The pursuit of reliable mobile robot autonomy continues to hinge on the nuanced configuration of its navigation subsystems. Within the widely adopted Robot Operating System (ROS), the layered costmap serves as the critical environmental representation, yet its numerous parameters are notoriously difficult to tune by hand. This empirical struggle often leads to deployments that are either overly cautious or dangerously optimistic. Our investigation focuses on demystifying this process through a structured analysis of two pivotal parameters, the inflation radius and the robot radius. We conducted a series of simulated navigation trials using the Hiwonder JetAcker platform in ROS Noetic, meticulously measuring outcomes related to path success, efficiency, and adherence to safety margins. These simulation findings were then cautiously validated through a set of targeted hardware experiments. Our results demonstrate that empirically best-performing inflation radius of 0.3 m for the Hiwonder JetAcker platform reduces failure rates in constrained spaces by 40% compared to the conventional default of 0.6 m. Furthermore, our work quantifies the gap between simulated and real-world navigation. The resulting framework offers practitioners a more informed methodology for systematic parameter tuning and underscores the non-trivial consequences of seemingly minor configuration changes.

The robotic complex “StarGate” was created in response to a request to design and deliver a device for the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) V1 in Jaslovské Bohunice for the fragmentation of 12 steam generators. To meet the NPP’s requirements, a transdisciplinary team was assembled, consisting of experts in robotics, cybernetics, machining technologies, materials research, and nuclear energy. The synergy of specialists from all these key fields led to a unique solution with parameters and features that are beyond the current state of the art. The main differentiating parameters compared to the state of the art are as follows: Higher production efficiency and work productivity, comparable even to flame cutting (cutting speed of 1.7 mm/s with a wall thickness of 140 mm). The complete fragmentation of a single steam generator (140 tons) took 45 days. A higher level of process automation and intelligent optimization. Minimal radiation exposure for workers. Minimal aerosol generation and reduced spread of contamination to the surrounding environment. Shorter fragmentation time, thereby reducing overall costs (The complete fragmentation of a single steam generator (140 tons) took 45 days). According to today’s data, there are almost 100 steam generators in the world awaiting fragmentation and further processing (IAEA).

This Special Issue was initiated to reflect how digital technologies, data, and intelligence are reshaping mechanical engineering and production systems across the entire product life cycle [...]

This article describes a procedure for enhancing computational accuracy in MATLAB’s Simulink and Simscape environments, as illustrated through specific example cases. It builds on earlier published by the authors’ team, which demonstrated the practical application of the Simscape Multibody tool—originally designed for dynamic and kinematic analyses—for making static computations in truss systems. Simscape Multibody serves as an effective platform for realistic and simplified simulations of mechanical components, incorporating various mechanical properties. Consequently, it is valuable in simulating mechatronic systems, where the integration of mechanics, electronics, control systems, and information technologies is essential. Multiple models were tested and analyzed across different scenarios to facilitate a comparative assessment of the results. The significance of this work lies in its achievement of highly accurate computational results without relying purely on theoretical calculations, with superior values in terms of accuracy. The primary objective was to provide a clear and practical description of a simple procedure for improving computational accuracy, based on scaling.

The article deals with the issues of modification and optimization of the manipulation process using a collaborative robot Fanuc in the RobotGuide environment. The collaborative robot is equipped with a combined effector containing two double-jaw pneumatic grippers and a vacuum effector. The robot performs the manipulation process based on the selection via the operating touch panel, where it is possible to choose from eight options. The workplace uses a working area of 1500x1300 mm. By implementing the optimization of the robotic cell, a reduction in working time by more than 20% was achieved.

This article presents the design of a four-wheeled mobile platform for a special service robot, intended to clean contaminated areas in the hot gas chamber of a nuclear power plant reactor. The reactor, KS-150, was part of Czechoslovakia's early nuclear energy development and encountered two significant accidents, leading to its decommissioning. Decommissioning efforts now require the removal of contaminated deposits from the reactor's hot gas chamber, a challenging task due to restricted access and radiation levels. The proposed solution involves using a mobile service robot to replace human workers in hazardous conditions, ensuring safety and efficiency. Five chassis designs were evaluated based on criteria such as energy consumption, structural com-plexity, contamination risk, and maneuverability. The selected design is a four-wheeled chassis with two steered wheels. The robot's mobility subsystem is a fundamental part of the overall design, supporting various attachments, including a robotic arm, a front brush, and a detachable container for waste removal. The design offers a robust and efficient solution for cleaning contaminated environments, contributing to safer decommissioning processes in nuclear facilities.

The present paper focuses on the practical application of software tools for calculating and verifying trusses systems. It covers externally and internally statically indeterminate trusses systems and compares results from two software tools. The MATLAB Simscape – Multibody simulation tool, specially designed for mechanical systems, is utilized to calculate the trusses system. The model is optimized to minimize errors compared to theoretical calculations. By using blocks, it is possible to build a system, including repeating parts quickly.

The article deals with the issue of verification of selected geometric characteristics of a special robot intended for the nuclear industry. The design of the robot is specific in that the robot works in both semi-automatic and manual mode. This leads to frequent collisions of some parts of the robot with fragmented equipment. Therefore, it was necessary to ensure the accuracy and repeatability of the robot after its production and during its operation. Verification of the parameters of the robot after one year of operation was carried out in the controlled zone of the nuclear power plant, which was specific due to the presence of ionizing radiation. The methodology, technique and method of verification had to be adapted to this.

A removal system for Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) equipped with a modular robotic arm designed for hazardous and unstructured environments is presented. The system is based on commercially available solution that enables the manipulation of objects and removal of obstacles in complex terrains, such as disaster zones, battlefields, and industrial sites. The operational environment, teleoperation capabilities, and associated challenges are thoroughly addressed. Recent developments in All Terrain Vehicle-based unmanned platforms are discussed, demonstrating their suitability for rapid and versatile implementation in special-purpose missions. A model of an unmanned platform with an integrated robotic arm is proposed to enhance the existing range of medium-sized UGVs. The system configuration tailored for special-purpose missions is outlined, and kinematic parameters, along with stress tests, are provided to confirm its high adaptability to a diverse range of operational scenarios.

This paper presents the development and validation of a cost-efficient and uncomplicated real-time localization system (RTLS) for use in mobile robotics, specifically within indoor and storage environments. By harnessing ultrasonic waves to measure distances from three beacons, the system provides stable and reliable localization. This method utilizes the time-of-flight (TOF) principle, allowing for accurate distance calculations with simple microcontrollers. The system is designed to update the robot’s position at a frequency of at least 10 times per second, ensuring smooth navigation. Our trilateration-based approach allows for the precise determination of the robot’s position with a notable standard deviation accuracy of up to 15 mm. The aim was to design a simple yet sufficiently accurate system and verify its precision through experimental measurements. The experimental results demonstrate the system’s efficacy and lay a solid foundation for advancing this technology. Furthermore, the cost for the components required to build this indoor localization system (ILS) with three beacons and one tag is remarkably low, under EUR 80.

This article discusses the software tool (Simscape—Multibody program of MATLAB) primarily intended for dynamic and kinematic processes with practical applications in static calculations. Currently, there are few published scientific works utilizing this tool for tasks like basic static calculations of truss systems. We were interested in comparing the calculation using the tools we use in our work and research activities for theoretical calculation; the potential reliance on simulations in the future could help to avoid the necessity of complex theoretical calculations, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors. Despite the fact that the structure may appear simple, in practice, there may not always be time for a verification calculation in the theoretical field (proper model creation, inclusion of all conditions, etc.). The beam system is intentionally both externally and internally statically indeterminate. For this reason, it is logically necessary to also consider deformation conditions. The achieved results were interesting in terms of accuracy compared to SOLIDWORKS, which was used for computation verification. Through very simple optimization, we were able to further increase the calculation accuracy without complicating other parameters.

This study describes the design of an experimental methodology developed to measure the working properties of the accuracy of the path traversed by a collaborative robot. The methodology proposed here uses a collaborative robot and a laser measuring system Gepard from Raytec. The main parts of the measuring chain and the ISO 9283 standard are described. The proposed experimental methodology should examine the working properties of industrial robots, such as position and path. The focus of this study lies in the path accuracy of robots. Currently, interest in this topic is on the rise, and the measuring systems capable of recording this parameter are too costly. This study focuses on the experimental measuring of the path properties, describing them in more detail. The measuring and results were processed in the software tool developed for Gepard.

Technical solutions based on biological models are the subject of research by a wide range of experts and mainly concern their mechanical use. When designing a suitable actuator, they use the physical methods of biological representatives, of which a large group consists of actuators generally referred to as artificial muscles, while another group uses compressed air as an energy carrier. In order to perform the measurements described in this article, a test mechanism based on the opposing arrangement of a pair of pneumatic muscles was constructed. Measurements on the test mechanism were made at set constant pressures in the range of 0.4 MPa to 0.6 MPa, while at each pressure, measurements were made for the counterload range from 0 N to 107.87 N. The measured values were recorded using a microcontroller and subsequently processed into graphic outputs. As part of the measurements, a comparative measurement of the same opposite arrangement of a pair of linear double-acting pneumatic actuators with a single-sided piston rod was also performed. The experiment and measurements were carried out in order to determine the suitability of using pneumatic artificial muscles in the selected arrangement for the implementation of a mechanism imitating the human arm. The target parameters of the experiment were the reaction speed of the course of force when filling the muscle under load and the reaction of the mechanism to a change in the set pressure in the pneumatic system. The summary of the comparison of the measured results is the content of the discussion in this article.

This paper addresses the issue of the verification and comparison of the selected properties of a newly developed electric actuator. This actuator is intended to act as the drive of a walking robot designed for robotic football. Its envisioned placement is inside the robot’s knee joint and in its upper part. An integral part of the actuator is a harmonic precision gearbox and an absolute rotation sensor. The prototype of the newly developed actuator consists of both aluminum and 3D-printed parts. The selected parameters were verified according to the selected characteristics of ISO standard 9283, namely a one-directional pose accuracy and repeatable pose accuracy. The obtained data were compared with those of the standard actuator used thus far in constructing robots for robotic football. The implemented verification is based on the need to improve the performance parameters of the actuator while ensuring the sufficient accuracy of stopping the actuator in the required position. This is ensured by the use of a more accurate harmonic reducer and rotation sensor compared to the standard actuator.

The article deals with the design of a gripper for a manipulator. The use of a shape memory alloy actuator, which is excited by heating by means of an electric current, is proposed for driving the gripper jaws. Variant solutions of the gripper kinematics and the final design of the gripper arrangement are solved. A gripper kinematics simulation is created to find a suitable gripper geometry.

Robotic football with humanoid robots is a multidisciplinary field connecting several scientific fields. A challenging task in the design of a humanoid robot for the AndroSot and HuroCup competitions is the realization of movement on the field. This study aims to determine a walking pattern for a humanoid robot with an impact on its dynamic stability and behavior. The design of the proposed technical concept depends on its stability management mechanism, walking speed and such factors as the chosen stability approaches. The humanoid robot and its versatility, along with the adaptability of the terrain, are somewhat limited due to the complexity of the walking principle and the control of the robot’s movement itself. The technical concept uses dynamic stability as the potential force of the inertial bodies and their parts so that the humanoid robot does not overturn. The total height of the robot according to the rules of the competition will be 50 cm. In the performed experiment, only the lower part of the humanoid robot with added weight was considered, which is more demanding due to the non-use of the upper limbs for stabilization. The performed experiment verified the correctness of the design, where the torso of the robot performed eight steps in inclinations of a roll angle +4/−2° and a pitch angle +4/−6°.

The paper deals with the proposed concept of a biped robot with vertical stabilization of the robot’s base and minimization of its sideways oscillations. This robot uses 6 actuators, which gives good preconditions for energy balance compared to purely articulated bipedal robots. In addition, the used linear actuator is self-locking, so no additional energy is required for braking or to keep it in a stable position. The direct and inverse kinematics problems are solved by means of a kinematic model of the robot. Furthermore, the task is aided by a solution for locomotion on an inclined plane. Special attention is focused on the position of the robot’s center of gravity and its stability in motion. The results of the simulation confirm that the proposed concept meets all expectations. This robot can be used as a mechatronic assistant or as a carrier for handling extensions.

The article deals with the methodology of verification of mechanical and electronic torque gauges. Legislative metrological requirements are set for these gauges and the verification process for these types of gauges is also set. The working standard is used to verify two selected torque gauges and then the suitability of these gauges is assessed. Measurement uncertainties are identified to determine the reliability of the measurement process.

Although some authors realized various measurement techniques and relevant standards in the experimental verification, the existing contributions still did not mention more complex automated workplaces with industrial robotic arm participation. To solve this, we provide a different view of the interconnection between individual devices (positioner, robot, etc.) controlled by third-party methods (Siemens products). Also, to obtain the necessary effectiveness, we tested and verified selected accuracy parameters for the participating device component (positioner). The proposed work tries to fulfill expectations for a precise welding technology (to ensure simultaneous movements of both the industrial robotic arm and positioner) to achieve higher quality and productivity. However, the components are from different manufacturers.

In this paper, we investigated the effect of the incidence angle of a laser ray on the reflected laser intensity. A dataset on this dependence is presented for materials usually used in the industry, such as transparent and non-transparent plastics and aluminum alloys with different surface roughness. The measurements have been performed with a laser line triangulation sensor and a UR10e robot. The presented results are proposing where to place the sensor relative to the scanned object, thus increasing the reliability of the sensor data collection.