.contributor.committeememberAbbott, A. Lynnen
dc.contributor.departmentElectrical Engineeringen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:30:53Zen
dc.date.adate2009-03-04en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:30:53Zen
dc.date.issued1994-05-05en
dc.date.rdate2009-03-04en
dc.date.sdate2009-03-04en
dc.description.abstractIn order for robots to become more useful they must be able to adapt and operate in foreign or unpredictable environments. The goal of this thesis is to present an algorithm that will enable a robot to autonomously explore its environment by touch and then estimate the shape of objects it encounters. To demonstrate the feasibility and functionality of such an algorithm, it was fully implemented on a MERLIN 6540 industrial robot. A unique compliant end-effector (consisting of a trackball mounted to a force/torque sensor on a sliding mechanism) and a fuzzy logic force controller were developed to overcome the difficulties inherent in force control on a stepper motor robot. A Kalman filter based quadric shape estimator was then used to describe the objects encountered in the MERLIN's workspace. The minimization of a cost function based on the shape estimator's uncertainty guided the robot along an exploration trajectory designed to produce the fastest converging shape estimate. Results of various exploration trials using autonomous and preprogrammed trajectories are presented. In addition to shape estimates, surface curvature measurements were also obtained. The unique end-effector that provided compliance for the force controller was also able to measure the arc length traversed on the object's surface. Arc length combined with surface orientation makes it possible to determine local surface curvature.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.extentvii, 83 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-03042009-040756en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-03042009-040756/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/41410en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V855_1994.H655.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 30830731en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V855 1994.H655en
dc.subject.lcshPattern recognition systemsen
dc.subject.lcshRobots, Industrial -- Automatic controlen
dc.titleAutonomous tactile object exploration and estimation using simple sensorsen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineElectrical Engineeringen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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