SMART-E

SMART-E: Reshaping robotics research and training for Industry 4.0 Evolving fields such as Artificial Intelligence, big data analytics, embedded systems, cloud and human-robotic interactions will play a part in the 4th Industrial Revolution – an era dubbed ‘Industry 4.0’. This is why the SMART-E project created a training and research programme, to advance robotics in manufacturing Before

we delve into the accomplishments of the SMART-E project, let’s explore what Industry 4.0 looks like. One promise of this industrial revolution is the so called smart factory, where physical systems like production lines and robots communicate to each other, as well as humans, through the Internet of things and are linked with cyber systems that can make simple decentralised decisions with a level of autonomy. Human intervention is minimal and intuitive and where humans can benefit from help, robotic technologies can assist to make tasks both easier and safer. Such factories would be highly efficient and have a competitive advantage.

With this scenario in mind, it’s clear that researchers devising more effective robotic technologies will have a huge impact on manufacturing and other sectors, in the near future. Today, an array of new and innovative technologies can be applied to robotics to enable a step change in the way robots can be used within industrial settings. In smart factories, we will work alongside robots, will be able to customise assembly lines, and robotic technologies will assist us to be more productive in our jobs.

Preparing for this and ensuring the new, ground breaking robotic technologies are sustainable, is a challenge for a new

generation of scientists. The SMART-E project (Sustainable Manufacturing through Advanced Robotics Training in Europe) was created to facilitate research and training in the specialist fields related to advanced robotics, to support roboticists who aspire to play central roles in the 4th Industrial Revolution.

able to gain hands on experience, conducting experiments alongside European peers, whilst experiencing different working cultures in academic and business sectors internationally.

SMART-E was led by many research institutions, including AGCO GmbH, the University of Zurich, Scuola a Superiore Sant Anna, the Italian Institute

It will create jobs for high-level, skilled operators and increase productivity, saving millions of pounds in capital and operational costs over the coming years.

Preparing next generation expertise SMART-E developed a world-class doctoral training and research programme, providing a platform for the next generation of graduate engineers to nurture and progress advanced robotics in manufacturing. The programme’s ultimate purpose was to become a catalyst for shaping the future of this important field.

The project involved 13 Early Stage Researchers (ESR) and 3 Established Researchers (ER) to guide them. The trainee engineers were

of Technology, the Technical University of Munich, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (USFD), in addition to partners in the manufacturing industry and R&D companies.

SMART-E, by necessity, needed to address emerging issues that will require attention in this new era, such as embodied intelligence, verification and testing, interoperability, worker-support by cyber-physical systems, autonomous delocalised decision making, plus practical business considerations like ensuring new manufacturing processes are sustainable and cost-effective.

By using state of the art techniques and novel technologies the trainees became adept to the new opportunities and possibilities for industrial use. The programme went well beyond the purely technical side, to teach soft skills such as leadership, business and interpersonal

SMART-E second summer school in Livorno-Italy.

48

EU Research

The 4 Industrial Revolutions 1st – 1765. Steam power, mechanisation and weaving looms. This was a transition from hand production to machines.

2nd – 1870. Known as the Technological Revolution it featured the use of electrical energy and production lines. The expansion of telegraph lines and rail led to the first true wave of globalisation.

Design and development of a high-performing adaptive gripper for food industry.

An example of the controller moving point-to-point through an asymmetric trajectory intend for a bathing scenario. The manipulator is made up of pneumatics and cables.

3rd – 1969. This era encompasses nuclear energy, microprocessors, automation, telecommunications and computers.

Also, it is the age of space technology and biotechnology. Robots are another feature of his period.

4th – Just beginning. Cyber-physical systems, networks, Internet of Things. This is a merging of lines between physical, cyber and biological systems. It includes Artificial Intelligence, big data and cloud-based systems. ICT, manufacturing and autonomous machines all make use of merging the virtual world with the physical world.

Adaptive and robust grasp control for heavy payload industrial manipulators.

skills, which could make the difference for success, when pioneering new technologies or partnering for commercial applications.

“It will create jobs for high-level, skilled operators and increase productivity, saving millions of pounds in capital and operational costs over the coming years,” explained Prof Samia Nefti-Meziani, Project Coordinator.

A detail of the latest prototype exoskeleton.

their performance, set to grasp one way, with one gripping force. A more attuned sensitivity to environment is a key advance to ensure safe human-robot interaction. It takes a combination of a soft manipulator, learningbased control schemes and soft sensors.

Such robotic applications will prove useful for high-precision tasks on assembly lines in factories

It will allow European manufacturing companies to adapt their production processes to the trends that will define Industry 4.0. It will ensure Europe’s competitiveness.

State of the art robotics The scientific focus of the project was divided into three main areas, which when combined covered the concepts relevant for the majority of emerging robotic technologies we expect in Industry 4.0.

These areas were forged into three Work Programmes covering the following: • Dexterous, soft and compliant robotics in manufacturing This is the development of ‘mechanically intelligent’ machines which adapt, manipulating soft and hard, light and heavy objects, with variable stiffness and dexterous motion in changing or new environments.

Traditionally, industrial robots are ‘blind’ in

www.euresearcher.com

and for performing assisting roles for humans, in settings like surgery or working in marine or nuclear reactor scenarios. For pick and place tasks, or for example, giving close to real-life grip sensitivity in prosthetic hands, this technology is invaluable. One positive outcome from the project is that the UK nuclear industry has already recognised the potential of the Smart-E gripper, which has been incorporated into a recent project for use in nuclear decommissioning.

• Reconfigurable and logistics robotics A problem with robotic production lines is the upheaval and logistical challenge associated with changing that line’s operation. For a SME with budget and time constraints to consider, changing its automation could be an investment that’s unpalatable and time consuming. The SMART-E project set out to address this issue with the understanding it could lead to substantial economic benefits for businesses.

The solution was in a quickly deployable, flexible automation system for sustainable manufacturing. It worked by advancing the control-system-related technology of compliant and modular, reconfigurable robots. These systems adapt efficiently to frequent changes in the production line.

A new learning approach means robots can be trained in-line, without interruption of the production cycle. European manufacturers can adapt their production lines which means they are competitive and as a direct result will drive employment for operators. Advanced machine learning techniques also improve the monitoring and maintenance of complex

The proposed method has been used to teach the coordination required during a pouring task. The snapshots show a reproduction in which the orientation of the bottle is automatically inferred from the position of the left and right hand.

49

SMART-E

Sustainable Manufacturing through Advanced Robotics Training in Europe

Project Objectives

The proposed training network will prepare the next generation of leading Advanced Roboticists to secure a Sustainable Manufacturing (SMART-E) sector in Europe. It will train 13 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) and 1 Experienced Researcher (ER) and develop a leading European doctoral training programme, sustainable beyond the network’s duration.

Project Funding

Funded under Marie Curie Action FP7-PEOPLE-2013-ITN

Project Partners

The SMART-E network draws together 7 partners, with world class expertise in robotics, autonomous systems, and advanced manufacturing. Each partner is hosting at least one Marie Curie researcher – either ‘early stage researchers’ (ESRs) or more experienced researchers (ERs).

• University of Salford (USAL), UK • Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (USFD), UK • University of Zürich (UZH), CH • Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), IT • Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento Sant’Anna (SSSA), IT • Technische Universität München (TUM), DE • AGCO GmbH (AGCO), DE The SMART-E consortium is delighted to be working with additional partners from across Europe to deliver the training and industry experience which will allow our researchers to become future leaders in robotics and advanced manufacturing. Each of our associate partners are involved in training activities, secondments, summer schools and other events under the umbrella of SMART-E. • Festo Didactic GMBH, DE • RURobots Ltd., UK • The Shadow Robot Company Ltd., UK • ranfield University, UK • arvic University College, NO • Food Manufacturing Engineering Group, UK • BMW, DE • Marel, IS • KUKA, DE • Rolls Royce, UK • DLR, DE • Airbus, FR • Robotnik, SP • Istanbul Technical University, TK

Contact Details

The University of Salford The Crescent 43 SALFORD M5 4WT United Kingdom T: +44 161 295 4540 E: s.Nefti-Meziani@salford.ac.uk W: http://smart-e-mariecurie.eu/ Prof. Samia Nefti-Meziani

Professor Nefti-Meziani holds a Doctorat D’etat in robotics and artificial intelligence and is Director of the Centre for Autonomous Systems & Advanced Robotics, and Chair of Robotics at the University of Salford. In this role, she leads a multidisciplinary team of 6 academics and 12 researchers. She has 25 years’ experience in advanced theoretical research in the areas of embodied intelligence, advanced robotics where the focus of her contribution is in the development of concepts, mechanisms and algorithms. She has pioneered the first application of Soft Robotics in manufacturing.

50

Learning task-space synergy controllers from demonstration.

robotic systems, making the manufacturing process more sustainable.

• Safe human-robot interaction and cooperation The ‘holy grail’ of robotics in terms of its importance for socio-economic benefits, is in developing robots that work safely alongside humans. By creating an artificial ‘skin’ for the robot, a skin with flexible sensors that detect points of contact, interaction capabilities improve. The stretchable material of this skin does not interfere with the robot’s mechanics.

Another advance in robotics that is key to shaping Industry 4.0, is in the development of a user-friendly programming system which allows programming by physical demonstration, essentially tracking and copying movements. This means robots can be intuitively trained by non-experts. The upshot of this for industry is that SMEs can use and instruct robots effectively without the need for hiring specialist programmers.

Finally, there is a very exciting aspect to the project with the development of robust control techniques for wearable assistive robots – namely exoskeletons. Such exoskeletons, with assistive components strapped on to a worker’s arms, legs and torso, have the potential to reduce physical strain for workers in industrial settings when carrying out physically demanding tasks.

These exoskeletons have the potential to reduce risk of injury (and negate subsequent claims for injury settlements) and will be a welcome relief for many workers with physically demanding jobs in industrial settings.

A modular robotic arm and a BMW car door with elastic joints built during the development of a modular robot application to car manufacturing.

Outcomes and next steps SMART E achieved a great deal, from the development of bio-inspired manipulators, synthesis of modular robots, the design of exoskeletons to the control of flexible and rigid manipulators.

The project also succeeded in its contribution to scientific research, publishing 50 papers in high impact scientific journals and conferences including Soft Robotics, International Conference of Intelligent Robots (IROS) and the International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA).

Most importantly, SMART-E played a part in the research and training and support of a new generation of pioneering researchers and developers in the field of industrial robotics.

Since the project ended in 2017, many of the research fellows have been recruited by world class research organisations and industries where they will continue their ground-breaking work into robotics.

SMART-E research is currently being used to improve automation with robotics for the Food and Aerospace sectors and is finding applications in partner companies.

Although the project is complete, there will be an application for further European funding to focus on commercialisation of the outputs.

The knock-on effects and positive outcomes from the work undertaken by this research network will continue to have impact as we embark into the next industrial revolution.

“It will allow European manufacturing companies to adapt their production processes to the trends that will define Industry 4.0.

It will ensure Europe’s competitiveness,” concluded Prof Samia Nefti-Meziani.

The goal of the teleoperation is to remove a protective cap (in green) from the collimator mock-up.

EU Research