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Machines
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Intelligent Mechatronics, Automation, Control Systems
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Intelligent Mechatronics, Automation, Control Systems

A special issue of Machines (ISSN 2075-1702). This special issue belongs to the section "Robotics, Mechatronics and Intelligent Machines".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 30565

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hang Su

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Politenico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Interests: robotics; human-robot interaction; deep learning; bilateral teleoperation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jiahao Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: musculoskeletal robots; brain-inspired motion learning; reinforcement learning; multi-task continual learning
Dr. Long Zheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
Interests: snake-inspired and soft robots; motion detection; bionic functional surface
Dr. Yiming Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Robotics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
Interests: multiple robot control; impedance control; visual servoing control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jing Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Automation, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
Interests: surgical robotics; bilateral teleoperation; robot tissue interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Robotics and mechatronics have achieved rapid development and been widely used in many applications, such as in assistance, manufacturing, etc. The types of robotics  and mechatronics include exoskeleton, machines, and automation systems. The rapid development of the market has put forward higher requirements for robotics and mechatronics in various aspects, including intelligence, perception, control, autonomy, and so on. Over the past few decades, there have been numerous advancements in the technologies of robots and mechatronics. However, several new challenges still exist which require innovative techniques and solutions. The adaptiveness and autonomy of robotics and mechatronics are not fully exploited in the current commercial systems. Therefore, we are seeking more advanced modeling, sensing, perception, and control approaches to promote the applications of robotics and mechatronics.

The main objective of this Special Issue is to bring together researchers from both the academia and industry areas to present recent advancements and challenges in the field of robotics and mechatronics, including mechanical design and kinematics modeling, state-of-the-art perception and sensing systems, artificial intelligence algorithms, and human–robot interaction in the related scenarios, advanced control methods to enhance robots’ autonomy, and challenges. Furthermore, the combination of theories, new techniques, scientific and engineering solutions, prospects for future research, and applications in medical robotics will also be provided.

We encourage authors to submit their original contributions of synthesizing advanced algorithms into a variety of robotic and mechatronics systems. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

  • Artificial intelligence in robotics and mechatronics;
  • Multimodal interactive interfaces for robots and mechatronics;
  • Sensor integration and fusion for mechatronics applications;
  • The advanced control algorithms for robots and mechatronics;
  • Data-driven kinematics and dynamics modeling for robotics and mechatronics;
  • Autonomous robotics and mechatronics;
  • The advanced design of robot and mechatronics systems;
  • Adaptability and robustness in robotics and mechatronics;
  • Intelligent human–robot interaction in the robotic and mechatronics fields;
  • VR/AR simulators and systems in robot and mechatronics applications;
  • Applications of data science for robotics and mechatronics.

Dr. Hang Su
Dr. Jiahao Chen
Dr. Long Zheng
Dr. Yiming Jiang
Dr. Jing Guo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Machines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 5548 KiB  
Article
Granular Resistive Force Theory Extension for Saturated Wet Sand Ground
by Xinmeng Ma, Gang Wang, Kaixin Liu, Xi Chen, Jixin Wang, Biye Pan and Liquan Wang
Machines 2022, 10(9), 721; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10090721 - 23 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1476
Abstract
Amphibious environments formed from sand and water present a formidable challenge to the running motion of field robots, as the mixing of granular media (GM) and water makes the force laws of robotic legs more complicated during robot running. To this end, we [...] Read more.
Amphibious environments formed from sand and water present a formidable challenge to the running motion of field robots, as the mixing of granular media (GM) and water makes the force laws of robotic legs more complicated during robot running. To this end, we extended the granular resistive force theory (RFT) to saturated wet granular media, named saturated granular RFT (SGRFT), which can be suitable for saturated wet sand submerged in water. This method can extend RFT for dry GM to saturated wet granular media (SWGM) by using the method’s velocity and depth coefficient. The force laws of the robotic legs in dry GM and SWGM were tested, compared, and analyzed. The difference in force laws between the two kinds of media, from the sensitivity to speed (10 mm/s~50 mm/s) and depth (0~60 mm), was calculated. More than 70% of the prediction results of the horizontal resistive force using SGRFT have an error of less than 6%. The effectiveness of the SGRFT in legged robots is proved by simulation and testing of three kinds of legs. The difference in force laws when running is proved by the experiments of the robot equipped with the propeller-leg in dry GM and SWGM, which is vital for amphibious robots working in shoal environments (including dry GM and SWGM ground). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Mechatronics, Automation, Control Systems)
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21 pages, 5737 KiB  
Article
A Task Allocation Approach of Multi-Heterogeneous Robot System for Elderly Care
by Donghui Zhao, Chenhao Yang, Tianqi Zhang, Junyou Yang and Yokoi Hiroshi
Machines 2022, 10(8), 622; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10080622 - 28 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1756
Abstract
Roboticized nursing technology is a significant means to implement efficient elderly care and improve their welfare. Introducing multi-heterogeneous robot systems (MHRS) and sensor networks into a smart home is a promising approach to improve the safety and acceptability of elderly care services in [...] Read more.
Roboticized nursing technology is a significant means to implement efficient elderly care and improve their welfare. Introducing multi-heterogeneous robot systems (MHRS) and sensor networks into a smart home is a promising approach to improve the safety and acceptability of elderly care services in daily life. Among them, the energy consumption and task planning of MHRS determine nursing safety, which is particularly important in the real nursing process. Therefore, we established a novel smart home for elderly care based on seven heterogeneous nursing robots, and proposed a multi-robot task allocation (MRTA) algorithm, considering execution time and energy consumption. The whole system efficiency makes up for the functional limitations and service continuity of traditional MHRS. To realize efficiently conducted multitasks, we established an architecture with centralized task allocation center, robot alliance layer and distributed execution layer for the MHRS. The self-organizing architecture contributes to overall task allocation, communication and adaptive cooperative control between different robots. Then, to clearly describe the continuous nursing process with multiple simultaneous demands and emergency tasks, we modeled the whole nursing process with continuity, multi-priority, and interpretability. A novel MRTA algorithm with a dynamic bidding mechanism was proposed. Comprehensive experiments showed that the proposed algorithm could effectively solve the three key problems of multi-priority tasks, multi-robot safe and adaptive cooperation, and emergency task call in the scene of elderly care. The proposed architecture regarding the smart home could be applied in nursing centers, hospitals, and other places for elderly care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Mechatronics, Automation, Control Systems)
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23 pages, 2148 KiB  
Article
Neural Network Based Adaptive Event-Triggered Control for Quadrotor Unmanned Aircraft Robotics
by Pukun Lu, Meng Liu, Xiuyu Zhang, Guoqiang Zhu, Zhi Li and Chun-Yi Su
Machines 2022, 10(8), 617; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10080617 - 27 Jul 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1338
Abstract
With the aim of addressing the problem of the trajectory tracking control of quadrotor unmanned aircraft robots (UARs), in this study, we developed a neural network and event-triggering mechanism-based adaptive control scheme for a quadrotor UAR control system. The main technologies included this [...] Read more.
With the aim of addressing the problem of the trajectory tracking control of quadrotor unmanned aircraft robots (UARs), in this study, we developed a neural network and event-triggering mechanism-based adaptive control scheme for a quadrotor UAR control system. The main technologies included this scheme are as follows. (1) Under the condition that only the quadrotor’s position information can be obtained, a modified high-gain state observer-based adaptive dynamic surface control (DSC) method was applied and the tracking control of quadrotor UARs was acquired. (2) An event-triggered mechanism for UARs was designed, in which the energy consumption was greatly reduced and the communication efficiency between the system and the control terminal was improved. (3) By selecting appropriate parameters, appropriate initial conditions for the adaptive laws, and establishing a high-gain state observer, a tracking performance of L∞ could be achieved. Finally, simulation results of the hardware-in-loop strategy are presented. The control method we propose here outperformed the traditional backstepping sliding mode control (BSMC) scheme. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Mechatronics, Automation, Control Systems)
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17 pages, 9443 KiB  
Article
Design Optimization of Deep-Sea Lift Pump Based on Reflux Characteristics
by Yuanwen Li and Xiaozhou Hu
Machines 2022, 10(7), 520; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10070520 - 27 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1452
Abstract
The returnability of the deep-sea mining pump has been a key issue restricting further development of deep-sea mining technologies. Although many research studies have been conducted on mining pump, the mining process still faces challenges. Particularly, the reflux capacities of externally developed mine [...] Read more.
The returnability of the deep-sea mining pump has been a key issue restricting further development of deep-sea mining technologies. Although many research studies have been conducted on mining pump, the mining process still faces challenges. Particularly, the reflux capacities of externally developed mine pumps are often insufficient, resulting in blockages in the flow channels. In this study, we determine that the blade wrap angle is one of the key factors affecting the reflux of the ore pump, which is also based on earlier research. Therefore, a numerical simulation of the ore pump was performed using computational fluid dynamics–discrete element method, and it was determined to be beneficial to the reflux of particles. The hydraulic performance and reflux ability were studied via experiments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Mechatronics, Automation, Control Systems)
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14 pages, 10030 KiB  
Article
Study on the Digital Hydraulic Driving System of the Belt Conveyor
by Meisheng Yang
Machines 2022, 10(6), 417; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10060417 - 25 May 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3365
Abstract
The electrohydraulic equipment of the coal gangue belt conveyor has been widely studied in recent years, but studies have been limited to the traditional hydraulic system with proportional valve and servo valve as control elements. Because of their own structural characteristics, proportional valves [...] Read more.
The electrohydraulic equipment of the coal gangue belt conveyor has been widely studied in recent years, but studies have been limited to the traditional hydraulic system with proportional valve and servo valve as control elements. Because of their own structural characteristics, proportional valves and servo valves have inherent defects such as low reliability, high cost and a long debugging cycle. It is necessary to carry out technological innovation and upgrading. This paper presents a hydraulic system scheme which uses digital valves instead of proportional valves and servo valves to control the belt conveyor propulsion system. Firstly, the system scheme is described in detail. Secondly, the simulation model of the control element digital valve is established, and its dynamic characteristics are analyzed in detail. Finally, the displacement tracking control of the new system is carried out to verify the feasibility of the proposed control scheme. The results show that the new digital hydraulic control system can effectively achieve the displacement control function of the belt conveyor propulsion system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Mechatronics, Automation, Control Systems)
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19 pages, 4225 KiB  
Article
An Environmental-Adaptability-Improved RatSLAM Method Based on a Biological Vision Model
by Chong Wu, Shumei Yu, Liang Chen and Rongchuan Sun
Machines 2022, 10(4), 259; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10040259 - 04 Apr 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1885
Abstract
Inspired by rodents’ free navigation through a specific space, RatSLAM mimics the function of the rat hippocampus to establish an environmental model within which the agent localizes itself. However, RatSLAM suffers from the deficiencies of erroneous loop-closure detection, low reliability on the experience [...] Read more.
Inspired by rodents’ free navigation through a specific space, RatSLAM mimics the function of the rat hippocampus to establish an environmental model within which the agent localizes itself. However, RatSLAM suffers from the deficiencies of erroneous loop-closure detection, low reliability on the experience map, and weak adaptability to environmental changes, such as lighting variation. To enhance environmental adaptability, this paper proposes an improved algorithm based on the HSI (hue, saturation, intensity) color space, which is superior in handling the characteristics of image brightness and saturation from the perspective of a biological visual model. The proposed algorithm first converts the raw image data from the RGB (red, green, blue) space into the HSI color space using a geometry derivation method. Then, a homomorphic filter is adopted to act on the I (intensity) channel and weaken the influence of the light intensity. Finally, guided filtering is used to process the S (saturation) channel and improve the significance of image details. The experimental results reveal that the improved RatSLAM model is superior to the original method in terms of the accuracy of visual template matching and robustness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Mechatronics, Automation, Control Systems)
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Review

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24 pages, 4436 KiB  
Review
Recent Advancements in Agriculture Robots: Benefits and Challenges
by Chao Cheng, Jun Fu, Hang Su and Luquan Ren
Machines 2023, 11(1), 48; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines11010048 - 01 Jan 2023
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 17492
Abstract
In the development of digital agriculture, agricultural robots play a unique role and confer numerous advantages in farming production. From the invention of the first industrial robots in the 1950s, robots have begun to capture the attention of both research and industry. Thanks [...] Read more.
In the development of digital agriculture, agricultural robots play a unique role and confer numerous advantages in farming production. From the invention of the first industrial robots in the 1950s, robots have begun to capture the attention of both research and industry. Thanks to the recent advancements in computer science, sensing, and control approaches, agricultural robots have experienced a rapid evolution, relying on various cutting-edge technologies for different application scenarios. Indeed, significant refinements have been achieved by integrating perception, decision-making, control, and execution techniques. However, most agricultural robots continue to require intelligence solutions, limiting them to small-scale applications without quantity production because of their lack of integration with artificial intelligence. Therefore, to help researchers and engineers grasp the prevalent research status of agricultural robots, in this review we refer to more than 100 pieces of literature according to the category of agricultural robots under discussion. In this context, we bring together diverse agricultural robot research statuses and applications and discuss the benefits and challenges involved in further applications. Finally, directional indications are put forward with respect to the research trends relating to agricultural robots. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Mechatronics, Automation, Control Systems)
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