OMNIVIL—An Autonomous Mobile Manipulator for Flexible Production

Abstract

Flexible production is a key element in modern industrial manufacturing. Autonomous mobile manipulators can be used to execute various tasks: from logistics, to pick and place, or handling. Therefore, autonomous robotic systems can even increase the flexibility of existing production environments. However, the application of robotic systems is challenging due to their complexity and safety concerns. This paper addresses the design and implementation of the autonomous mobile manipulator OMNIVIL. A holonomic kinematic design provides high maneuverability and the implemented sensor setup with the underlying localization strategies are robust against typical static and dynamic uncertainties in industrial environments. For a safe and efficient human–robot collaboration (HRC), a novel workspace monitoring system (WMS) is developed to detect human co-workers and other objects in the workspace. The multilayer sensor setup and the parallel data analyzing capability provide superior accuracy and reliability. An intuitive zone-based navigation concept is implemented, based on the workspace monitoring system. Preventive behaviors are predefined for a conflict-free interaction with human co-workers. A workspace analyzing tool is implemented for adaptive manipulation, which significantly simplifies the determination of suitable platform positions for a manipulation task.