未来，工人和机器人将会越来越紧密地合作。出于这个原因，Festo･一直在深入研究一些系统，例如，可以让人们减少单调或危险活动同时不会带来任何风险的系统。人工智能在这里起着核心作用。

･模块化辅助系统

Festo･与苏黎世联邦理工学院合作开发了･BionicMobileAssistant，它由三个子系统组成：一个移动机器人、一个电动机器臂和･BionicSoftHand･2.0。气动抓手受人手启发，是･2019･款･BionicSoftHand･的升级版。

DynaArm：具有高功率密度的动态机器臂

有了电动机器臂･DynaArm，便可实现快速、动态的运动。这是由其轻量化设计保证的，高度集成式驱动器模块仅重･1･千克。在这些所谓的･DynaDrive･中，电机、减速机、电机控制电子设备和传感器安装在非常小的空间内。此外，机器臂具有高功率密度，在･60･牛米的驱动扭矩下为･1･千瓦，远远超过传统工业机器人。

借助基于模型的力控制和补偿动态效应的控制算法，机器臂可以很好地对外部影响作出反应，从而非常灵敏地与环境互动。它由球轮机器人通过･EtherCAT･通信总线进行控制。得益于模块化设计，DynaArm･可快速投入运行并易于维护。

球轮机器人：带特殊驱动器的移动机器人应用

球轮机器人基于一个复杂的驱动技术：它在一个由三个全向轮驱动的球上保持平衡。这使得･BionicMobileAssistant･可以向任何方向移动。机器人一次只能以一点式接触地面，因此可以导航通过狭窄的通道。为了保持平衡，它必须不断运动。运动的规划和协调是通过存储在球轮机器人体内的强大计算机上的规划和控制算法来实现的。

机器人的稳定性完全是动态实现的——在受到外部影响的情况下，球轮机器人可以快速让球旋转，从而保持平衡。它通过惯量测量单元装置和车轮上的位置编码器，记录其运动和系统的相对倾斜度。基于这些数据，优化程序可以计算机器人和手臂必须如何移动才能将手带到目标位置，同时稳定机器人。

The fingers of the pneumatic robot hand consist of flexible bellows structures with air chambers, covered by a firm and at the same time pliable textile knit. This makes the hand light, flexible, adaptable and sensitive, yet capable of exerting strong forces. As with the BionicSoftHand from 2019, the pneumatic fingers are also controlled via a compact valve terminal with piezo valves, which is mounted directly on the hand.

Finely tuned gripper with fingertip sensitivity

The hand wears a glove with tactile force sensors on the fingertips, the palm and the outside of the robot hand. This allows them to feel how hard the object to be gripped is and how well it fits in the hand, and adapt their gripping force to the object in question – just like we humans do. In addition, a depth camera is located on the inside of the wrist for visual object detection.

Object detection by means of a neural network

With the help of the camera images, the robot hand can recognize and grip various objects, even if they are partially covered. After appropriate training, the hand can also assess the objects on the basis of the recorded data and thus distinguish good from bad, for example. The information is processed by the neural network, which was trained in advance using data augmentation.

Extensive data sets through data augmentation

In order to achieve the best possible results, the neural network needs a lot of information with which it can orient itself. This means the more training images are available to it, the more reliable it becomes. Since this is usually time-consuming, automatic augmentation of the database is a good idea.

This procedure is called data augmentation. By marginally modifying a few source images – for example, with different backgrounds, lighting conditions or viewing angles – and duplicating them, the system obtains a comprehensive data set with which it can work independently.

Mobile use at changing locations

The system has its entire power supply on board: the battery for the arm and robot sits inside the body. The compressed air cartridge for the pneumatic hand is installed in the upper arm. This means that the robot is not only mobile, it can also move autonomously.

The algorithms stored on the master computer also control the autonomous movements of the system. With a view to the future, they plan how the arm and the ball must move in order to reach certain target points while maintaining balance. With the help of two cameras, the robot orients itself independently in space: one camera searches for predefined fixed points in the environment to position itself autonomously, while a second camera uses the ceiling structure to estimate movement.

Its mobility and autonomous energy supply enable the BionicMobileAssistant to be used flexibly for different tasks at changing locations – in line with the constantly changing production environment.

Versatile application possibilities

The system would be predestined for use as a direct assistant to humans, for example as a service robot, as a helping hand in assembly or to support workers in ergonomically stressful or monotonous work. It could also be used in environments where people cannot work, for example due to hazards or limited accessibility.

Hand in hand with humans

Thanks to its modular concept, the BionicSoftHand 2.0 can also be quickly mounted and commissioned on other robot arms. Combined with the BionicCobot or the BionicSoftArm, the gripper forms, for example, a completely pneumatic robot system that can work hand in hand with humans due to its inherent flexibility.