Adaptive, high-performance and multifunctional façades are recognized as key contributors to the EU’s climate-neutral agenda, as outlined in Directive (EU) 2024/1275, the Renovation Wave, and Horizon Europe initiatives. These systems provide environmental control (daylight, shading), serve as an interface between indoor and outdoor environments and minimize reliance on heating, cooling and artificial lighting systems, enhancing energy efficiency and occupant comfort. In addressing this challenge, this paper presents the design and prototyping of three adaptive façade typologies aiming to combine a multifunctional role of controlling, redirecting and/or harvesting solar radiation. Designed through a performance-driven, integrated design methodology, aspects of morphology (system composition, geometrical characteristics), materiality and embedded actuation are discussed along with daylighting and irradiance analyses. To analyze their potential for visual comfort (daylight quality, glare, view to the outside) and solar harvesting, simulation studies were conducted for four distinct climatic conditions, corresponding to each case study using Climatestudio and Ladybug plug-ins for Grasshopper/Rhino 3D. Each façade is evaluated in its climatic context and the outcomes are synthesized through a cross-case comparative framework that links climate driver, performance objective, and actuation-feasible states. The first façade system uses a retroreflector’s geometry to redirect solar radiation back toward its source, potentially reducing short-wave radiative loading near the façade by redirecting incident radiation toward the sky, while cable-driven actuation allows multiple folded states. The second system reinterprets static folding geometries, the so-called “Hortenkachel” into a kinetic shading system of translucent panels. The third prototype introduces rectangular photovoltaic modules supported by a cable net and strut framework facilitating solar tracking. All case examples are based on lightweight construction principles and mechanical simplicity in their kinematics. Prototypes complement the simulation studies and provide proof-of-concept validation for the kinematic behaviour of the adaptive high-performance façade systems. The novelty lies in (i) extending retroreflective optics into a kinetically reconfigurable façade for controlled solar-radiation redirection near the façade, and (ii) extracting transferable design principles across three typologies that refer to morphology, control logic, and multi-criteria performance (daylight, glare, view, radiation/energy). The reported façade states, performance ranges, and prototype strategies provide an archival benchmark for early-stage adaptive multifunctional façade design.

By a cubic curve in SE ( 3 ) will be understood a frame motion expressed with the exponential map in terms of canonical (exponential) coordinates that are cubic in the path parameter. A cubic POE spline on SE ( 3 ) is a product of exponentials, each defined on a segment of the curve, where within each segment the curve is described by canonical coordinates that are cubic in the path parameter, and the spline satisfies second-order continuity conditions. Such POE splines were proposed several years ago. It is most obvious to assume that such a spline is able to at least exactly reconstruct a given cubic curve. In this paper, it is shown that this is not the case, however. It is further shown that this assumption holds true when the interpolated curve defines a one-parameter subgroup. An alternative formulation of the POE spline is proposed that does not suffer from this shortcoming.

Robotic handling of liquid-filled containers is limited by sloshing effects arising from internal excitation during accelerated motion. The resulting oscillations of the liquid-free surface not only constrain achievable transport speeds but may also compromise safety and process reliability. Also, in the case of transporting liquid metal the sloshing motion induces the formation of thin solidified layers along mold walls. Therefore, limiting or minimizing sloshing height is especially important when transporting molten metal. To mitigate this issue, an optimization based trajectory planning approach is utilized. The proposed approach consists of a path following part of the robotic system and while limiting the sloshing height considering the sloshing dynamics. The liquid dynamics is approximated using the well known spherical pendulum approach. This work focuses on following a spatial path with the robotic system, while for the container orientation two cases (i) a prescribed orientation with upright container and (ii) free orientation subject only to boundary conditions at the initial and terminal configuration, are viewed. These cases are evaluated on the real system and the simulation results are compared with measurements of the sloshing height. The comparison shows, that the spherical pendulum approach is also applicable to tilted containers. Furthermore, allowing free orientation resulted in a reduced process time, in contrast to prescribed orientation.

Removing sand residues from internal cavities of cast components poses significant challenges in manufacturing, particularly when access is limited to small openings. This paper presents a reinforcement learning-based approach for robot trajectory optimization to efficiently empty sand from enclosed casting geometries. We employ Proximal Policy Optimization in a simulation environment including sand particles to learn a joint-level control policy for a UR10 manipulator. The learned policy achieves excellent performance in terms of sand removal while respecting joint limits and avoiding self-collisions. Resulting position trajectories demonstrate that the policy discovers effective shaking motions with periodic patterns optimized for the specific casting geometry.

Dual-arm space robots, offering superior dexterity and enhanced target manipulation abilities compared to their single-arm counterparts, represent a critical technology for advanced on-orbit operations including the construction and maintenance of large-scale structures. However, their application is hindered by two key challenges: (1) strong dynamic coupling between the base and robotic arms, which is often compounded by significant variations in inertial properties; and (2) complex physical constraints, including limits on internal wrenches at the grasping points and geometrical constraints for self-collision avoidance. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a robust, real-time, task-prioritized control framework based on Hierarchical Quadratic Programming. The framework integrates an efficient neural network model to provide differentiable distance predictions, facilitating the linearization of collision constraints within a two-level structure that strictly prioritizes safety. Additionally, an online error correction mechanism is developed to counteract error accumulation and disturbances. Numerical simulations substantiate the framework's superior computational efficiency and tracking precision, demonstrating a 1 kHz real-time control frequency with median errors of approximately 2 x 10-3 m/rad. Furthermore, the framework exhibits exceptional robustness against diverse trajectories and large variations in system inertial properties.

The Lie group of isometric orientation-preserving transformation is used for modeling multibody systems, robots, and Cosserat continua. The use of these models in numerical simulation and optimization schemes necessitates the exponential map, its right-trivialized differential (often referred to as the tangent operator), as well as higher derivatives in closed form. The matrix representation of the differential, , and its first derivative were reported using a block partitioning. In this paper, the differential, its first and second derivative, as well as the Jacobian and Hessian of the evaluation maps, and , are reported avoiding the block partitioning. For all of them, higher-order approximations are derived. Besides the compactness, the advantage of the presented closed-form relations is their numerical robustness when combined with the local approximation. The formulations are demonstrated for computation of the deformation field and the strain rates of an elastic Cosserat-Simo-Reissner rod.

Complete, physically consistent dynamics parameters are required for forward dynamics simulation and model-based control methods that explicitly use a separated generalized mass matrix. Complete dynamics parameters are not provided by the manufacturer. The available CAD models contain neither closed surfaces (and thus no volumetric information) nor density information from which the required mass properties could be determined reliably. This paper reports complete reference parameter sets for the Universal Robots UR5e and UR10e using an established physically consistent identification approach. To obtain representative results, two UR5e and four UR10e robots are identified, and both robot-specific and averaged parameter sets are reported. The identified inertia parameters agree well among the robots, whereas the friction parameters vary. For the evaluated UR10e trajectory, the torque differences between the robot-specific and averaged models remain within approximately 5% of the maximum joint torques, supporting the use of the averaged sets as nominal reference parameters. A forward dynamics simulation further demonstrates the use of the complete parameter sets in model-based control. For the evaluated slow pick-and-place motion, the Coriolis and centrifugal torque contributions are sufficiently small to be neglected. The computational benefit is assessed separately: omitting these terms reduces the mean model evaluation time from 8.9 μs to 3.3 μs per sample. Although the averaged parameter sets provide useful nominal models, robot-specific friction identification may still be required depending on the specific task. Practical details relevant to reproducing the identification are also discussed. This paper should serve the robotics community as a reliable and representative reference for physically consistent dynamics parameters of the UR5e and UR10e robots.

Elastic lightweight manipulators offer multiple benefits but suffer from increased structural flexibility, making them susceptible to vibrations and thus requiring dedicated control concepts for vibration suppression. Based on a lumped element model formulation, a method called elastic structure preserving (ESP) control is used for additional damping injection, while using standard PD motor position control. The control method is applied for the first time to a flexible link robot by combining it with a link-side IMU-based observer. It is demonstrated in an industrial context using a standard controller setup, enabling straightforward implementation on existing industrial robots. The novel ESP method is further compared to a flatness-based control approach and to standard PD motor control. Particular aspects of controller tuning are discussed. Both theoretical analysis and experimental evaluations are conducted to address trajectory tracking behavior, disturbance rejection, and robustness to model parameter uncertainties. Results based on end effector accelerations show that ESP achieves superior vibration damping, demonstrating its effectiveness for industrial lightweight robots.

This work presents a transient heat-transfer model of an industrial automated tape laying (ATL) process designed to overcome the limitations of conventional thermal models in composite manufacturing. The model solves the heat-conduction equation with coupled advection, conduction, convection, and radiation. A key innovation is the implementation of an analytical view factor approach that accounts for finite emitter and tape widths, thereby correcting systematic overestimations of radiative heat flux inherent in 1.5D simplifications. Furthermore, a local convection assessment incorporates mixed convection effects characterized by the Richardson number, ensuring accuracy across a wide range of process speeds. The ATL system is represented by two interacting subsystems: the moving tape substrate and the infrared heat sources. The tape is discretized using a two-node model that resolves the physical phase shift between the heated and monitored surfaces. Numerical stability under high dynamics is ensured by a monolithic solution strategy using a high-order implicit integration scheme. Model predictions were validated on an industrial ATL line, demonstrating an overall deviation of only 1.08% (NRMSE) under rapid velocity and current modulations. This framework provides a high-fidelity, physics-based foundation for thermal state estimation, supporting consistent in-situ consolidation and improved part quality.

Introduction: Ensuring a safe and healthy work environment remains a priority across industries, yet employees often perceive workplace hazards differently than standardized measurements suggest. This study investigates whether objective and subjective assessments of the work environment align, diverge, or complement each other in a practice setting. Method: Objective data was obtained from 472 safety protocols from high-risk settings in the manufacturing sector covering noise, thermal environment, lighting, and ergonomic factors, spanning 1,285 employees. Subjective perceptions were collected via surveys completed by 547 employees, capturing self-reported exposure and job satisfaction. Job satisfaction captures overall work evaluation, reflecting both objective and subjective workplace factors. Distance-based statistics, including canonical correlation analysis, multidimensional scaling, and multiple regression, were applied to compare the two assessment approaches and explore their association with job satisfaction. Results: Objective and subjective assessments showed a moderate overall correlation, yet the two approaches capture different facets of the work environment. Multidimensional scaling indicated that the hazards clustered largely by assessment approach or hazard type, suggesting each method illuminates distinct facets of the work environment. Moreover, incorporating both objective and subjective data explained more variance in job satisfaction than either approach alone, indicating complementarity in capturing employees’ work experiences. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that relying solely on objective assessments may not capture the entire spectrum of environmental hazards. Subjective assessments offer a complementary perspective that standardized measurements miss. When combined, both approaches provide a more holistic view of hazard potential and its relationship to employee outcomes. These insights underscore the importance of embedding employee perceptions into risk assessment practices and work design strategies. Practical Applications: Practitioners should consider supplementing objective measurements with employee self-reports to capture the multifaceted nature of hazards. This combined strategy can better pinpoint high-impact areas for intervention, thereby enhancing both risk mitigation and worker well-being.

This paper addresses the open problem of partial differential equation (PDE)-based dynamic modeling for flexible multibody robotic systems by presenting a screw-theoretic synthesis methodology-developed within a unified Lie-algebraic framework-for serial flexible manipulators with an arbitrary number of links in three-dimensional motion. The proposed approach expresses all dynamic states — rigid-body motion, elastic deformation, and inter-link interaction forces — uniformly within the screw theoretic structure as body-fixed twists and their dual wrenches, treating all physical components consistently within the same geometric framework. Hence, the PDE structure of the deformation field is retained exactly, while the se(3) representation admits the linear-algebraic formulation required for multibody assembly and formal well-posedness analysis. Building on a previously developed single-link screw-theoretic PDE model, joint constraints are enforced as screw-compatibility equations connecting the twist and wrench fields of adjacent links at their connection points, and the per-link models are assembled via a closed-form linear-algebraic stacking procedure. The resulting system matrix exhibits near-tridiagonal block structure, interaction wrenches appear explicitly as algebraic variables, and adding a link requires only appending block rows — making the synthesis automatable for arbitrary $n$. The assembled system is formulated as a semi-explicit index-1 differential-algebraic equation, and well-posedness is established by recasting it in abstract Cauchy form through modal projection. Presented solutions are validated experimentally on a two-link flexible manipulator in three-dimensional motion, confirming implementability and physical consistency. Mathematics Subject Classification (2020) 74Kxx · 74H45 · 70E60

Over the last years collaborative robots have gained great success in manufacturing applications where human and robot work together in close proximity. However, current ISO/TS-15066-compliant implementations often limit the efficiency of collaborative tasks due to conservative speed restrictions. For this reason, this paper introduces a deep-learning-based human–robot–safety framework (HRSF) that aims at a dynamical adaptation of robot velocities depending on the separation distance between human and robot while respecting maximum biomechanical force and pressure limits. The applicability of the framework was investigated for four different deep learning approaches that can be used for human body extraction: human body recognition, human body segmentation, human pose estimation, and human body part segmentation. Unlike conventional industrial safety systems, the proposed HRSF differentiates individual human body parts from other objects, enabling optimized robot process execution. Experiments demonstrated a quantitative reduction in cycle time of up to 15% compared to conventional safety technology.

The increased complexity of vehicle testing can be attributed to the rapid development of technical advancements within the automotive industry, thereby prolonging the time to market of a product. The process of allocating and coordinating vehicle tests at proving grounds (PGs) is a complex and time-consuming task. Currently, this process is still performed manually, which is inefficient. This study proposes a methodology for assigning scenarios to designated sites, taking into account travel aspects between locations and fulfilling participant requirements. The allocation procedure is formulated as an Open Job Shop Scheduling problem with temporal synchronisation and skill matching, and is solved by the Constraint Programming tool Google OR-Tools. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated by its ability to generate a close-to-optimal schedule to fulfil customer requests. Case studies demonstrate that a combination of two distinct objectives are essential to meet the demands of compactness and time efficiency. The findings of this study provide a solid foundation for enhancing automation at a PG, thereby improving efficiency and optimising testing processes.

BackgroundSupervisor-subordinate relationship is high relevant in dealing with work-related stress and providing a compassionate, high-quality, and safe nursing care while meeting the needs of the hospital. Our aim was to assess the predisposing risk and resilience factors of the stress of nursing staff as well as to explore the common and distinctive perceptions of these factors between nurses without a managerial position (nursing staff) and employees in a supervising position (nurse managers, ward nurses).DesignGeneric qualitative study using half-standardized interviews.MethodsFifty nurses and supervisors from different departments from a German hospital of maximum medical care participated in this study between August and November 2018. Nineteen face-to-face interviews and five focus groups were conducted. Transcripts were subjected to structured qualitative content analysis.ResultsSystematised in Lazarus's transactional model, nurses, and supervisors mentioned similar risk and resilience factors of stress. Disagreement in suggested responsibility for nurses' stress or health and an evaluation of implemented measures meeting the nurses' needs are discussed.ConclusionNursing staff and supervisors should enforce exchange to reduce disagreements in perceptions and to improve mutual understanding. Furthermore, measures to meet nurses' needs to minimize stress and to improve collaboration and job satisfaction should be developed in close coordination with the target group. The focus should be placed on restructuring training and education programs with supplementation of self-responsibility promotion.Trail registrationThe study was registered with the German Register for Clinical Studies (DRKS 00013482) on 09 March 2018.

Existing methods for constructing splines and Bezier curves on a Lie group G involve repeated products of exponentials deduced from local geodesics, w.r.t. a Riemannian metric, or rely on general polynomials. Moreover, each of these local curves is supposed to start at the identity of G. Both assumptions may not reflect the actual curve to be interpolated. This paper pursues a different approach to construct splines on G. Local curves are expressed as solutions of the Poisson equation on G. Therewith, the local interpolations satisfies the boundary conditions while respecting the geometry of G. A kth-order approximation of the solutions gives rise to a kth-order product of exponential (POE) spline. Algorithms for constructing 3rd- and 4th-order splines are derived from closed form expressions for the approximate solutions. Additionally, spline algorithms are introduced that allow prescribing a vector field the curve must follow at the interpolation points. It is shown that the established algorithms, where kth-order POE-splines are constructed by concatenating local curves starting at the identity, cannot exactly reconstruct a kth-order motion. To tackle this issue, the formulations are extended by allowing for local curves between arbitrary points, rather than curves emanating from the identity. This gives rise to a global kth-order spline with arbitrary initial conditions. Several examples are presented, in particular the shape reconstruction of slender rods modeled as geometrically non-linear Cosserat rods.