Bringing Innovative Robotic Technologies from Research Labs to Industrial End-users: The Experience of the European Robotics Challenges (Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics, 136)

This book presents the main achievements of the EuRoC (European Robotics Challenges) project, which ran from 1st January,2014 to 30th June 2018 and was funded by the European Union under the 7th Framework Programme. It describes not only the scientific and technological achievements of the project, but also the potential of the comparative challenge approach in robotics for knowledge advancement and technology transfer. Series Editor’s Foreword Contents Part I The EuRoC Project: A General Perspective Introduction 1 The EuRoC Project: Motivations and Design of the Challenges 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Challenge Overview 1.2.1 Challenge 1: Reconfigurable Interactive Manufacturing Cell 1.2.2 Challenge 2: Shop Floor Logistics and Manipulation 1.2.3 Challenge 3: Plant Servicing and Inspection 1.3 EuRoC Calls and Challenge Stages 1.3.1 Stage I: Qualifying 1.3.2 Stage II: Realistic Labs 1.3.3 Stage III: Field Tests 1.4 Conclusion 2 Evaluation and Selection Activities in EuRoC: Innovations and Lessons Learned 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Evaluation Activities in Stage I 2.2.1 Simulation Contest: Scoring and Ranking of Contestants 2.2.2 Admission to Stage II: Evaluation of Short Proposals 2.3 Evaluation Activities in Stage II 2.3.1 Benchmarking Round 2.3.2 Free-Style Round 2.3.3 Showcase Round 2.3.4 Admission to Stage III 2.4 Evaluation Activities in Stage III 2.5 Conclusion 3 The EuRoC Platforms 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Challenge 1: Reconfigurable Interactive Manufacturing Cell 3.2.1 Summary of the Provided Systems 3.2.2 Changes and Additions Developed During Stage II 3.2.3 Changes and Additions Introduced Towards Stage III 3.2.4 Summary of Requirements for Future Development 3.3 Platform in Challenge 2: Shop Floor Logistics and Manipulation 3.3.1 Summary of the Provided System 3.3.2 Changes and Additions Developed During Stage II 3.3.3 Changes and Additions Introduced Towards Stage III 3.3.4 Summary of Requirements for Future Development 3.4 Platform in Challenge 3: Plant Servicing and Inspection 3.4.1 Summary of the Provided Systems 3.4.2 Changes and Additions Developed During Stage II 3.4.3 Changes and Additions Introduced Towards Stage III 3.4.4 Summary of Requirements for Future Development 3.5 Conclusion Part II Achievements in Challenge 1: Reconfigurable Interactive Manufacturing Cell Introduction 4 PIROS: Cooperative, Safe and Reconfigurable Robotic Companion for CNC Pallets Load/Unload Stations 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Use Case Description and Motivation 4.2.1 Industrial Practice 4.2.2 Objectives 4.2.3 Proposed Architecture 4.2.4 Setup Description 4.3 Activities and Results 4.3.1 Manipulation 4.3.2 Motion Planning 4.3.3 Task Flow Management 4.3.4 Gesture Recognition 4.3.5 Safety 4.3.6 Global Key Performance Index 4.4 Conclusion References 5 FLA2IR—FLexible Automotive Assembly with Industrial Co-workers 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Use Case Description and Motivation 5.2.1 Manual Process 5.2.2 Automated Process 5.3 Activities and Results 5.3.1 Development in Different Stages 5.3.2 Intuitive Teach-In Tool for Creating Complex Robotic Tasks 5.3.3 Manipulation of Flexible Polymer Sealings 5.3.4 Force-Sensitive Control with Assembly Strategies 5.3.5 Safety Concept 5.3.6 System Architecture—Flexible, Modular, Powerful 5.4 Conclusion References Part III Achievements in Challenge 2: Shop Floor Logistics and Manipulation Introduction 6 RSAII: Flexible Robotized Unitary Picking in Collaborative Environments for Order Preparation in Distribution Centers 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Use Case Description and Motivation 6.2.1 Requirements of the Solution 6.3 Activities and Results 6.3.1 Free-Style: Fast Mono-Reference Pick and Place with High Availability 6.3.2 Show Case: Safe Multireference Integrated with Current Pick to Light Solutions 6.3.3 Field Test: Collaborative Solution for Unitary Picking in Order Preparation Area of a Distribution Center 6.3.4 Technical Approach 6.3.5 Results 6.4 Conclusion References 7 TIMAIRIS: Autonomous Blank Feeding for Packaging Machines 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Use Case Description and Motivation 7.2.1 Benchmarking 7.2.2 Freestyle 7.2.3 Showcase 7.2.4 Field Tests 7.3 Activities and Results 7.3.1 Benchmarking 7.3.2 Freestyle 7.3.3 Showcase 7.3.4 Field Tests 7.4 Conclusion References Part IV Achievements in Challenge 3: Plant Servicing and Inspection Introduction 8 TUM Flyers: Vision—Based MAV Navigation for Systematic Inspection of Structures 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Use Case Description and Motivation 8.3 Activities and Results 8.3.1 Freestyle Stage 8.3.2 Showcase Stage 8.3.3 Field Test Stage 8.4 Conclusion References 9 GRVC-CATEC: Aerial Robot Co-worker in Plant Servicing (ARCOW) 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Use Case Description and Motivation 9.2.1 Motivation 9.2.2 Related Work 9.2.3 Scenarios 9.3 Activities and Results 9.3.1 ARCOW Key Developments 9.3.2 Localization 9.3.3 Motion Planning 9.4 Conclusion References