Overview
Human-Centric Automation is a rapidly evolving field that is transforming the way industries operate. This approach has a potential to improve productivity and safety in industries. Additionally, it will increase worker efficacy and reduce error. From this point of view, Research Center for Advanced Robotics and Intelligent Automation (ARIA), part of Wangchan Advanced Industrial Labs (WAI), focuses on developing human-centric automation technology for industrial 5.0 towards human-human, human-machine, and machine-machine collaborative intelligence.
The human-centric automation technology is developed based on our basic research “Seven Wonders of Robotics” including: i) Bio-inspired robotics, ii) Soft robotics, iii) Medical robotics, iv) Inspection robotics, v) Service robotics, vi) Industrial robotics, and vii) Cognitive robotics. This will lead to intelligent machines (robots) that can safely and interactively collaborate with workers/users to achieve adaptive, flexible, and personalized solutions with seamless human-robot interfaces.
Subprograms
Four main subprograms of Human-Centric Automation research from Seven Wonders of Robotics:
- Bio-Inspired Robotics for outdoor locomotion/navigation and industrial service tasks. Our team develops bio-inspired motor control and learning, inspired by animal locomotion control, for bio-inspired robots (like worm-, quadruped-, insect-, and millipede-like robots). These robots can navigate challenging outdoor environments (like industrial pipes) and perform a variety of industrial tasks from inspection to maintenance.
- Medical Robotics for improving quality of life and health. Our team develops an advanced EXOskeleton framework for Versatile personalized gaIt generation with a Seamless user-exo interface (called "EXOVIS"). The EXOVIS framework is also integrated with biofeedback for advanced rehabilitation. This can contribute to a journey of our robotics community for efficient gait rehabilitation and restoration of motor functions toward making robots for humans.
- Industrial Robotics for learning from demonstration and efficient human-robot collaboration. Our team develops industrial robot control methods that can efficiently learn from human demonstrations; thereby making it easier for human operators to work alongside industrial robots. This approach enables efficient and effective collaboration between human and robot arms, which can improve productivity and safety in industrial settings.
- Inspection Robotics for outdoor navigation and object transportation of autonomous drones. Our team develops autonomous drones that can navigate outdoor environments and perform inspection or object transportation with high precision. These drones can be used for a variety of applications, including infrastructure inspection, environmental monitoring, and emergency response.
Through our industrial projects, we are committed to advance the field of Human-Centric Automation and create innovative solutions that benefit industries and society as a whole.
FACILITIES
Research Center for Advanced Robotics and Intelligent Automation (ARIA) provides cutting-edge facilities for human-centric automation research:
- VISTEC MAKERSPACE facility provides a workshop equipped with various machines and tools for developing and fixing robot hardware. The machines and tools include milling machines, drilling machines, saw machines, lathes, laser cut machines, soft-robot molds, 3D printers, and more.
- VISTEC DRONE facility provides indoor and outdoor environments for drone testing. For the indoor environment, there is a motion capture system (OptiTrack) with twelve highly sensitive IR cameras (Prime 17W) for indoor drone localization with high precision. The facility is used for developing methods for precision landing and adaptive navigation for autonomous drones.
- VISTEC AUTOMATION facility provides a factory environment for the study of advanced collaborative robots in a specific area, a drone, a mobile manipulator robot, and a dual-arm robot. An autonomous mobile manipulator robot is an integration of a mobile robot(MiR100) and robot arm (UR3e). We also integrated automatic modular conveyors as well as an RGB-D camera (Intel® RealSense D435i). This facility is used for developing robot control methods human-robot collaboration. Our dual-arm robot and conveyors allow us to create industrial line mockups for robot demonstrations.
- VISTEC GAIT facility provides an automated gait lab. It is equipped with a motion capture system (OptiTrack) integrated with instrumented stairs with force plates (Bertec) and an instrumental split-belt treadmill with force plates (Bertec). A balance system is installed to support the subject in order to move along the pathway. The treadmill is controlled separately with its control panel. All signals from five force sensors, infrared markers captured by ten highly sensitive IR cameras (8 x Prime 17W, 2 x PrimeX 22) and two high resolution color cameras (Prime Color) are synced into the processing software (Motive:Body) which displays information real-time on both the computer monitor and on the screen. The facility is used for developing wearable devices (exoskeletons) that can augment, train, or supplement human motor function. We use a split-belt treadmill to test subjects such as stroke patients.
DEMO
- Srisuchinnawong, A., Phongaksorn, K., Ausrivong, W. and Manoonpong, P., 2023. Adaptive Bipedal Robot Walking on Industrial Pipes Under Neural Multimodal Locomotion Control: Toward Robotic Out-Pipe Inspection. IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics. DOI: 10.1109/TMECH.2023.3293950
- Srisuchinnawong, A., Akkawutvanich, C. and Manoonpong, P., 2023. Adaptive Modular Neural Control for Online Gait Synchronization and Adaptation of an Assistive Lower-Limb Exoskeleton. IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems. DOI: 10.1109/TNNLS.2023.3263044
- Akkawutvanich, C. and Manoonpong, P., 2023. Personalized Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Gait Generation of a Lower-limb Exoskeleton. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics. DOI: 10.1109/TII.2023.3234619
- Chuthong, T., Homchanthanakul,J., Leung, B., Pewkliang, S. and Manoonpong, P., 2023. FreeLander: A Versatile, Modular, Multi-Legged Robot Platform for Complex Terrains, International Conference Series on Climbing and Walking Robots and the Support Technologies for Mobile Machines.
- Phodapol, S., Suthisomboon, T., Kosanunt, P., Vongasemjit, R., Janbanjong, P. and Manoonpong, P., 2021, December. Morphological Adaptation for Speed Control of Pipeline Inspection Gauges MC-PIG. In Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (p. D011S025R004). SPE.
- Manoonpong, P., Phodapol, S., Suthisomboon, T., Kosanunt, P., Kasemwarapach, T., Janbanjong, P. A Device for Moving in a Pipeline, Petty Patent Filing No: 2103002124, Filing Date: 30 July 2021. (Thai Patent Office), Petty Patent no.: 19768, Grant date.: May 31, 2022.
- Manoonpong, P., Srisuchinnawong, A., Phongaksorn, K., Ausrivong, W., Kosanant, P., Kasemwarapach, T. A Method and System for Controlling Motion of a Climbing Robot, Invention Patent, PCT International Application No. PCT/IB2021/060011, Filing Date: 29 October 2021.
- Manoonpong, P., Phongaksorn, K., Srisuchinnawong, A., Dilokthanakul, N., Kosanunt, P., Kasemwarapach, T. Surface Climbing Robot, Petty Patent Filing No: 2103002981, Filing Date: 12 October 2021. (Thai Patent Office).
- Manoonpong, P., Srisuchinnawong, A., Phongaksorn, K., Asawalertsak, N., Kosanunt, P., Kasemwarapach, T. Robot Foot Assembly Set, Petty Patent Filing No: 2103002850, Filing Date: 30 September 2021. (Thai Patent Office). (AVIS)
- Akkawutvanich, C., Manoonpong, P. Exoskeleton control system, Invention Patent Filing No: 2101004084, Filing Date: 09 July 2021. (Thai Patent Office).
- Manoonpong, P., Chuthong, T., Dilokthanakul,N., Tiraborisute, K., Homchanthanakul, J., Leung, B., Pewkliang, S. A Modular Multi-Legged Robot, Invention Patent Filing No: 2101003970, Filing Date: 30 June 2021. (Thai Patent Office).