Sensor-based whole-arm obstacle avoidance utilizing ASIC technology. [Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC)]

Conference · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:6826204

Wintenberg, A L; Ericson, M N; Babcock, S M; Armstrong, G A; Britton, Jr, C L; Butler, P L; Hamel, W R ^[1]; Newport, D F ^[2]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
2. Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Operation of manipulator systems in poorly defined work environments often presents a significant hazard to both the robotic assembly and the environment. In applications relating to the Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (ER WM) Program, many of the environments are considered hazardous, both, in the structure and composition of the environment Use of a sensing system that provides information to the manipulator control unit regarding obstacles in close proximity will provide protection against collisions. In this paper, a hierarchical design and implementation of a whole-arm obstacle avoidance system is presented. The system is based on capacitive sensors configured as bracelets for proximity sensing. Each bracelet contains a number of sensor nodes and a processor for sensor node control and readout, and communications with a higher level host, common to all bracelets. The host controls the entire sensing network and communicates proximity information to the manipulator controller. The overall architecture of this system is discussed with detail on the individual system modules. Details of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designed to implement the sensor node electronics are presented. Justifications for the general measurement methods and associated implementation are discussed. Additionally, the current state of development including measured dam is presented.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6826204
• Report Number(s): CONF-930403-4; ON: DE93003602
• Resource Relation: Conference: 5. topical meeting on robotics and remote systems, Knoxville, TN (United States), 26-29 Apr 1993
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
USES
MANIPULATORS
NAVIGATION
ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTERS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DESIGN
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
RADIATION PROTECTION
REMOTE SENSING
ROBOTS
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
REMOTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT
420203* - Engineering- Handling Equipment & Procedures
426000 - Engineering- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits- (1990-)