Recent Progress in Robot Control Systems: Theory and Applications, Volume II

A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Computer".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 5316

Special Issue Editors

Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
Interests: robotics; navigation; optimal filtering; orbit determination; hybridization theory
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, Beijing, China
Interests: aircraft systems; flight dynamics

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Guest Editor
School of Automation, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Interests: flight dynamics and control; trajectory planning; formation flying control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Symmetry and asymmetry are common in engineering science. For example, electronic rotors, aircraft wings, and spacecraft flywheel structures possess excellent symmetry in actuators. Due to machining defects, these controlled objects are practically asymmetric, and external perturbations somehow break the symmetry. Therefore, we need to design sophisticated algorithms to maintain these elegant systems. The design of control systems is critical to the safe operation of various mechanical systems such as space vehicles, maritime robotics, and micromechanical systems. Current research is more than adequate, but more refined, intelligent, low-resource-consumption technologies for control systems algorithms are still in short supply to accommodate the industry's growth. In this Special Issue, “Recent Progress in Robot Control Systems: Theory and Applications,” we aim to attract original research and survey papers reflecting the recent advances in the theory and methodology driving recent progress in control system design and applications.

Please note that all submitted papers must be within the general scope of Symmetry. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

  • Intelligent computing and machine learning;
  • Planning, control and decision in robotics;
  • Online self-learning control and observer;
  • Fault-diagnosis and fault-tolerant control;
  • Data-driven approaches and applications;
  • Machine vision and 3D-reconstruction;
  • Integrated navigation and multi-sensor fusion.

Dr. Chengxi Zhang
Dr. Jin Wu
Dr. Zian Wang
Prof. Dr. Caisheng Wei
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. Symmetry 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 (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 435 KiB  
Article
Data-Driven Model Predictive Control for Uncalibrated Visual Servoing
by Tianjiao Han, Hongyu Zhu and Dan Yu
Symmetry 2024, 16(1), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym16010048 - 29 Dec 2023
Viewed by 820
Abstract
This paper addresses the image-based visual servoing (IBVS) control problem with an uncalibrated camera, unknown dynamics, and constraints. A novel data-driven uncalibrated IBVS (UIBVS) strategy is proposed, incorporated with the Koopman-based model predictive control (KMPC) algorithm and the adaptive robust Kalman filter (ARKF). [...] Read more.
This paper addresses the image-based visual servoing (IBVS) control problem with an uncalibrated camera, unknown dynamics, and constraints. A novel data-driven uncalibrated IBVS (UIBVS) strategy is proposed, incorporated with the Koopman-based model predictive control (KMPC) algorithm and the adaptive robust Kalman filter (ARKF). First, to alleviate the need for calibration of the camera’s intrinsic and extrinsic parameters, the ARKF with an adaptive factor is utilized to estimate the image Jacobian matrix online, thereby eliminating the laborious camera calibration procedures and improving robustness against camera disturbances. Then, a data-driven MPC strategy is proposed, wherein the unknown nonlinear dynamic model is learned using the Koopman operator theory, resulting in a linear Koopman prediction model. Only input–output data are used to construct the prediction model, and hence, the proposed approach is robust against model uncertainties. Furthermore, with a symmetric quadratic cost function, the proposed approach solves the quadratic programming problem online, and visibility constraints as well as joint torque constraints are taken into account. As a result, the proposed KMPC scheme can be implemented in real time, and the UIBVS performance degradation which arises from the control torque constraints can be avoided. Simulations and comparisons for a 2-DOF robotic manipulator demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach. Simulation results further validate that the computation time of the proposed approach is comparable to the one of kinematic-based methods. Full article
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17 pages, 5150 KiB  
Article
Analysis on the Effect of Phase Noise on the Performance of Satellite Communication and Measurement System
by Xuan Liu, Hongmin Lu, Yifeng He, Fulin Wu, Chengxi Zhang and Xiaoliang Wang
Symmetry 2023, 15(11), 2053; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym15112053 - 12 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1371
Abstract
An oscillator is a key component of a satellite communication measurement and control system, performing symmetry precisely as a time frequency reference. At the same time, the phase noise index has a close coupling relationship with the overall performance of the entire system, [...] Read more.
An oscillator is a key component of a satellite communication measurement and control system, performing symmetry precisely as a time frequency reference. At the same time, the phase noise index has a close coupling relationship with the overall performance of the entire system, while persistently breaking the symmetry property of the oscillator during work. It is very important to study and reasonably allocate the phase noise index. According to the theoretical formula of phase noise, this paper analyzes the power law spectral model in the frequency domain and the noise jitter characteristics in the time domain. Using the carrier tracking loop in the measurement system, the frequency domain transfer model of phase noise is established, and typical analysis results are given. A discrete fractional integration algorithm is proposed, which can generate the phase noise time domain sequence under the given power law spectral model coefficients. The proposed algorithm is more realistic compared with the previous numerical calculation method, and has sufficient accuracy compared with the results of the instrument. After frequency domain conversion, the RMS deviation between the simulated noise sequence in the frequency domain and the measured single sideband power spectral density is less than 2.5 dB, indicating that the phase noise sequence can reflect the frequency domain characteristics more completely. A communication measurement simulation system is built, and a discrete sequence simulation analysis method combining frequency domain and time domain is provided, and the coupling relationship of key indicators such as phase noise, thermal noise, communication data rate, modulation method and bit error rate is synthesized. The results show that the BER of the QPSK/BPSK communication system will not be significantly reduced if the phase jitter RMS caused by the phase noise is less than 5 degrees, so 5 degrees can be used as a reference for the decomposition of the carrier SSB phase noise index. The simulation results have been successfully applied to a satellite inter-satellite link system, which has universal practical application value. Full article
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17 pages, 8441 KiB  
Article
A Human-like Inverse Kinematics Algorithm of an Upper Limb Rehabilitation Exoskeleton
by Shuo Pei, Jiajia Wang, Junlong Guo, Hesheng Yin and Yufeng Yao
Symmetry 2023, 15(9), 1657; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym15091657 - 28 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1160
Abstract
Powered exoskeleton rehabilitation is an effective way to help stroke patients recover their motor abilities. Bionic structures and human-like control strategies can be used to enhance both the safety and efficacy of exoskeletons. However, the motion characteristics of the shoulder complex are not [...] Read more.
Powered exoskeleton rehabilitation is an effective way to help stroke patients recover their motor abilities. Bionic structures and human-like control strategies can be used to enhance both the safety and efficacy of exoskeletons. However, the motion characteristics of the shoulder complex are not sufficiently considered. In this paper, we designed a 7-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) upper limb rehabilitation exoskeleton, FREE (functional rehabilitation exoskeleton). The mechanical structures of the shoulder and forearm of FREE are in accordance with human anatomy, and can be used to perform a wide range of synergistic motion of multiple joints while keeping a safe distance from the patient’s head. A multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) shoulder girdle motion prediction model was developed to satisfy the synergy between humans and exoskeletons. Moreover, a constrained task priority and projected gradient-based inverse kinematics algorithm (CTPPG-IK) was proposed to achieve assistance with scapulohumeral rhythm. A motion capture system was used to collect different activities of daily life (ADL) motion data to validate the proposed algorithm. The experimental results show that the accuracy of the prediction model is higher than that of existing models, and the inverse kinematics algorithm can handle the end-effector task and joint space with a maximum angle error of 3.04×103 rad. Full article
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21 pages, 11880 KiB  
Article
Coordinated Symmetrical Altitude Position and Attitude Control for Stratospheric Airship Subject to Strong Aerodynamic Uncertainties
by Kun Yan, Ju Jiang, Mingwei Sun and Zengqiang Chen
Symmetry 2023, 15(6), 1260; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym15061260 - 14 Jun 2023
Viewed by 871
Abstract
The stratospheric airship has important value in both commercial and military use. The altitude position control is very crucial for the airship to conduct specific missions, which is also a challenge because of both the severe relative aerodynamic mismatches and the large lag [...] Read more.
The stratospheric airship has important value in both commercial and military use. The altitude position control is very crucial for the airship to conduct specific missions, which is also a challenge because of both the severe relative aerodynamic mismatches and the large lag due to the quite low speed of the airship within 15 m/s. In this paper, a coordinated altitude and attitude control method was proposed to realize satisfactory altitude position control while maintaining the attitude stability by properly employing the two actuators, the propeller thrust and the elevator, in a consistent manner. In this process, the references for the vertical speed and the pitch were specified in a straightforward way of proportionating them by considering their physical characteristics and the inherent symmetrical relationship between them, which can be obtained through the kinematics. An extended disturbance observer was used to eliminate the severe aerodynamic uncertainties to symmetrically distribute the two actuator outputs by dynamically decoupling the vertical speed and the pitch angular rate loops into the two independent integrators. As a result, the explicit proportional controllers were sufficient to realize efficient command tracking. Rigorous theoretical investigation was provided to symmetrically prove the quantitative bounded property of the estimation and tracking errors. The simulation results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed approach, which can realize a 500-m altitude difference tracking within 200 s with less than 0.5 deg/s pitch angular rate. Full article
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