WP2. Robotic platform and Smart Home infrastructure as an assistive cyber-physical ecosystem
The goal of this technology-oriented task is to improve the current robotic and residential infrastructure available in UEX, updating it to meet the new requirements demanded by the LifeBots project. In doing so, we will push forward the current state of technology in several related fields. This goal can be divided in the following sub goals and associated tasks:
T2.1 Improvements in Ursus 3 fingered sensitive hand and wrist
In this sub task we will design and develop a low-cost wireless force-torque-IMU integrated sensor to be placed between the links of the robot’s arms. This device does not currently exist and will facilitate the engineering of collaborative safe arms. Also, we will design an under actuated, 1 dof, hand composed of three fingers endowed with force sensors. This hand will be able of grasping domestic objects and opening doors and drawers in the apartment. Although there are sophisticated hands currently in the market that could fulfill the requirements of the project, there are no low-cost hands with force aware fingers that would succeed in opening a door or a drawer and, at the same time, handling objects with force sensitivity under 1 Newton.
T2.2 Improvements in Ursus arm repetitivity, precision and maximum load
The goal of this task is to redesign the current Ursus 7 dofs arms to eliminate the existing backslash in robot drives and mechanisms, and increasing the overall precision, repetitivity and payload. This improvement should facilitate the manipulation and grasping process in complex interactions, such as human object hand-to-hand transfer or the closed kinematic chains that are created when grasping a door knob or a drawer handle.
T2.3 Cyber-physical ecosystem design: protocols, model checking, persistence and visualization
In this task we will define and design the complete cyber-physical ecosystem including UEx’s Autonomy Lab, the robot Ursus and the network of ambient devices. We will study the most appropriate communication protocols considering the real conditions of an actual home. Also, additional research will be devoted to the design of a versatile information system that includes crucial functionalities such as model checking of incoming data, high availability persistence and 3D web visualization.
T2.4 Reconditioning of the UEX Autonomy Lab and deployment of a sensors network
We will update within this task the currently available Autonomy Lab at UEx with a network of realistic sensors and actuators. These devices will include ambient and comfort oriented sensors, human coarse localization with e-beacons and precise posture detection with embedded RGBD cameras, wireless bracelet for human bio-signals acquisition, relays to control air conditioning, oven and other domestic appliances, and additional monitoring of refrigerator, flood conditions, toxic gases and windows and doors opening state. Finally, the integration with the CORTEX cognitive architecture of WP3 will also be pursued here.