Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Intelligent networked robotics is part of Cyber-physical systems (CPSs), which are physical and engineered systems whose operations are monitored, coordinated, controlled and integrated by a computing and communication core. CPSs together with the Internet of things, cloud computing and cognitive computing are the important components of the Industry 4.0 (4th industrial revolution) and smart factories. This RTI grant is for purchasing two 7 degrees of freedom (7-DOFs) serial robotic manipulators and two robotic exoskeleton devices for a cooperative networked CPS platform which offers a reasonable and affordable version of cooperative manipulators with the capabilities doing multiple projects related to CPSs for applications in industrial manufacturing and health services including rehabilitation.******The research program that the proposed equipment will support is to develop and control cooperatively of a cyber-physical cooperative robotic platform. The research program is to facilitate automation and improve the performance in CPSs for the service-oriented manufacturing, medical surgery technology, rehabilitation treatment, and health service. The proposed platform is cost effective and efficient in building a framework for cooperative networked robotics with manipulations for various applications. ******The proposed project will develop the control strategies for Cyber-Physical cooperative robotic systems especially for manufacturing industry and health services. The results of the research lay the ground work for the development of intelligent cooperative robotic systems. Firstly, networked cooperative manufacturing systems will be investigated to form an efficient manipulation system applicable to perform tasks in manufacturing. The issues related to the stability of the overall system, robustness to the timing imperfection of the network system, switching ability between tasks, cloud data analysis, etc, will be well dealt with. Secondly, the robotic manipulators proposed in the grant can be instrumented and adapted to cooperative surgical robotic platform for tele-surgery, robotic assisted surgery and etc. Finally, cooperative wearable exoskeleton robotic devices for rehabilitation applications will be carried out for better rehabilitation outcome, such as motion recovery from stroke and injury. The research will be useful in applications assisting patients with various level of impaired mobility and it could be used in rehabilitation centers as well as at home by patients. ******The proposed equipment setups are imperatively needed such that the research would not be delayed. The proposed equipment and the supported research will help the applicant to train highly qualified personnel through implementing theoretical work into real applications in robotic platforms, which will enhance the research capabilities in this field at Dalhousie University, and will maintain and strengthen Canada's leading position. *****