International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics - Volume 52, issue 3-4

Authors: Aye, Yin Yin | Watanabe, Keigo | Maeyama, Shoichi | Nagai, Isaku

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper develops an automatic parking system for a car-like mobile robot using image-based control, where the robot equipped with a single camera detects a rectangular parking frame drawn on the floor. The desired target line to be followed by the robot is produced by using Hough transform from a captured image, together with thresholding and Canny edge detector. The fuzzy controller is designed with a reasoning mechanism composed of two inputs, which are the gradient and intercept of the target line, and one output that is the steering angle of the robot. The effectiveness of the proposed method is …demonstrated through some experimental results with an actual mobile robot. Show more

Keywords: Image-based visual servoing, fuzzy logic control, car-like mobile robot, automatic parking

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-162180

Citation: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 52, no. 3-4, pp. 859-865, 2016

Authors: Cui, Yu | Nishimura, Kenta | Sunami, Yusuke | Minami, Mamoru | Yanou, Akira

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Visual servoing to moving target with hand-eye cameras fixed at hand is inevitably affected by hand dynamical oscillations, then it is hard to keep target at the centre of camera's image, since nonlinear dynamical effects of whole manipulator stand against tracking abilities of robots. In order to solve this problem, we come up with a system where the visual servoing controller of the hand and eye-vergence is separated independently, so that the cameras can observe the target object at the center of the camera images through eye-vergence functions. The eye with light masses make the cameras' eye-sight direction rotate quickly …than the hand's, so the track ability of the eye-vergence motion is superior to the one of hand's. In this report, merits of eye-vengence visual servoing for pose tracking have been confirmed through frequency response experiments on condition of full 6-dof pose being estimated in real time. Show more

Keywords: Visual servoing, eye-vergence, GA

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-162205

Citation: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 52, no. 3-4, pp. 867-873, 2016

Authors: Hosoya, Naoki | Yanou, Akira | Okamoto, Syohei | Minami, Mamoru | Matsuno, Takayuki

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper considers an application of self-tuning generalized predictive control (STGPC) to a temperature control experimental device of aluminum plate. In our research, although two DOF GPC can achieve to design the output response and the disturbance response independently, model parameters such as thermal conductivity had been fixed in the experiment. Therefore this paper applies STGPC to the experimental device and verifies the validity of the proposed controller. Moreover the control result, in the case of the controller constructed by the identified parameters through parameter identification law, is shown.

Keywords: GPC, self-tuning, temperature control

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-162196

Citation: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 52, no. 3-4, pp. 875-881, 2016

Authors: Inukai, Haruhiro | Minami, Mamoru | Yanou, Akira

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: We have been investigating a method to compose some intelligent robots. Continuous catching and releasing experiment for fish induces the fish to find some escaping strategies staying at corners of a pool. To make fish-catching robot more intelligent than fish's adapting and escaping abilities, we have proposed a chaos-generator comprising Neural-Network-Differential-Equation (NNDE) and an evolving mechanism to have the system generate chaotic trajectories as many as possible. We believe that the fish could not be adaptive enough to escape from chasing net with chaos motions since unpredictable chaotic motions of net may go beyond the fish's adapting abilities to the …net motions. In this report we confirmed that four type of chaos are generated by NNDE and one of them is valid for decreasing the fish's learning velocities, which we judged that could be thought that the chaos increased the robot's intelligence relatively against fish's escaping intelligence. Show more

Keywords: Chaos, neural network, intelligent robot

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-162206

Citation: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 52, no. 3-4, pp. 883-889, 2016

Authors: Kinugasa, Tetsuya | Iwado, Ryuto | Miyamoto, Naoki | Kurisu, Masamitsu | Okugawa, Masayuki | Haji, Takafumi | Yoshida, Koji | Amano, Hisanori | Hayashi, Ryota

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The paper provides a shelled track using bent track shoes for flexible mono-tread mobile track (FMT). FMT is flexible mono-tread tracked vehicle, which could run on various rough terrains. We expect to apply the FMT to missions on rough terrain, such as search and rescue activities and environmental investigations including planetary exploration. However, the edge of the track shoes deflected when they touched to a prominence of obstacles and interfered to the body. The side surface of the FMT was not covered with the track shoes, and thus the weak parts made from ABS plastic were broken. Moreover, there is …no practical camera system for teleoperation of FMT. Generally, a bird's-eye view is practical for teleoperation of a small ground vehicle. However, a camera (sometime with a long arm) and a laser sensor for the bird's-eye view implemented on the robot's deck is not suitable to take advantage of FMT, i.e., almost all the surface is covered by the track belt. In the study, we introduce a shelled track belt using a rigid and bent track shoe to cover the body, develop a new FMT prototype, RT05-COBRA, propose a dual-camera system that covered wide-range view in a horizontal plane, and evaluate its mobility using standard fields based on International Standard Test (NIST) regulation. Show more

Keywords: Tracked robot, flexible mono-tread mobile track, shelled track

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-162212

Citation: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 52, no. 3-4, pp. 891-896, 2016

Authors: Nagata, Fusaomi | Hayashi, Shohei | Nagatmi, Tomoya | Otsuka, Akimasa | Watanabe, Keigo

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In the previous work, a machining robot based on an industrial robot was developed for foamed polystyrene materials. A robotic CAM system was incorporated in the robot to realize teachingless operation. In this paper, a fuzzy reasoning method processing radius of curvature is designed to skilfully regulate endmill's feed rate. The basic design of the machining robot using the fuzzy feed rate controller is presented for foamed polystyrene materials. Further, it is demonstrated that the mapping obtained by the fuzzy feed rate controller is well replaced by a multi-layered neural network.

Keywords: Machining robot, CAD/CAM, feed rate control, fuzzy control, neural networks

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-162217

Citation: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 52, no. 3-4, pp. 897-905, 2016

Authors: Araki, Ryohei | Sunami, Yusuke | Minami, Mamoru | Ishiyama, Shinntaro | Yanou, Akira

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Since Tohoku Earthquake off the coast of Pacific Ocean at Fukushima Prefecture and subsequent Tsunami devastated nuclear power station, No.1, in Fukushima, radioactive substances have been scattered off wide area of Fukushima. Then decontamination works have started, but they have not been progressing rapidly because there are not sufficient workers and they have risks that they should be exposed to radiation, which restrict working duration. So this research aims at developing a robot that moves and collects polluted soil by itself. This machine, controlled by visual information, recognizes and collects simulated contaminated soils automatically, where Model-based Matching Method and Genetic …Algorithm are used to recognize the contaminated-soil-model. In this paper, recognition methods, structure of mobile manipulator with hand-eye cameras and results of simulated decontamination experiments are reported, in which a concept of autonomous behavior driven by ``Environment Programming,'' meaning that environment gives programmed commands to the autonomous mobile manipulator. Show more

Keywords: Model-based matching method, genetic algorithm, decontamination

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-162197

Citation: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 52, no. 3-4, pp. 907-916, 2016

Authors: Kakizawa, Minori | Kawasoe, Tomoyuki | Otsuka, Sho | Tanaka, Mami | Okuyama, Takeshi | Kono, Takafumi | Horihata, Atsushi

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Tactile sensation of hair such as moist and smooth is usually evaluated by touching the surface of hair and it is essential element for evaluating hair condition. However, the use of words and evaluation by people lack precision because there are individual variations in the hair condition and one's sense of value. The sensor which measures frictional vibration when rubbing the surface of hair with a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film was developed for measuring tactile sensation of hair. Artificial hairs were also developed for minimizing individual variations of hair condition. In this study, the sensor outputs were compared with artificial …hairs with various tactile sensations which were characterized by factor analysis. Results showed that the sensor outputs were correlated with the factor scores of the artificial hairs. In addition, the sensor outputs were also correlated with fiber fineness and the amount of the surface coating of the artificial hairs. The evaluation using the sensor was found to be useful for both evaluating the hair condition and the tactile sensation of hair. Show more

Keywords: Tactile sensation, hair, sensor, PVDF

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-162107

Citation: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 52, no. 3-4, pp. 917-925, 2016

Authors: Seki, Akihito | Quan, Changqin | Luo, Zhiwei | Shimozono, Tomoyuki | Miyata, Kazuaki

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: In recent years, water massage bed for full body massage has been used in physiotherapy effectively. Compared with other physiotherapy equipment, water massage bed is particularly useful since it can directly massage the destined area on the subject, which leads to improvement in relieving muscle strain and provides a psychological relaxation. In this study, we use a heart rate sensor as well as an accelerometer and a laser range finder to measure and evaluate changes of relaxation in the human body before and during the massage. As a result, the water massage bed vibrations observed concentrated at 4Hz or less. …We observed that subjective evaluation is strongly correlated to the heart rate based relaxation analysis and subjects' weight. In addition, the result of the subjective evaluation is influenced by the changes in autonomic nerve activity in the first 30 seconds of the massage. Show more

Keywords: Water massage bed, physiotherapy, relaxation, heart rate

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-162063

Citation: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 52, no. 3-4, pp. 927-934, 2016

Authors: Sano, Yuka | Quan, Changqin | Luo, Zhiwei

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Increasing attention is being paid to the research of heart-rate-based training to improve the safety and efficiency of exercises. The present study develops a walking and running exercise training system, which is able to provide a more human friendly way to adjust exercise intensity by measuring user's heart rate in real-time. Specifically, the proposed training system makes it possible for the user to control the speed of the treadmill based on the results of heart rate analysis. Two types of exercise intensity adjustment approaches are tested by four health human subjects. From the frequency analysis of heart rates, it was …found that, for the same type of intensity adjustment, the subjects may feel different stress with respect to whether he/she has been used to do exercise or not. Show more

Keywords: Optimum stress, exercise, heart rate, walking and running training

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-162092

Citation: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 52, no. 3-4, pp. 935-942, 2016