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Searching optimal trajectory of motion is a complex problem that is investigated in many research studies. Most of the studies investigate methods that are applicable to such a problem in general, regardless of the model of the object. With such general approach, only numerical solution can be found. However, in some cases it is possible to find an optimal trajectory in a closed form. Current article considers a time optimal problem with state limitations for a wheeled mobile differential robot that moves on a horizontal plane. The mathematical model of motion is kinematic. The state constraints correspond to the obstacles on the plane defined as circles that need to be avoided during motion. The independent control inputs are the wheel speeds that are limited in absolute value. Such model is commonly used in problems where the transients are considered insignificant, for example, when controlling tracked or wheeled devices that move slowly, prioritizing traction power over speed. In the article it is shown that the optimal trajectory from the starting point to the finishing point in such kinematic approach is a sequence of straight segments of tangents to the obstacles and arcs of the circles that limit the obstacles. The geometrically shortest path between the start and the finish is also a sequence of straight lines and arcs, therefore the time-optimal trajectory corresponds to one of the local minima when searching for the shortest path. The article proposes a method of search for the time-optimal trajectory based on building a graph of possible trajectories, where the edges are the possible segments of the tajectory, and the vertices are the connections between them. The optimal path is sought using Dijkstra’s algorithm. The theoretical foundation of the method is given, and the results of computer investigation of the algorithm are provided.

This paper describes the design of an aquatic robot moving on the surface of a fluid and driven by two internal moving masses. The body of the aquatic robot in cross section has the shape of a symmetrical airfoil with a sharp edge. In this prototype, two internal masses move in circles and are rotated by a single DC motor and a gear mechanism that transmits torque from the motor to each mass. Angular velocities of moving masses are used as a control action, and the developed kinematic scheme for transmitting rotation from the motor to the moving masses allows the rotation of two masses with equal angular velocities in magnitude, but with a different direction of rotation. It is also possible to install additional tail fins of various shapes and sizes on the body of this robot. Also in the work for this object, the equations of motion are presented, written in the form of Kirchhoff equations for the motion of a solid body in an ideal fluid, which are supplemented by terms of viscous resistance. A mathematical description of the additional forces acting on the flexible tail fin is presented. Experimental studies on the influence of various tail fins on the speed of motion in the fluid were carried out with the developed prototype of the robot. In this work, tail fins of the same shape and size were installed on the robot, while having different stiffness. The experiments were carried out in a pool with water, over which a camera was installed, on which video recordings of all the experiments were obtained. Next processing of the video recordings made it possible to obtain the object’s movements coordinates, as well as its linear and angular velocities. The paper shows the difference in the velocities developed by the robot when moving without a tail fin, as well as with tail fins having different stiffness. The comparison of the velocities developed by the robot, obtained in experimental studies, with the results of mathematical modeling of the system is given.

The efficiency of mobile robotic systems (MRS) that monitor the traffic situation, urban infrastructure, consequences of emergency situations, etc., directly depends on the quality of vision systems, which are the most important part of MRS. In turn, the accuracy of image processing in vision systems depends to a great extent on the accuracy of spatial orientation of the video camera placed on the MRS. However, when video cameras are placed on the MRS, the level of errors of their spatial orientation increases sharply, caused by wind and seismic vibrations, movement of the MRS over rough terrain, etc. In this connection, the paper considers a general solution to the problem of stochastic estimation of spatial orientation parameters of video cameras in conditions of both random mast vibrations and arbitrary character of MRS movement. Since the methods of solving this problem on the basis of satellite measurements at high intensity of natural and artificial radio interference (the methods of formation of which are constantly being improved) are not able to provide the required accuracy of the solution, the proposed approach is based on the use of autonomous means of measurement — inertial and non-inertial. But when using them, the problem of building and stochastic estimation of the general model of video camera motion arises, the complexity of which is determined by arbitrary motion of the video camera, random mast oscillations, measurement disturbances, etc. The problem of stochastic estimation of the general model of video camera motion arises. Due to the unsolved nature of this problem, the paper considers the synthesis of both the video camera motion model in the most general case and the stochastic estimation of its state parameters. The developed algorithm for joint estimation of the spatial orientation parameters of the video camera placed on the mast of the MRS is invariant to the nature of motion of the mast, the video camera, and the MRS itself, providing stability and the required accuracy of estimation under the most general assumptions about the nature of interference of the sensitive elements of the autonomous measuring complex used. The results of the numerical experiment allow us to conclude that the proposed approach can be practically applied to solve the problem of the current spatial orientation of MRS and video cameras placed on them using inexpensive autonomous measuring devices.

This paper examines the impact of the spatial resolution of a discretized (lattice) representation of the environment on the efficiency and correctness of optimal pathfinding in complex environments. Scenarios are considered that may include bottlenecks, non-uniform obstacle distributions, and areas of increased safety requirements in the immediate vicinity of obstacles. Despite the widespread use of lattice representations of the environment in robotics due to their compatibility with sensor data and support for classical trajectory planning algorithms, the resolution of these lattices has a significant impact on both goal reachability and optimal path performance. An algorithm is proposed that combines environmental connectivity analysis, trajectory optimization, and geometric safety refinement. In the first stage, the Leath algorithm is used to estimate the reachability of the target point by identifying a connected component containing the starting position. Upon confirmation of the target point’s reachability, the A* algorithm is applied to the nodes of this component in the second stage to construct a path that simultaneously minimizes both the path length and the risk of collision. In the third stage, a refined obstacle distance estimate is performed for nodes located in safety zones using a combination of the Gilbert – Johnson –Keerthi (GJK) and expanding polyhedron (EPA) algorithms. Experimental analysis revealed a nonlinear relationship between the probability of the existence and effectiveness of an optimal path and the lattice parameters. Specifically, reducing the spatial resolution of the lattice increases the likelihood of connectivity loss and target unreachability, while increasing its spatial resolution increases computational complexity without a proportional improvement in the optimal path’s performance.

The paper is a study of the mathematical model and kinematics of a parallel spherical manipulator. This type of manipulator was proposed back in the 80s of the last century and has since found application in exoskeletons and rehabilitation robots due to its structure, which allows imitating natural joint movements of the human body.

The Parallel Spherical Manipulator is a robot with three legs and two platforms, a base platform and a mobile platform. Its legs consist of two support links that are arc-shaped. Mathematically, the manipulator can be described using two virtual pyramids that are placed on top of each other.

The paper considers two types of manipulator configurations: classical and asymmetric, and solves basic kinematic problems for each. The study shows that the asymmetric design of the manipulator has the maximum workspace, especially when the motors are mounted at the joints of the manipulator’s links inside legs.

To optimize the parameters of the parallel spherical manipulator, we introduced a metric of usable workspace volume. This metric represents the volume of the sector of the sphere in which the robot does not experience internal collisions or singular states. There are three types of singular states possible within a parallel spherical manipulator — serial, parallel, and mixed singularity. We used all three types of singularities to calculate the useful volume. In our research work, we solved the problem related to maximizing the usable volume of the workspace.

Through our research work, we found that the asymmetric configuration of the spherical manipulator maximizes the workspace when the motors are located at the articulation point of the robot leg support arms. At the same time, the parameter $\beta_1$ must be zero degrees to maximize the workspace. This allowed us to create a prototype robot in which we eliminated the use of lower links in legs in favor of a radiused rail along which the motors run. This allowed us to reduce the linear dimensions of the robot itself and gain on the stiffness of the structure.

The results obtained can be used to optimize the parameters of the parallel spherical manipulator in various industrial and scientific applications, as well as for further research of other types of parallel robots and manipulators.

This article is devoted to the development of an algorithm for trajectory control of a highly maneuverable four-wheeled robotic transport platform equipped with mecanum wheels, in order to organize its movement behind some moving object. The calculation of the kinematic ratios of this platform in a fixed coordinate system is presented, which is necessary to determine the angular velocities of the robot wheels depending on a given velocity vector. An algorithm has been developed for the robot to follow a mobile object on a plane without obstacles based on the use of a modified chase method using different types of control functions. The chase method consists in the fact that the velocity vector of the geometric center of the platform is co-directed with the vector connecting the geometric center of the platform and the moving object. Two types of control functions are implemented: piecewise and constant. The piecewise function means control with switching modes depending on the distance from the robot to the target. The main feature of the piecewise function is a smooth change in the robot’s speed. Also, the control functions are divided according to the nature of behavior when the robot approaches the target. When using one of the piecewise functions, the robot’s movement slows down when a certain distance between the robot and the target is reached and stops completely at a critical distance. Another type of behavior when approaching the target is to change the direction of the velocity vector to the opposite, if the distance between the platform and the object is the minimum allowable, which avoids collisions when the target moves in the direction of the robot. This type of behavior when approaching the goal is implemented for a piecewise and constant function. Numerical simulation of the robot control algorithm for various control functions in the task of chasing a target, where the target moves in a circle, is performed. The pseudocode of the control algorithm and control functions is presented. Graphs of the robot’s trajectory when moving behind the target, speed changes, changes in the angular velocities of the wheels from time to time for various control functions are shown.

We consider the optimal motion control problem for a mobile device with an external rigid shell moving along a prescribed trajectory in a viscous fluid. The mobile robot under consideration possesses the property of self-locomotion. Self-locomotion is implemented due to back-and-forth motion of an internal material point. The optimal motion control is based on the Sugeno fuzzy inference system. An approach based on constructing decision trees using the genetic algorithm for structural and parametric synthesis has been proposed to obtain the base of fuzzy rules.