A Novel Disturbance Observer Based Fixed-Time Sliding Mode Control for Robotic Manipulators With Global Fast Convergence

This paper proposes a new global fixed-time sliding mode control strategy for the trajectory tracking control of uncertain robotic manipulators.First,a fixed-time disturbance observer(FTDO) is designed to deal with the adverse effects of model uncertainties and external disturbances in the manipulator systems.Then an adaptive scheme is used and the adaptive FTDO(AFTDO) is developed,so that the priori knowledge of the lumped disturbance is not required.Further,a new non-singular fast terminal sliding mode(NFTSM) surface is designed by using an arctan function,which helps to overcome the singularity problem and enhance the robustness of the system.Based on the estimation of the lumped disturbance by the AFTDO,a fixed-time non-singular fast terminal sliding mode controller(FTNFTSMC)is developed to guarantee the trajectory tracking errors converge to zero within a fixed time.The settling time is independent of the initial state of the system.In addition,the stability of the AFTDO and FTNFTSMC is strictly proved by using Lyapunov method.Finally,the fixed-time NFESM(FTNFTSM) algorithm is validated on a 2-link manipulator and comparisons with other existing sliding mode controllers(SMCs) are performed.The comparative results confirm that the FTNFTSMC has superior control performance.

Systematic Elastostatic Stiffness Model of Over-Constrained Parallel Manipulators Without Additional Constraint Equations

The establishment of an elastostatic stiffness model for over constrained parallel manipulators(PMs),particularly those with over constrained subclosed loops,poses a challenge while ensuring numerical stability.This study addresses this issue by proposing a systematic elastostatic stiffness model based on matrix structural analysis(MSA)and independent displacement coordinates(IDCs)extraction techniques.To begin,the closed-loop PM is transformed into an open-loop PM by eliminating constraints.A subassembly element is then introduced,which considers the flexibility of both rods and joints.This approach helps circumvent the numerical instability typically encountered with traditional constraint equations.The IDCs and analytical constraint equations of nodes constrained by various joints are summarized in the appendix,utilizing multipoint constraint theory and singularity analysis,all unified within a single coordinate frame.Subsequently,the open-loop mechanism is efficiently closed by referencing the constraint equations presented in the appendix,alongside its elastostatic model.The proposed method proves to be both modeling and computationally efficient due to the comprehensive summary of the constraint equations in the Appendix,eliminating the need for additional equations.An example utilizing an over constrained subclosed loops demonstrate the application of the proposed method.In conclusion,the model proposed in this study enriches the theory of elastostatic stiffness modeling of PMs and provides an effective solution for stiffness modeling challenges they present.

Manipulator tracking technology based on FSRUKF

Aiming at the shortcoming that the traditional industrial manipulator using off-line programming cannot change along with the change of external environment,the key technologies such as machine vision and manipulator control are studied,and a complete manipulator vision tracking system is designed.Firstly,Denavit-Hartenberg(D-H)parameters method is used to construct the model of the manipulator and analyze the forward and inverse kinematics equations of the manipulator.At the same time,a binocular camera is used to obtain the threedimensional position of the target.Secondly,in order to make the manipulator track the target more accurately,the fuzzy adaptive square root unscented Kalman filter(FSRUKF)is proposed to estimate the target state.Finally,the manipulator tracking system is built by using the position-based visual servo.The simulation experiments show that FSRUKF converges faster and with less error than the square root unscented Kalman filter(SRUKF),which meets the application requirements of the manipulator tracking system,and basically meets the application requirements of the manipulator tracking system in the practical experiments.

A systematic review of rigid-flexible composite pavement

Rigid-flexible composite pavement has gained significant popularity in recent decades.This paper provides a comprehensive review of the research progress concerning rigid-flexible composite pavement,aiming to promote its application and address key issues while identifying future directions.The design theory and methodology of rigid-flexible composite pavement are discussed,followed by a description of its structural and mechanical behavior characteristics.The load stress,temperature stress,and their interactive effects between the asphalt layer and the rigid base were analyzed.It is clarified that the asphalt layer serves a dual role as both a“functional layer”and a“structural layer”.Typical distresses of rigid-flexible composite pavement,which primarily occur in the asphalt layer,were discussed.These distresses include reflective cracking,top-down cracking,rutting,and compressive-shear failure.Generally,the integrity of the rigid base and the interlaminar bonding conditions significantly impact the performance and distress of the asphalt layer.The technology for enhancing the performance of rigid-flexible composite pavement is summarized in three aspects:asphalt layer properties,rigid base integrity,and interlaminar bonding condition.The study concludes that developing high-performance pavement materials based on their structural behaviors is an effective approach to improve the performance and durability of rigid-flexible composite pavement.The integrated design of structure and materials represents the future direction of road design.

Neural Dynamics for Cooperative Motion Control of Omnidirectional Mobile Manipulators in the Presence of Noises: A Distributed Approach

This paper presents a distributed scheme with limited communications, aiming to achieve cooperative motion control for multiple omnidirectional mobile manipulators(MOMMs).The proposed scheme extends the existing single-agent motion control to cater to scenarios involving the cooperative operation of MOMMs. Specifically, squeeze-free cooperative load transportation is achieved for the end-effectors of MOMMs by incorporating cooperative repetitive motion planning(CRMP), while guiding each individual to desired poses. Then, the distributed scheme is formulated as a time-varying quadratic programming(QP) and solved online utilizing a noise-tolerant zeroing neural network(NTZNN). Theoretical analysis shows that the NTZNN model converges globally to the optimal solution of QP in the presence of noise. Finally, the effectiveness of the control design is demonstrated by numerical simulations and physical platform experiments.

Kineto-static analysis of a novel high-speed parallel manipulator with rigid-flexible coupled links

A novel high-speed parallel kinematic machine （PKM） named Delta-S parallel manipulator is proposed, which consists of a fixed base connected to a moving platform through three limbs with identical topology. Each limb is composed of one driving ann and one follower arm, herein, the latter includes two strings and one middle rod, all located in a same plane. Compared with similar manipulators with uniform parameters, the novel and unique topology as well as the addition of two strings of Delta-S manipulator can remove the clearance of the spherical joints, reduce the inertial load of components further, improve the positioning accuracy and dynamic performance, and so on. In order to formulate the kineto-static model of Delta-S manipulator, the kineto-static analyses and models of the driving arm, the generalized follower and the moving platform can be carried out by the D＇ALEMBERT principle. For the sake of obtaining the force analytic results of strings, the deformation compatibility condition of strings and the middle rod are determined. Furthermore, in virtue of the assumption of small deformation and the linear superposition principle, the minimal pre-tightening force of the strings is calculated. The main results include that the loads of the strings and the middle rod must be larger than ＂zero＂ and the pre-tightening force over the workspace must be larger than the minimal pre-tightening force at any time within the workspace, which lay the foundation for the dynamic analysis and the prototype manufacture of the Delta-S manipulator.

A homogeneous and mechanically stable artificial diffusion layer using rigid-flexible hybrid polymer for high-performance lithium metal batteries

Artificial solid electrolyte interphase(SEI) is promising to inhibit uncontrollable lithium dendrites and enable long cycling stability for lithium metal batteries. However, the essential mechanical stability is limited since organic layers generally have low modulus whereas intrinsic brittleness for inorganic ones remains a great concern. Polymer-based SEIs with rigid and flexible chains in adequate mechanical properties are supposed to address this issue. Herein, a homogeneous and mechanically stable diffusion layer is achieved by blending rigid chains of polyphenylene sulfone(PPSU) with flexible chains of poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF) in a hybrid membrane, enabling uniform diffusion and stabilizing the lithium metal anode. The Li||Cu cell with the protected electrode exhibits a long lifetime more than 450 cycles(0.5 m A cm^(-2), 1.0 m A h cm^(-2))(fourfold longer than the control group) with higher average Coulombic efficiency of 98.7%. Enhanced performances are also observed at Li||Li and full cell configurations. The improved performances are attributed to the controlled morphology and stable interphase, according to scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and electrochemical impedance. This research advances the idea of uniform lithium plating and provides a new insight on how to create a homogeneous and mechanically stable diffusion layer using rigid-flexible polymers.

Recursive recurrent neural network:A novel model for manipulator control with different levels of physical constraints

Manipulators actuate joints to let end effectors to perform precise path tracking tasks.Recurrent neural network which is described by dynamic models with parallel processing capability,is a powerful tool for kinematic control of manipulators.Due to physical limitations and actuation saturation of manipulator joints,the involvement of joint constraints for kinematic control of manipulators is essential and critical.However,current existing manipulator control methods based on recurrent neural networks mainly handle with limited levels of joint angular constraints,and to the best of our knowledge,methods for kinematic control of manipulators with higher order joint constraints based on recurrent neural networks are not yet reported.In this study,for the first time,a novel recursive recurrent network model is proposed to solve the kinematic control issue for manipulators with different levels of physical constraints,and the proposed recursive recurrent neural network can be formulated as a new manifold system to ensure control solution within all of the joint constraints in different orders.The theoretical analysis shows the stability and the purposed recursive recurrent neural network and its convergence to solution.Simulation results further demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in end‐effector path tracking control under different levels of joint constraints based on the Kuka manipulator system.Comparisons with other methods such as the pseudoinverse‐based method and conventional recurrent neural network method substantiate the superiority of the proposed method.

Adaptive Leader-Follower Consensus Control of Multiple Flexible Manipulators With Actuator Failures and Parameter Uncertainties

In this paper,the leader-follower consensus problem for a multiple flexible manipulator network with actuator failures,parameter uncertainties,and unknown time-varying boundary disturbances is addressed.The purpose of this study is to develop distributed controllers utilizing local interactive protocols that not only suppress the vibration of each flexible manipulator but also achieve consensus on joint angle position between actual followers and the virtual leader.Following the accomplishment of the reconstruction of the fault terms and parameter uncertainties,the adaptive neural network method and parameter estimation technique are employed to compensate for unknown items and bounded disturbances.Furthermore,the Lyapunov stability theory is used to demonstrate that followers’angle consensus errors and vibration deflections in closed-loop systems are uniformly ultimately bounded.Finally,the numerical simulation results confirm the efficacy of the proposed controllers.

Kinematic Control of Serial Manipulators Under False Data Injection Attack

With advanced communication technologies,cyberphysical systems such as networked industrial control systems can be monitored and controlled by a remote control center via communication networks.While lots of benefits can be achieved with such a configuration,it also brings the concern of cyber attacks to the industrial control systems,such as networked manipulators that are widely adopted in industrial automation.For such systems,a false data injection attack on a control-center-to-manipulator(CC-M)communication channel is undesirable,and has negative effects on the manufacture quality.In this paper,we propose a resilient remote kinematic control method for serial manipulators undergoing a false data injection attack by leveraging the kinematic model.Theoretical analysis shows that the proposed method can guarantee asymptotic convergence of the regulation error to zero in the presence of a type of false data injection attack.The efficacy of the proposed method is validated via simulations.

Optimal Joint Space Control of a Cable-Driven Aerial Manipulator

This article proposes a novel method for maintaining the trajectory of an aerial manipulator by utilizing a fast nonsingular terminal sliding mode(FNTSM)manifold and a linear extended state observer(LESO).The developed controlmethod applies an FNTSMto ensure the tracking performance’s control accuracy,and an LESO to estimate the system’s unmodeled dynamics and external disturbances.Additionally,an improved salp swarm algorithm(ISSA)is employed to parameter tune the suggested controller by integrating the salp swarmtechnique with a cloud model.This approach also uses a model-free scheme to reduce the complexity of controller design without relying on complex and precise dynamics models.The simulation results show that the proposed controller outperforms linear active rejection disturbance control and PID controllers in terms of transient performance and resilience against lumped disturbances,and the ISSA can help the proposed controller find optimal control parameters.

A Custom Manipulator for Dental Implantation Through Model-Based Design

This paper presents a Model-Based Design(MBD)approach for the design and control of a customized manipulator intended for drilling and position-ing of dental implants accurately with minimal human intervention.While performing an intra-oral surgery for a prolonged duration within a limited oral cavity,the tremor of dentist's hand is inevitable.As a result,wielding the drilling tool and inserting the dental implants safely in accurate position and orientation is highly challenging even for experienced dentists.Therefore,we introduce a customized manipulator that is designed ergonomically by taking in to account the dental chair specifications and anthropomorphic data such that it can be readily mounted onto the existing dental chair.The manipulator can be used to drill holes for dental inserts and position them with improved accuracy and safety.Further-more,a thorough multi-body motion analysis of the manipulator was carried out by creating a virtual prototype of the manipulator and simulating its controlled movements in various scenarios.The overall design was prepared and validated in simulation using Solid works,MATLAB and Simulink through Model Based Design(MBD)approach.The motion simulation results indicate that the manipulator could be built as a prototype readily.

Observer-Based Control for a Cable-Driven Aerial Manipulator under Lumped Disturbances

With the increasing demand for interactive aerial operations,the application of aerial manipulators is becoming more promising.However,there are a few critical problems on how to improve the energetic efficiency and pose control of the aerialmanipulator forpractical application.In this paper,a novel cable-drivenaerialmanipulatorused for remote water sampling is proposed and then its rigid-flexible coupling dynamics model is constructed which takes joint flexibility into account.To achieve high precision joint position tracking under lumped disturbances,a newly controller,which consists of three parts:linear extended state observer,adaptive super-twisting strategy,and fractional-order nonsingular terminal sliding mode control,is proposed.The linear extended state observer is adopted to approximate unmeasured states and unknown lumped disturbances and achieve model-free control structure.The adaptive super-twisting strategy and fractional-order nonsingular terminal sliding mode control are combined together to achieve good control performance and counteract chattering problem.The Lyapunovmethod is utilized to prove the overall stability and convergence of the system.Lastly,various visualization simulations and ground experiments are conducted,verifying the effectiveness of our strategy,and all outcomes demonstrate its superiorities over the existing control strategies.

Fault Diagnosis in Robot Manipulators Using SVM and KNN

In this paper,Support Vector Machine(SVM)and K-Nearest Neighbor(KNN)based methods are to be applied on fault diagnosis in a robot manipulator.A comparative study between the two classifiers in terms of successfully detecting and isolating the seven classes of sensor faults is considered in this work.For both classifiers,the torque,the position and the speed of the manipulator have been employed as the input vector.However,it is to mention that a large database is needed and used for the training and testing phases.The SVM method used in this paper is based on the Gaussian kernel with the parametersγand the penalty margin parameter“C”,which were adjusted via the PSO algorithm to achieve a maximum accuracy diagnosis.Simulations were carried out on the model of a Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm(SCARA)robot manipulator,and the results showed that the Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO)increased the per-formance of the SVM algorithm with the 96.95%accuracy while the KNN algo-rithm achieved a correlation up to 94.62%.These results showed that the SVM algorithm with PSO was more precise than the KNN algorithm when was used in fault diagnosis on a robot manipulator.

A single micro-LED manipulation system based on micro-gripper

Micro-LEDs(μLEDs)have advantages in terms of brightness,power consumption,and response speed.In addition,they can also be used as micro-sensors implanted in the body via flexible electronic skin.One of the key techniques involved in the fabrication ofμLED-based devices is transfer printing.Although numerous methods have been proposed for transfer printing,improving the yield ofμLED arrays is still a formidable task.In this paper,we propose a novel method for improving the yield ofμLED arrays transferred by the stamping method,using an innovative design of piezoelectrically driven asymmetric micro-gripper.Traditional grippers are too large to manipulateμLEDs,and therefore two micro-sized cantilevers are added at the gripper tips.AμLED manipulation system is constructed based on the micro-gripper together with a three-dimensional positioning system.Experimental results using this system show that it can be used successfully to manipulateμLED arrays.

Pre‑hatch thermal manipulation of embryos and post‑hatch baicalein supplementation mitigated heat stress in broiler chickens

Background High environmental temperatures induce heat stress in broiler chickens,affecting their health and pro-duction performance.Several dietary,managerial,and genetics strategies have been tested with some success in mitigating heat stress(HS)in broilers.Developing novel HS mitigation strategies for sustaining broiler production is critically needed.This study investigated the effects of pre-hatch thermal manipulation(TM)and post-hatch baica-lein supplementation on growth performance and health parameters in heat-stressed broilers.Results Six hundred fertile Cobb 500 eggs were incubated for 21 d.After candling on embryonic day(ED)10,238 eggs were thermally manipulated at 38.5℃ with 55%relative humidity(RH)from ED 12 to 18,then transferred to the hatcher(ED 19 to 21,standard temperature)and 236 eggs were incubated at a controlled temperature(37.5℃)till hatch.After hatch,180-day-old chicks from both groups were raised in 36 pens(n=10 birds/pen,6 replicates per treatment).The treatments were:1)Control,2)TM,3)control heat stress(CHS),4)thermal manipulation heat stress(TMHS),5)control heat stress supplement(CHSS),and 6)thermal manipulation heat stress supplement(TMHSS).All birds were raised under the standard environment for 21 d,followed by chronic heat stress from d 22 to 35(32–33℃ for 8 h)in the CHS,TMHS,CHSS,and TMHSS groups.A thermoneutral(22–24℃)environment was maintained in the Control and TM groups.RH was constant(50%±5%)throughout the trial.All the data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA in R and GraphPad software at P<0.05 and are presented as mean±SEM.Heat stress significantly decreased(P<0.05)the final body weight and ADG in CHS and TMHS groups compared to the other groups.Embryonic TM significantly increased(P<0.05)the expression of heat shock protein-related genes(HSP70,HSP90,and HSPH1)and antioxidant-related genes(GPX1 and TXN).TMHS birds showed a significant increment(P<0.05)in total cecal volatile fatty acid(VFA)concentration compared to the CHS birds.The cecal microbial analysis showed significant enrichment(P<0.05)in alpha and beta diversity and Coprococcus in the TMHSS group.Conclusions Pre-hatch TM and post-hatch baicalein supplementation in heat-stressed birds mitigate the detrimental effects of heat stress on chickens’growth performance,upregulate favorable gene expression,increase VFA produc-tion,and promote gut health by increasing beneficial microbial communities.

Gravity-Based Kinetostatic Modeling of Parallel Manipulators Using Screw Theory

The pose accuracy of parallel manipulators(PMs)is a key index to measure their performance.Establishing the grav-ity-based kinetostatic model of a parallel robot provides an important basis for its error composition and accuracy improvement.In this paper,a kinetostatic modeling approach that takes real gravity distribution into consideration is proposed to analyze the influence of gravity on the infinitesimal twist and actuator forces of PMs.First,the duality of the twist screw and constraint wrenches are used to derive the gravity-attached constraint wrenches independent of the external load and the limb stiffness matrix corresponding to the kinematics-based constraint wrenches.Sec-ond,the gravity model of the mechanism is established based on the screw theory and the principle of virtual work.Finally,the analytical formulas of the infinitesimal twist and the actuator force of PMs are obtained,and the influences of the external load,platform gravity,and rod gravity on the stiffness of the mechanism are decoupled.The non-overconstrained 3RPS and overconstrained 2PRU-UPR PMs are taken as examples to verify the proposed method.This research proposes a methodology to analyze the infinitesimal deformation of the mechanism under the influence of gravity.

Triboelectric‘electrostatic tweezers'for manipulating droplets on lubricated slippery surfaces prepared by femtosecond laser processing

The use of‘Electrostatic tweezers'is a promising tool for droplet manipulation,but it faces many limitations in manipulating droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces.Here,we achieve noncontact and multifunctional droplet manipulation on Nepenthes-inspired lubricated slippery surfaces via triboelectric electrostatic tweezers(TETs).The TET manipulation of droplets on a slippery surface has many advantages over electrostatic droplet manipulation on a superhydrophobic surface.The electrostatic field induces the redistribution of the charges inside the neutral droplet,which causes the triboelectric charged rod to drive the droplet to move forward under the electrostatic force.Positively or negatively charged droplets can also be driven by TET based on electrostatic attraction and repulsion.TET enables us to manipulate droplets under diverse conditions,including anti-gravity climb,suspended droplets,corrosive liquids,low-surface-tension liquids(e.g.ethanol with a surface tension of 22.3 mN·m^(-1)),different droplet volumes(from 100 nl to 0.5 ml),passing through narrow slits,sliding over damaged areas,on various solid substrates,and even droplets in an enclosed system.Various droplet-related applications,such as motion guidance,motion switching,droplet-based microreactions,surface cleaning,surface defogging,liquid sorting,and cell labeling,can be easily achieved with TETs.

A Comparative Study on Kinematic Calibration for a 3-DOF Parallel Manipulator Using the Complete-Minimal,Inverse-Kinematic and Geometric-Constraint Error Models

Kinematic calibration is a reliable way to improve the accuracy of parallel manipulators, while the error model dramatically afects the accuracy, reliability, and stability of identifcation results. In this paper, a comparison study on kinematic calibration for a 3-DOF parallel manipulator with three error models is presented to investigate the relative merits of diferent error modeling methods. The study takes into consideration the inverse-kinematic error model, which ignores all passive joint errors, the geometric-constraint error model, which is derived by special geometric constraints of the studied RPR-equivalent parallel manipulator, and the complete-minimal error model, which meets the complete, minimal, and continuous criteria. This comparison focuses on aspects such as modeling complexity, identifcation accuracy, the impact of noise uncertainty, and parameter identifability. To facilitate a more intuitive comparison, simulations are conducted to draw conclusions in certain aspects, including accuracy, the infuence of the S joint, identifcation with noises, and sensitivity indices. The simulations indicate that the complete-minimal error model exhibits the lowest residual values, and all error models demonstrate stability considering noises. Hereafter, an experiment is conducted on a prototype using a laser tracker, providing further insights into the diferences among the three error models. The results show that the residual errors of this machine tool are signifcantly improved according to the identifed parameters, and the complete-minimal error model can approach the measurements by nearly 90% compared to the inverse-kinematic error model. The fndings pertaining to the model process, complexity, and limitations are also instructive for other parallel manipulators.

A rigid-flexible coupling finite element model of coupler for analyzing train instability behavior during collision

Rail vehicles generate huge longitudinal impact loads in collisions.If unreasonable matching exists between the compressive strength of the intermediate coupler and the structural strength of the car body,the risk of car body structure damage and train derailment will increase.Herein,a four-stage rigid-flexible coupling finite element model of the coupler is established considering the coupler buckling load.The influence of the coupler buckling load on the train longitudinal-vertical-hori-zontal buckling behavior was studied,and the mechanism of the train horizontal buckling instability in train collisions was revealed.Analysis results show that an intermediate coupler should be designed to ensure that the actual buckling load is less than the compressive load when the car body structure begins to deform plastically.The actual buckling load of the coupler and the asymmetry of the structural strength of the car body in the lateral direction are two important influencing factors for the lateral buckling of a train collision.If the strength of the two sides of the car body structure in the lateral direction is asymmetrical,the deformation on the weaker side will be larger,and the end of the car body will begin to deflect under the action of the coupler force,which in turn causes the train to undergo sawtooth buckling.