History of construction automation and robotics

Lecture 1: Introduction

➢ Robotics
➢ Industrial Robot
➢ Manipulator Structures
➢ Modeling and Control of Robot Manipulators
 Robotics

➢ History of Robotics

➢ General Framework of Robotics

➢ Classification of Robot
Impact of Technology with development
（ Robot）
 History of Robotics

Date Significance Robot Name Inventor

First Descriptions of more than 100 machines and
century automata, including a fire engine, a wind organ, a Ctesibius, Philo of
A.D. coin-operated machine, and a steam-powered Byzantium, Heron of
and engine, in Pneumatica and Automata by Heron of Alexandria, and others
earlier Alexandria
Boat with four
1206 First programmable humanoid robots robotic Al-Jazari
musicians
Mechanical
c. 1495 Designs for a humanoid robot Leonardo da Vinci
knight
Mechanical duck that was able to eat, flap its
1738 Digesting Duck Jacques de Vaucanson
wings, and excrete
Japanese mechanical toys that served tea, fired
1800s Karakuri toys Tanaka Hisashige
arrows, and painted
 History of Robotics

First fictional automatons called “robots” appear in Rossum’s

1921 Karel Čapek
the play R.U.R. Universal Robots
Westinghouse
Humanoid robot exhibited at the 1939 and 1940
1930s Elektro Electric
World’s Fairs
Corporation
William Grey
1948 Simple robots exhibiting biological behaviors[4] Elsie and Elmer
Walter
First commercial robot, from the Unimation
1956 company founded by George Devol and Joseph Unimate George Devol
Engelberger, based on Devol’s patents[5]

1961 First installed industrial robot Unimate George Devol

1963 First palletizing robot[6] Palletizer Fuji Yusoki Kogyo

First industrial robot with six electromechanically KUKA Robot

1973 Famulus
driven axes[7] Group
Programmable universal manipulation arm, a
1975 PUMA Victor Scheinman
Unimation product
History of Robotics

The word robot was introduced to the public by

Czech writer Karel Čapek in his play R.U.R.
(Rossum’s Universal Robots), which premiered
in 1921.
The word robotics was first used in print by
Isaac Asimov, in his science fiction short story
“Liar!“, published in May 1941 in Astounding
Science Fiction. Asimov was unaware that he
was coining the term; since the science and
technology of electrical devices is electronics,
he assumed robotics already referred to the
science and technology of robots.
 History of Robotics

Three Laws of Robotics:

* Law One: A robot may not injure a human being, or, through
inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
* Law Two: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings,
except when such orders would conflict with the first law.
* Law Three: A robot must protect its own existence, as long as
such protection does not conflict with the first or second law.
 History of Robotics
early robots (1940's - 50's)
Grey Walter's "Elsie the "Shakey"
tortoise" Stanford Research
Institute in the
1960s.
The General Electric Walking
Truck the first legged vehicle
with a computer-brain, by Ralph
Moser at General Electric Corp.
in the 1960s.
History of Robotics

The first modern industrial

robots were probably the
"Unimates", created by
George Devol and Joe
Engleberger in the 1950's
and 60's. Engleberger
started the first robotics
company, called
"Unimation", and has been
called the "father of
robotics."
History of Robotics

Isaac Asimov and Joe Engleberger

(image from Robotics Society of America web site)
History of Robotics

EXPLORATION
People are interested in places that are
sometimes full of danger, like outer
space, or the deep ocean. But when they
can not go there themselves, they make
robots that can go there. The robots are
able to carry cameras and other
instruments so that they can collect
information and send it back to their
human operators
History of Robotics

INDUSTRY

When doing a job, robots can do

many things faster than
humans. Robots do not need to
be paid, eat, drink, or go to the
bathroom like people. They can
do repetative work that is
absolutely boring to people and
they will not stop, slow down, or
fall to sleep like a human.
History of Robotics

MEDICINE
Sometimes when operating,
doctors have to use a robot
instead. A human would not be
able to make a hole exactly one
100th of a inch wide and
long. When making medicines,
robots can do the job much faster
and more accurately than a
human can. Also, a robot can be
more delicate than a human.
 History of Robotics

MEDICINE
Some doctors and engineers are also developing prosthetic (bionic)
limbs that use robotic mechanisms.
History of Robotics

MILITARY and POLICE

Police need certain types of robots for
bomb-disposal and for bringing video
cameras and microphones into dangerous
areas, where a human policeman might
get hurt or killed. The military also uses
robots for (1) locating and destroying
mines on land and in water, (2) entering
enemy bases to gather information, and
(3) spying on enemy troops.
History of Robotics

TOYS

The new robot technology is making

interesting types of toys that children will
like to play with. One is the "LEGO
MINDSTORMS" robot construction
kit. These kits, which were developed by
the LEGO company with M.I.T. scientists,
let kids create and program their own
robots. Another is "Aibo" - Sony
Corporation's robotic dog.
 Robot Videos

• Bigdog

• SONY Humanoid robot

• HRP-4C Humanoid robot

 General Framework of
Robotics

Robotics is the science studying the intelligent

connection of perception to action

• Action: mechanical system (locomotion & manipulation)

• Perception: sensory system (proprioceptive & heteroceptive)
• Connection: control system

Robotics is an interdisciplinary subject concerning mechanics,

electronics, information theory, automation theory.
 Classification of Robotics

➢ Advanced Robot
autonomous execution of missions in
unstructured or scarcely structured environment

➢ Industrial Robot
 Classification of Robotics

• Class 1: Manual Handling Device

• Class2: Fixed-Sequence Robot
• *Class3: Variable Sequence Robot
• Class4: Playback Robot
• Class5: Numerical Control Robot
• *Class6: Intelligent Robot

JIRA:Japanise Industrial Robot Association RIA: The Robotics Instute of America

 Classification of Robotics

• Type A: Handling Devices with manual control

• Type B: Automatic Handling Devices with predetermined
cycles
• Type C: Programmable, servo controlled robots
• Type D: Type C with interactive with the environment

AFR: The Association Francaise de Robotique

 Industrial Robot

➢ Automation & Robot

➢ Application of Industrial Robot

➢ Components of Industrial Robot

 Types of Automated
Manufacturing Systems

Rigid ( or Fixed ) Automation

• High initial investment for custom-engineered

equipment
• High production rates
• Relatively inflexible in accommodating product
variety
 Types of Automated
Manufacturing Systems

Programmable Automation
• High investment in general purpose equipment
• Lower production rates than fixed automation
• Flexibility to deal with variations and changes in
product configuration
• Most suitable for batch production
 Types of Automated
Manufacturing Systems

Flexible Automation
• High investment for a custom-engineered system
• Continuous production of variable mixtures of
products
• Medium Production Rates
• Flexibility to deal with product design variations
Automation Application
Hierarchical Structure of
Automation
 Definition of an Industrial
Robot

A robot is a re-programmable multifunctional

manipulator designed to move material, parts,
tools, or specialized devices through variable
programmed motions for the performance of
a variety of tasks.
Robot Institute of America
(Group within Society of Manufacturing Engineers)
 Industrial Robot Manufacturers

•ABB Robotics, Swiss/Swedish company

•KUKA Robotics, German company.
•Adept Technology, SCARA robots and more.
•Motoman, a Yaskawa company (Japanese)
•Fanuc, a Japanese company
 Industrial Robot Examples

Vertical articulated type Gantry type SCARA type

Parallel type Double arm type

 World Supply of Robots

• World total: 114,365 units, up 3% on 2006

• World total stock of operational industrial robots: 995,000 units, 5% greater than
2006
• Robot investment is still booming in China, the third largest Asian robot market, with
6,600 units supplied in 2007, an increase of 14% on the previous year.
• Total worldwide stock of operational industrial robots at the end of 2007 between a
minimum of 994,000 units and a possible maximum of 1,200,000 units

World Robotics 2008

World Supply of Robots

World Robotics 2008

 World Supply of Robots

•Service robots:
•professional service
robots (things like
bomb-disposal bots,
surgical systems,
milking robots)
•personal service
robots (vacuum
cleaners, lawn mowers,
all sorts of robot
hobby kits and toys).

World Robotics 2008

 Typical Applications

➢ Material handling

➢ Manipulation

➢ Measurement
 Palletizing
Packaging

Cutting

Arc welding

Measurement
 Advantages of Robots
• Robotics and automation can, in many situation, increase productivity,
safety, efficiency, quality, and consistency of products
• Robots can work in hazardous environments
• Robots need no environmental comfort
• Robots work continuously without any humanity needs and illnesses
• Robots have repeatable precision at all times
• Robots can be much more accurate than humans, they may have mili or
micro inch accuracy.
• Robots and their sensors can have capabilities beyond that of humans
• Robots can process multiple stimuli or tasks simultaneously, humans can
only one.
• Robots replace human workers who can create economic problems
 Current Industrial Robots

➢ are not creative or innovative,

➢ no capability to think independently,
➢ cannot make complicated decisions,
➢ do not learn from mistakes
➢ cannot adapt quickly to changes in their
surroundings

We must depend on real people for these abilities!

 Components of Industrial
Robot

➢ Mechanical structure or manipulator

➢ Actuator

➢ Sensors

➢ Control system
 Manipulator Structures

➢ Mechanical components

➢ Mechanical configurations
 Mechanical Components

➢ Robots are serial “chain” mechanisms made

• “links” (generally considered to be rigid), and
• “joints” (where relative motion takes place)
➢ Joints connect two links
• Link 0 - Joint 1 - Link 1 - Joint 2 - Link 2-
 “Degrees of Freedom”

➢ Degrees of freedom (DoF) is the number

of independent movements the robot
is capable of
➢ Ideally, each joint has exactly
one degree of freedom
• degrees of freedom = number of joints
➢Industrial robots typically have 6 DoF,
➢ but 3, 4, 5, and 7 are also common
 Types of Joints

➢Although there are a few other types,

most current industrial robots use
one of two types of joints:
• Prismatic or Translational (also called Linear), an
• Revolute or Rotational
 Prismatic Joints

➢ Prismatic (Translational, Linear, Rectilinear)

joints allow motion along a straight line
between two links

Link 2

Link 1
➢ Revolute (Rotational) joints allow motion
along a circular arc between two links

Link 1
Link 2

Relative Motion
provided by
Revolute Joint
 Mechanical Configurations

➢ Industrial robots are categorized by the

first three joint types
➢ Five different robot configurations:
• Cartesian (or Rectangular),
• Cylindrical,
• Spherical (or Polar),
• Jointed (or Revolute), and
• SCARA
 Cartesian Configuration

➢ All three joints are

prismatic (PPP)
Commonly used for
positioning tools,
such as dispensers,
cutters, drivers, and
routers
 Cartesian Configuration

➢ Often highly customizable,

with options for X, Y, Z
lengths
➢ Payloads and speeds vary
based on axis length and
support structures
➢ Simple kinematic
equations
 Robot Workspace

➢ Workspace is the volume of space

reachable by the end-effector mount
➢ Everywhere a robot reaches must be
within this space
➢ Tool orientation and size also important!
 Cartesian Workspace

➢ Easiest workspace to compute and visualize

➢ Generally a simple “box” with width (X travel),
depth (Y travel), and height (Z travel)
 Gantry Robot

➢ A gantry robot is a special type of

Cartesian robot
Y

Z
 Gantry Robot

➢ Vary widely in size, workspaces from

“breadloaf” size to several cubic meters
 Characteristics of Cartesian
Robots

• Advantages: • Disadvantages:
➢ easy to visualize ➢ not space efficient
➢ have better inherent ➢ external frame can be
accuracy than most massive
other types ➢ Z axis “post” frequently
➢ easy to program off- in the way
line ➢ Axes hard to seal
➢ highly configurable - ➢ Can only reach in front
get the size needed of itself
 Cylindrical Configuration

➢ First joint is revolute

(rotation) Next two
joints are prismatic
(RPP)
 Cylindrical Configuration

➢ Vertical Z axis is located

inside the base
➢ Compact end-of-arm
design that allows the
robot to "reach" into tight
work envelopes without
sacrificing speed or
repeatability
Cylindrical Design Robot
 Cylindrical Workspace

➢ Another “easy” workspace to compute

and visualize
 Characteristics of Cylindrical
Robots

• Advantages: • Disadvantages:
➢ large workspace for ➢ cannot reach above
size itself
➢ easily computed ➢ horizontal axis
kinematics frequently in the way
➢ can reach all around ➢ largely fallen “out of
itself favor” and not
➢ reach and height common in new
axes rigid designs
 Spherical Configuration

➢ First two joints are

revolute (rotation)
Last joint is prismatic
(RRP)
 Spherical Configuration

➢ One of the earliest

common robot designs
(original UniMate)
➢ Used in a variety of
industrial tasks such as
welding and material
handling
Spherical Design Robots
 Spherical Workspace

➢ Workspace
shaped like
parts of
“orange peel”
➢ Harder to
compute and
visualize
Spherical Workspace
 Characteristics of Spherical
Robots

• Advantages: • Disadvantages:
➢ large workspace for ➢ has short vertical
size reach
➢ easily computed ➢ horizontal axis
kinematics frequently in the way
➢ also fallen “out of
favor” and not
common in new
designs
 Anthropomorphic Configuration

➢ First three joints are

revolute or
rotational (RRR)
➢ Easily the most
common type of
modern robot
 Anthropomorphic Configuration

➢ Suitable for a wide

variety of industrial
tasks, ranging from
welding to assembly
➢ Often called an
anthropomorphic arm
because it resembles a
human arm
 Anthropomorphic Configuration

➢ Anthropomorphic association extends to

names of the links & joints

Joint 3 - “Elbow”

Joint 2 - “Shoulder”

Joint 1 - “Waist”
 Anthropomorphic Configuration

➢ Anthropomorphic association extends to

names of the links & joints
Link 3 - “Forearm”

Link 2 - “Upper Arm”

Link 1 - “Trunk”
 Anthropomorphic Configuration

➢ Very hard to compute and visualize

 Characteristics of
Anthropomorphic Robots

• Advantages:
➢ excellent reach for size
➢ can reach above or
below obstacles
characteristics similar
to human arm
➢ large workspace for
size
• Disadvantages:
➢ complicated kinematics
➢ difficult to program off-
line
➢ workspace difficult to
visualize & compute
➢ small errors in first few
joints are amplified at
end-effector
 KUKA KR 1000 titan

➢ The KR 1000 titan is the strongest and

biggest 6-axis robot available on the
market.
➢ Loads
➢ Payload : 1000 kg
➢ Supplementary load: 50 kg
➢ Workspace
➢ Max. reach: 3202 mm
➢ Number of axes: 6
➢ Repeatability: <±0.2 mm
➢ Weight: 4950 kg
KUKA KR 1000 titan

Workspace (mm)
 SCARA Configuration

➢ First two links are

revolute, last link is
prismatic (RRP)
➢ SCARA stands for
Selective Compliance
Assembly Robot Arm
 SCARA Configuration

➢ Rigid in the vertical

direction
➢ Compliant in the
horizontal direction
➢ Used for assembly in
a vertical direction
• circuit board
component insertion
 SCARA Workspace

➢ Workspace shaped
somewhat like a
donut
➢ maximum outer
radius
➢ minimum inner
radius
➢ uniform height
Adept Cobra s350
 Characteristics of SCARA
Robots

• Advantages: • Disadvantages:
➢ fast cycle times ➢ hard to program off-line
➢ excellent repeatability ➢ often limited to planar
good payload capacity surfaces
➢ large workspace ➢ typically small with relatively
➢ height axis is rigid low load capacity
➢ two ways to reach same
point
 Robot Arms & Wrists

➢ Most robot arms have 3 “degrees of freedom”

• can position the end of the arm at “any” point in 3-
D space
➢ Robot “wrists” also have 3 “degrees of
freedom”
• usually all revolute / rotational joints
• used to provide the final orientation to the “gripper”
or “end-effector”
 Roll - Pitch - Roll Wrist

Three main degrees of freedom Can have problems when the

first “roll” axis aligns
with the last “roll” axis

Wrist
Yaw - Pitch - Roll Wrist
 Knowledgebase for Robotics
•Typical knowledgebase for the design and operation of robotics
systems
–Dynamic system modeling and analysis
–Feedback control
–Sensors and signal conditioning
–Actuators and power electronics
–Hardware/computer interfacing
–Computer programming
Disciplines: mathematics, physics, biology,
mechanical engineering, electrical engineering,
computer engineering, and computer science
 Key Components
Power conversion
unit

Sensors Actuators
Controller
User interface
Manipulator
linkage
Base
 Robot Base: Fixed v/s Mobile
Robotic manipulators used in
manufacturing are examples of
fixed robots. They can not
move their base away from the
work being done.
Mobile bases are typically
platforms with wheels or tracks
attached. Instead of wheels or
tracks, some robots employ
legs in order to move about.
Robot Mechanism: Mechanical Elements
Gear, rack, pinion, etc.

Cam and Follower

Inclined plane wedge Chain and sprocket

Lever
Slider-Crank

Linkage
 Sensors: I
•Human senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, and
smell provide us vital information to function and
survive

•Robot sensors: measure robot

configuration/condition and
send such information to
electronic signals (e.g., arm
toxic gas)
its environment and
robot controller as Accelerometer
Using Piezoelectric Effect
position, presence of

•Robots often need information that is beyond 5

human senses (e.g., ability to: see in the dark,
detect tiny amounts of invisible radiation, measure
movement that is too small or fast for the human
eye to see)
Flexiforce
 Sensors: II

Vision Sensor: e.g., to pick

bins, perform inspection, etc.

Part-Picking: Robot can handle In-Sight Vision

Sensors
work pieces that are randomly
piled by using 3-D vision sensor.
Since alignment operation, a
special parts feeder, and an
alignment pallete are not
required, an automatic system
can be constructed at low cost.
 Sensors: III
Force Sensor: e.g.,
parts fitting and
insertion, force
feedback in robotic
surgery
Parts fitting and insertion:
Robots can do precise fitting and
insertion of machine parts by
using force sensor. A robot can
insert parts that have the phases
after matching their phases in
addition to simply inserting them.
It can automate high-skill jobs.
 Sensors: IV

Example
Infrared Ranging Sensor

KOALA ROBOT
•6 ultrasonic sonar transducers to explore wide, open areas
•Obstacle detection over a wide range from 15cm to 3m
•16 built-in infrared proximity sensors (range 5-20cm)
•Infrared sensors act as a “virtual bumper” and allow for
negotiating tight spaces
 Actuators: I
• Common robotic actuators utilize combinations of
different electro-mechanical devices
– Synchronous motor
– Stepper motor
– AC servo motor
– Brushless DC servo motor
– Brushed DC servo motor

http://www.ab.com/motion/servo/fseries.html
 Actuators: II

Pneumatic
Cylinder
Hydraulic Motor Stepper Motor

Pneumatic DC Motor
Servo Motor
Motor
 Controller
⚫ Provide necessary intelligence to control the
manipulator/mobile robot
⚫ Process the sensory information and compute
the control commands for the actuators to
carry out specified tasks
 Controller Hardware: I
Storage devices: e.g., memory to store the
control program and the state of the robot
system obtained from the sensors
 Controller Hardware: II
Computational engine that computes the
control commands

RoboBoard Robotics Controller BASIC Stamp 2

Module
 Controller Hardware: III
Interface units: Hardware to interface digital
controller with the external world (sensors and
actuators)
Analog to Digital Operational Amplifiers
Converter

LM358 LM358

LM1458 dual operational amplifier

 Industries Using Robots
•Agriculture
•Automobile
•Construction
•Entertainment
•Health care: hospitals, patient-care, surgery ,
research, etc.
•Laboratories: science, engineering , etc.
•Law enforcement: surveillance, patrol, etc.
•Manufacturing
•Military: demining, surveillance, attack, etc.
•Mining, excavation, and exploration
•Transportation: air, ground, rail, space, etc.
•Utilities: gas, water, and electric
•Warehouses
 What Can Robots Do?
Industrial Robots

•Material handling
•Material transfer
•Machine loading and/or
unloading Material Handling
Manipulator
•Spot welding
•Continuous arc welding
•Spray coating
•Assembly
•Inspection Assembly
Manipulator
Spot Welding
 Robots in Space

NASA Space Station

Robots in Hazardous Environments

TROV in Antarctica HAZBOT operating in

operating under atmospheres containing
combustible gases
water
 Medical Robots

Robotic assistant for

micro surgery
 Future of Robots: I
Artificial Intelligence

Cog Kismet
 Future of Robots: II
Autonomy

Robot Work Crews Garbage Collection

Cart
Future of Robots: III
Humanoids

HONDA Humanoid Robot

Four Legged Hexapod
Metal Mine Surveyor

Audio Enabled Hexapod

RoboVac
WHY ROBOTICS ?
ANSWER!
 WHERE CAN WE USE IT
• HIGH RISE BUILDINGS
• HOUSING PROJECTS
• DAMS
• EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
• HOSPITALS
• SUBWAYS
• COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
• RECREATIONAL EXPANSES
• POWERPLANTS
• AIRPORTS
• FLYOVERS,BRIDGES ROADS,ETC
THE ROBOTIC GLOBAL
SCENERIO
ROBOTS IN CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY
FIRE PROOFING SPRAY CEILING PANEL POSITIONING
ROBOT ROBOT
 CONTINUED…
STEEL BEAM POSITIONING
MANIPULATOR WALL FINISHING ROBOT
 ROBOTS IN CIVIL WORKS
SEMI AUTONOMOUS ROBOT CONCRETE CRUSHER
 SOME MORE
ROBOT FOR CEMENT
ROBOT FOR BLASTING INDUSTRY
 ROBOTS FOR ROADS
 CONCRETE HORIZONTAL  CONCRETE FLOOR
DISTRIBUTOR FINISHING ROBOT
 CHALLENGES FACING
AUTOMATION
EGRONOMIC ASPECT FINANCIAL ASPECT
• HARSH WORKSITE • CAPITAL COSTS
AMBIENCE • OPERATING COSTS
• EXPOSURE TO • NEGATIVE
DUST EXTERNALITIES
• CALIBRATION IN • DEPRECIATION
RELATION TO
ENVIRONMENT
• SOME
ALTERATIONS
MIGHT BE NEEDED
 SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORK
• ITS PERFORMANCE AS A SYSTEM.

• WEIGHT DOES NOT EXCEED

PERMITTED LEVEL LOAD.

• MANEUVERABILTY AND
VERSITALITY.

• INDEPENDENCE AND STURDINESS.

 CONCLUSION
• WILL BE ECONOMIC TO USE.

• WORKS WILL BE COMLETED AT FASTER RATES.

• ROBOTICS WILL DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY SAVE

ENGINEERS/BUILDERS/OWNERS FROM FACING LEGAL HITCHES.

• PRODUCTIVITY WILL INCREASE.

• WILL HAVE A BALANCING EFFECT ON WAGES.

• WILL REDUCE OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES.