Digital Servo Control of a Robotic Excavator

An electro-hydraulic control system is designed and implemented for a robotic excavator known as the Lancaster University Computerised and Intelligent Excavator （LUCIE）. The excavator is being developed to autonomously dig trenches without human intervention. Since the behavior of the excavator arm is dominated by the nonlinear dynamics of the hydraulic actuators and by the large and unpredictable external disturbances when digging, it is difficult to provide adequate accurate, quick and smooth movement under traditional control methodology, e.g., PI/PID, which is comparable with that of an average human operator. The data-based dynamic models are developed utilizing the simplified refined instrumental variable （SRIV） identification algorithm to precisely describe the nonlinear dynamical behaviour of the electro-hydraulic actuation system. Based on data-based model and proportional-integral-plus （PIP） methodology, which is a non-minimal state space method of control system design based on the true digital control （TDC） system design philosophy, a novel control system is introduced to drive the excavator arm accurately, quickly and smoothly along the desired path. The performance of simulation and field tests which drive the bucket along straight lines both demonstrate the feasibility and validity of the proposed control scheme.

Linear and nonlinear control of a robotic excavator

Various control systems for a robotic excavator named LUCIE (Lancaster University Computerized and Intelligent Excavator),were investigated. The excavator is being developed to dig trenches autonomously. One stumbling block is the achievement of adequate,accurate,quick and smooth movement under automatic control. Here,both classical and modern approaches are considered,including proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control tuned by conventional Zigler-Nichols rules,linear proportional-integral-plus (PIP) control,and a novel nonlinear PIP controller based on a state-dependent parameter (SDP) model structure,in which the parameters are functionally dependent on other variables in the system. Implementation results for the excavator joint arms control demonstrate that SDP-PIP controller provides the improved performance with fast,smooth and accurate response in comparison with both PID and linearized PIP control.

Design of an Intelligent Robotic Excavator Based on Binocular Visual Recognition Technique

Research on intelligent and robotic excavator has become a focus both at home and abroad, and this type of excavator becomes more and more important in application. In this paper, we developed a control system which can make the intelligent robotic excavator perform excavating operation autonomously. It can recognize the excavating targets by itself, program the operation automatically based on the original parameter, and finish all the tasks. Experimental results indicate the validity in real-time performance and precision of the control system. The intelligent robotic excavator can remarkably ease the labor intensity and enhance the working efficiency.

Improved control of intelligent excavator using proportional-integral-plus gain scheduling

Consider the design and implementation of an electro-hydraulic control system for a robotic excavator, namely the Lancaster University computerized and intelligent excavator (LUCIE). The excavator was developed to autonomously dig trenches without human intervention. One stumbling block is the achievement of adequate, accurate, quick and smooth movement under automatic control, which is difficult for traditional control algorithm, e.g. PI/PID. A gain scheduling design, based on the true digital proportional-integral-plus (PIP) control methodology, was utilized to regulate the nonlinear joint dynamics. Simulation and initial field tests both demonstrated the feasibility and robustness of proposed technique to the uncertainties of parameters, time delay and load disturbances, with the excavator arm directed along specified trajectories in a smooth, fast and accurate manner. The tracking error magnitudes for oblique straight line and horizontal straight line are less than 20 mm and 50 mm, respectively, while the velocity reaches 9 m/min.