Robotic Fabric Handling

Motivation:

Problems:

• Detect the fabric position and shape
• Grab the fabric
• Move fabric and put it on a stack without wrinkling

Tasks:

• Control of the robot (Puma 560 robot): Setting up a newflexible control system using a PC with the real-time operating systemQNX. Integrating force/torque sensors, toolchangers and grippers in thissystem. Interfacing to the RCCL/RCI robot control library running on aUNIX system.
• Develop a computer vision system to detect the fabric
• Design or select a kind of a gripper that is able topick up the fabric
• Study the dynamics of the fabric parts and develop atechnique to put the fabrics on the stack without wrinkling and/or findtechniques to detect and correct wrinkles

Robotics/Puma Links:

• Toolchangers and Force/Torque Sensors: ATIIndustrial Automation Home Page
• Puma Info and Controlling Pumas from a PC with TRC boards: RichardVoyles' PUMA Page
• End Effectors and Robotic Tooling: EOASystems
• The Puma at AdvanceResearch & Robotics
• Online Documentationand Puma560 Users Manual at AutomatedSystems Laboratory
• PeterCorke's Homepage
• Using Pumas: Roboticsclass at Wilkes University
• Kinematics and Dynamics: Off-LineRobot Programming and Simulation

Computer Vision Links:

• ReconstructionHome Page
• ComputerVision Home Page

Textile Links:

• NationalTextile Center University Research Consortium
• Clemson ApparelResearch