Research Terms
Mechanical Engineering Aerospace Engineering
Center for Intelligent Machines and Robotics
| Director |
Carl Crane |
| Phone | (352) 392-9461 |
| Website | https://cimar.mae.ufl.edu/ |
| Mission | The Center for Intelligent Machines and Robotics (CIMAR) has three major goals: 1) to educate and graduate students studying for Masters and Ph.D. degrees in the cross disciplinary area of intelligent machines; 2) to pursue basic research in all aspects of intelligent machines which includes research into the geometry, statics, kinematics, dynamics, and control of open-loop serial devices, closed-loop machines such as in-parallel devices, and the control of autonomous systems; and 3) to pursue applied research, especially in the areas of the production of autonomous vehicles and the remote handling of hazardous materials. |
This robotic vehicle traverses obstacles and navigates through confined spaces in harsh environments to perform inspections and maintenance in areas unfit for human occupation. Many enclosed or confined spaces, tunnels, or tanks involved in nuclear or chemical industrial processing are often too dangerous for humans to enter. Designs for robotic vehicles that conduct inspections, surveys, or maintenance in these harsh environments face a trade-off between mobility within the confined space and durability to withstand extreme winds or temperatures. Inspections and maintenance of certain confined spaces are not possible or incomplete because available robotic vehicles cannot withstand these hazardous environments while achieving sufficiently high mobility.
Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a highly configurable robotic vehicle with a drive control system that allows it to traverse obstacles and uneven ground, move through sludge, and fit into tight spaces. The robotic vehicle can execute mission critical tasks in harsh environments and return intact for decontamination.
Remote controllable robotic vehicle with high durability and mobility that performs inspections and maintenance in harsh environments
This robotic vehicle enters, traverses, and operates remotely in confined spaces that may be unfit for human occupation. The vehicle employs a drive control system that governs four rotatable flippers, each with two wheels, which facilitate precise navigation and movement across uneven surfaces. These flippers each have three degrees of freedom to allow various movement formations. Tucking the wheels under the body reduces the robot’s width, allowing it to fit through narrow openings. Raising the flippers allows the robot to climb over obstacles or to traverse puddles without submerging its body. Likewise, rotating the flippers allows the robot to paddle through sludge in the event that any wheels become stuck.
This inclinometer accurately measures, rather than estimates, inclination parameters: inclination angle, angular velocity, and angular acceleration of an object. The device is independent of drift errors due to integration errors and is valid for large angle measurements without requirement of any mathematical approximation. Many industries use different types of inclinometers to dynamically measure inclination to study human movement, to navigate, and to measure joint angles. For example motion-capture systems are used to analyze gait and sports motion, to monitor daily activities, evaluate falls, balance prosthesis, conduct remote surveillance on patients, and to perform joint-angle measurement of manipulators. The new device determines inclination in static and dynamic environments. Traditional MEMS inertial sensors, built into a wide range of consumer electronics such as mobile phones and video-game controllers, can determine inclination only in a static case. Dynamic inclination sensors, commonly referred to as Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), estimate inclination, are costly, are prone to drift (integration) errors, and estimate relative change in position. The new device developed by University of Florida researchers calculates the inclination in the dynamic environment without these shortcomings. The improved inclinometer, based on the human vestibular system, mimics the balance center of the ear.
An inclinometer for motion-capture products including but not limited to sports and rehabilitation, patient evaluation and surveillance, measurement of joint angles of manipulators, measurement in varying gravity conditions such as in space and in moving vehicles, and humanoids and intelligent robots
Dynamic inclinometers measure the inclination angle, angular velocity, and angular acceleration of an object relative to the direction of an equilibrium axis (e.g. gravity). What is special about this hardware and algorithm combination is that the inclination parameters are obtained from instantaneous measurements and are not dependent on previous measurements, thus eliminating the possibility of integration errors. Unlike traditional technologies, the rate of change of inclination is not obtained by integration of angular velocity (gyroscope signal), rather by mathematical manipulation of measurements from the accelerometers. The design mimics symmetry of the placement of the vestibular systems (ears). Each vestibular organ is assumed to be analogous to a MEMS accelerometer-gyroscope combination. For a planar case, such as walking along a line, using two dual-axis accelerometers and a single gyroscope, this technology precisely measures the inclination parameters. For the case of spatial movement, such as playing in a field, four dual-axis accelerometers and one triaxial gyroscope measure inclination parameters. The non-contact sensors allow flexible point of application measurement, are inexpensive, and require significantly less computation burden.
This ground-engaging braking mechanism quickly reduces speed without causing a semi-truck to jackknife. Semi-trucks, also called "18-wheelers", “tractor-trailers” and "big rigs," typically measure 53 feet long and can carry up to 80,000 pounds of cargo—the weight of 20 standard cars—at highway speeds. Over two million semi-trucks operate within the United States. The weight of these trucks puts a significant burden on the trucks’ braking systems. Over time, friction and heat wear down brake shoes, rendering them hard and smooth. A glazed shoe won’t grip as effectively, making it difficult to stop. At 55 mph, even a properly functioning semi-truck requires 100 yards, the length of a football field, to stop. In an emergency, a driver may need to pound the brakes, which increases the risk of jackknifing—a situation where the back end of a semi-truck continues moving forward and swivels to the side as it hurtles toward the cab. In the U.S. alone, semi-truck accidents kill approximately 3,500people a year and cost more than $20 billion in damages. Researchers at the University of Florida have designed the Bud-E-Bar braking mechanism to allow the driver to maintain control by equalizing the trailer braking system under adverse driving conditions, including snow, ice, wet roads, slippery terrain, mountains, and hills. This technology has the potential to reduce the number of semi-truck accidents, saving lives and reducing property damage.
Braking mechanism that slows down runaway semi-trucks and prevents jackknifing
The Bud-E-Bar braking system employs customizable components to achieve rapid, safe braking of a semi-truck. The system activates via motion sensor, causing the mechanism to deploy. When the driver steps on the brake, a signal transmits to the sensors, which detect if the vehicle is continuing to move forward after applying the brakes. Once deployed, a pad member makes contact with the surface of the road. The pressure between the pad and the road surface slows the truck down. An optional lever inside the cab may also allow drivers to activate the Bud-E-Bar manually and to increase the pressure between the pad member and the road. The braking system then employs the retraction sequence, disengaging the pad member from the road and returning the assembly to its original position.
MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING PO BOX 116300 GAINESVILLE, FL 32611-6300
