Power supplies, robot

In addition to the controlling computer the system contains only a small control unit - PSP-4 (weight approx. 5 kg.) which among other system components includes a motor control system integrated closely with the PS-4 ultrasonic system. For communication between the PSP-4 control unit and the robot as well as robot power supply is used a single cable less than 10 mm. in diameter. 

The facility costs are based on the concept of a mobile remote repair facility. The advantages of this concept are low-cost, minimal shielding requirements, and flexible use of the overall repair facility. The main components for a remote repair are the electron accelerator, the power supply, and the robotic control system including the remote video system. Table 14 shows the estimated costs for these main components. 

Applications in industry would be equally broad. Chief among them would be lightweight robotic equipment that did not require large and heavy power supplies. 

Despite the great formal differences between the various possible configurations of robotic systems possible, these can be said to consist of four basic common elements (Table 9.1), three of which (manipulator, control system and power supply) are indispensable, whereas the fourth (sensor) is characteristic of second-generation robots. 

The power supply provides the energy needed to move the different parts of the manipulator. It is of great relevance as it determines the robot s speed, precision and resolution. Not only the type of power source used, but also its location In the system is important. Hydraulic sources are essential when dealing with heavy objects, whereas pneumatic systems are employed when quick movements are required. Robots used in laboratory applications are usually driven by electric energy. An electric servo motor or stepping motor is usually employed depending on whether moderate or light loads are to be handled. 

Pukuda, T. GMA applications to micromobile robot as microactuator without power supply cables. IEEE Microelectromechanical Systems, Proc. (1991), pp. 210-215... 

Driving system for conventional robots was modified to drive electrochemical setup. Applied voltages were controlled by a PC with D/A board (RIF-01, Fujitsu Corporation), or serial-parallel converter (BlackBox, Felixstyle Inc.). Amplifier circuit amplifies the inputs with D.C. power supply (PW18-1.8Q, KENWOOD). Two kinds were prepared. One is analog operational amplifier (LM6321, National Instruments) and another is motor driver IC (TPD4000K,... 

Scale up most ICP actuators have been produced in relatively thin films usually 10-20 mm in length and 5-10 mm wide. While the stresses and strains produced are impressive, the actual forces and displacements are small. Large scale applications (e.g. in humanoid robots) will require tens of millimetres in displacement and tens of Newtons in force. Parallel and serial assemblies of ICP actuators are required to deliver these performances. Considering the low energy conversion efficiency of ICPs, the electrical power supply for such large actuators will be a serious limitation. 

Berg, C., Valdez, D.C., Bergeron, P., Mora, M.F., Garcia, C.D., and Ayon, A. (2008) Lab-on-a-robot integrated microchip - Capillary electrophoresis, power supply, potentiostat, wireless unit, and controller circuitry. Electrophoresis, 29,4914-4921. 

For instance, a survey through mailed questionnaires has been carried out by INKS in 1984 on the anomalies stated during industrial operations of 362 robots installed in France (4). According to the received answers, the amount of robots working near devices able to generate radiated electromagnetic interferences appears to be 9 % Frequent interferences in the power supplies alone are observed for 23 % of the robotic systems. From the general point of view of environmental conditions (i.e. EMI included), their influence on the robot behaviour is recorded in 31 % of cases, with occurrence of malfunctions (71 % of these cases), of data losses (42 ), and of other failures like breakdown of components (35 %) ... 

Robots are often a combination of electrical motors and fluid power (either pneumatic or hydraulic). Most industrial robots are connected to an electrical supply because they are stationary. Robots on wheels must have batteries. The Robomower and Roomba robots described earlier have batteries. When the batteries begin to run low, their program has them return to their base for charging. The NASA robots used to explore Mars had to have powerful batteries that could be recharged from solar panels. 

A further aspect to this question is that it is seldom that the manufacturers of the industrial robot will make available to the suppliers of the medical robotic system, all the specific details of software and hardware in the industrial robot. Only if such full details are supplied can the medical groiqi assure themselves tiiat the necessary safety features are in place, so that they can take responsibility for tiie system that they are to supply. Another aspect to the use of industrial robots is that many industrial robot manufacturers specifically forbid the use of tiieir systems in juxtaposition to people, since the devices were not designed witii this application in mind and hence not have the appropriate safety features. Given such a situation, it is the author s view that it would be foolhardy for researchers to use such robots unmodified in iqiplications for rehabilitation or surgery. Whilst it may be acceptable to use a standard robot for feasibility study purposes to try out concepts and ideas prior to the implementation of a special purpose medical robot, care should be taken to protect the researchers. In the author s view, if the powered robot comes within... 

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