LOCOMACHS (LOw COst Manufacturing and Assembly of Composite and Hybrid Structures) is a collaborative research and development project coordinated by SAAB AB, gathering 31 partners including the European key players in the aircraft industry.

Faster and more cost efficient assembly of composite structural parts is a key enabler to high rate production. The LOCOMACHS objectives are to combine existing and innovative technologies to remove non-added value operations, which are time consuming and induce recurring costs, within composite production lines.

LOCOMACHS is supported by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme, grant number 314003.

Source: http://www.locomachs.eu/.

The goal of the AIRobots project is to develop a new generation of aerial service robots capable to support human beings in all those activities which require the ability to interact actively and safely with environments not constrained on ground but, indeed, freely in air. The step forward with respect to the "classical" field of aerial robotics is to realize aerial vehicles able to accomplish a large variety of applications, such as inspection of buildings and large infrastructures, sample picking, aerial remote manipulation, etc.

The starting point is an aerial platform whose aeromechanical configuration allows the vehicle to interact with the environment in a non-destructive way and to hover close to operating points. Rotary-wing aerial vehicles with shrouded propellers represent the basic airframes which will be then equipped with appropriate robotic end-effectors and sensors in order to transform the aerial platform into an aerial service robot, a system able to fly and to achieve robotic tasks.

Advanced automatic control algorithms will be conceived to govern the aerial platform which will be remotely supervised by the operator with the use of haptic devices. Particular emphasis will be given to develop advanced human-in-the-loop and autonomous navigation control strategies relying upon a cooperative and adaptive interaction between the on-board automatic control and the remote operator. Force and visual feedback strategies will be investigated in order to transform the aerial platform in a "flying hand" suitable for aerial manipulation.

Source: http://airobots.dei.unibo.it/.

In the framework of the research problems related to the adoption of multi-robot cooperative and collaborative systems, this research program is aimed at achieving significant advancements in the field of the control of such systems.

Final purposes of the Project: Among the biggest challenges facing robotics in the near future are those of cooperation robotics (multiple robots cooperating to perform a task) and collaborative robotics (robots and men who must work together to perform a task). The introduction of the automation in small and medium enterprises, strongly characterizing the Italian industrial structure in particular in the Southern part of the country, is made difficult by the actual conception of the work cells. In fact, they usually are quite complex from a mechanical point of view, are not easy to be reconfigured and are expensive. Therefore, these work cells are mainly employed in the presence of high volumes of production, that can justify conspicuous investments of money and time: it is not unusual that setting up a painting cell for cars can take several days, hence the cell becomes convenient only if it will work for a long period of time in the same condition. On the other hand, in the world of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) processing of type "craft" on small volumes (to the limit, even on individual pieces) are often required These cells shall be based on the use of robot manipulators of anthropomorphic type (similar to the human arms) for the execution of the operations: in fact, since they have to replace the skilled worker or the craftsman, the anthropomorphic robots may provide the required dexterity. Moreover, it may be necessary to use more than one anthropomorphic robot working together: in lieu of having a high structured cell, two or more cooperating robots may be employed to execute the task. For example, one robot may pick and hold the work piece, eventually continuously changing its orientation, so that one other robot may execute some process on the piece in the best operational conditions. Usually, the work cell must be endowed with storage systems for intermediate and finished work pieces, so that to be decoupled from the other elements of the production process. It is often necessary that the human operator is in the workspace and thus a safe interaction of the robot(s) with man is mandatory. Task repartition between man and robot could improve productivity of the workcell: each of them, man or robot, does what he/it better does. The research issues to be developed in this field are different and of relevant scientific weight; they require specific competences concerning multi-robot systems, manipulation, interaction with the environment, control of discrete-event systems, sensor-based control. This requires the participation of a conspicuous number of researchers with strong and complementary scientific backgrounds in the various fields of interest. he research activity in this direction will create synergic efforts able to achieve an effective integration of the results, rather than a generic collection. The main objective of the research is the harmonization of the scientific and technical aspects that are already known to the participants, to evidence new aspects and to achieve, with respect to the state of the art, relevant advances with significant applications. Particular emphasis will be put on the experimental activities that should guarantee that the achieved scientific results will be also applicable in an industrial environment. The project deals with the development of new methodologies and technologies, with experimental validation, for cooperative and collaborative multi-arm systems. A network of the involved laboratories will be set up, using also the new technologies of communication networks, that could remain active also after the conclusion of the present project to build a network of excellence on this field. The dissemination of the theoretical and experimental results will be achieved through scientific and technical papers, and the development of experimental setups. The objectives of the research project are: the development of control solutions for multiple robotic systems in tight cooperation, also with human beings eventually to execute different task; the development of supervisory control solutions for the whole cell including the cooperative robots, an automatic warehouse system and other devices. The project will focus on industrial tasks that require explicit physical contact and exchange of forces between the robot and /or between robots and humans. The interaction between humans and robots for purposes other than manufacturing, for example, assisted physical rehabilitation, will not be neglected. The research topics have been articulated into Workpackages including all the required scientific and technical competencies. They are:

• control of multiple manipulator systems in close cooperation to perform machining tasks;
• control of collaborative manipulators, in close interaction with humans;
• coordination of multi-robot systems;
• development of sensors for multi-robot cooperative and collaborative systems;
• experiments on prototype structures.

ECHORD (European Clearing House for Open Robotics Development) is a new EU-funded project aiming to strengthen the cooperation between scientific research and industry in robotics. ECHORD is coordinated by Professor Knoll, Technical University of Munich. The project's international orientation and its positioning in the existing robotics landscape are emphasized by the participation of the University of Naples Federico II (Prof. Siciliano) and the University of Coimbra in Portugal (Prof. Pires). Europe has a very strong robot industry and there is significant research potential as well as technological knowledge. There has been a long history of outstanding research and development in both robot manufacturers and research institutes. However, finding common ground between manufacturers and the research community, especially when it comes to defining the future direction of robotics research, has proven ifficult in the past. This is one of the recurring themes on both sides, and a new level of cooperation is long overdue. Thus, ECHORD will act as a "clearing house" to streamline successful know-how transfers. It is truly open to those entrepreneurial r esearch institutes able to carry out challenging robotics development in cooperation with manufacturers which are interested in focusing on research and technology development, and it will ultimately increase European competitiveness in robotics.

In the framework of the research problems related to the adoption of multi-robot cooperative systems within hyperflexible work cells, this research program is aimed at achieving significant advancements in the field of the control of such systems. In detail, the following issues will be investigated: methodologies for cooperative task description; motion control of the manipulators involved in the cooperative task as well as control of the contact forces arising during the task execution; task-space control strategies for low-cost mechanical structures; modular robots; man/robot interaction control; supervisory control for the coordination of the robots with the workcell warehouse and/or the other servicing machines in the work cell. The research program will encompass experimental activities, aimed at the verification of the approaches developed within the methodological research.

Final purposes of the Project: The introduction of the automation in small and medium enterprises, which represent an important industrial reality in Italy and in particular in the Southern part of the country, is made difficult because of the actual conception of the work cells. In fact, they usually are quite complex from a mechanical point of view, are not easy to be reconfigured and are expensive. Therefore, these work cells are mainly employed in the presence of high volumes of production, that can justify conspicuous investments of money and time: it is not unusual that setting up a painting cell for cars can take several days, hence the cell becomes convenient only if it will work for a long period of time in the same condition. On the other hand, in the world of the small and medium enterprises (SME), the most requested operations are of craftsman-like type on small volumes (and sometimes also on a single work piece). It is clear that the actual work cells cannot effectively answer to this request of automation. Therefore, the research has been recently focused on the so called Hyperflexible Robotic Cells. Moreover, it may be necessary to use more than one anthropomorphic robot working together: in lieu of having a high structured cell, two or more cooperating robots may be employed to execute the task. For example, one robot may pick and hold the work piece, eventually continuously changing its orientation, so that one other robot may execute some process on the piece in the best operational conditions. It is often necessary that the human operator is in the workspace and thus a safe interaction of the robot(s) with man is mandatory. Task repartition between man and robot could improve productivity of the workcell: each of them, man or robot, does what he/it better does. As a final consideration, the cost of the cell must be low. This can be achieved by using manipulators with rough mechanics, compensated by suitable control laws. In sum, there exists a demand of new methodologies for hyperflexible robotic cells, whose particular features, in the framework of the present research project, are:

• the presence of multiple robot manipulators working in tight cooperation;
• the cooperation of robots and human beings;
• the presence of a warehouse that can be loaded and unloaded by the robots;
• the need of adopting low cost mechanics.

The objectives of the research project are: the development of control solutions for multiple robotic systems in tight cooperation, also with human beings eventually to execute different task; the development of supervisory control solutions for the whole cell including the cooperative robots, an automatic warehouse system and other devices; the development of control solutions that allow to use rough and/or modular low cost mechanics. The research topics have been articulated into Workpackages including all the required scientific and technical competencies. They are:

• control of multi-robot systems in tight cooperation for the execution of manufacturing tasks;
• coordination of the multi-robot system with a cell storage system and other devices;
• control of the robot/man interaction;
• control of rough mechanical structures;
• modular robotics;
• experimental tests on prototypal structures.

Within the Riditt net (Riditt is the italian acronym for "Net for the diffusion of innovation and the technological transfer to enterprises"), the Agrimation project promotes several intervention, desired by the Productive Activities Ministry, aimed to the development of innovation and to the technological transfer to small and medium enterprises. The main purpose are the sperimentation, the introduction and the promotion of innovative low-cost automation technologies, to increase quality and security of alimentary production and protect consumers. The main technologies involved in the project are:

• Automated Warehouses solutions
• Rfid technology
• Scada systems

Neverthelss, other tools, as the UML formal language, have been employed.

Demonstrators

In the space of develop of the project, the longed for outcome is to demonstrate how it was possible to increase the automation rate of agricultural and food enterprises. Demonstrators are specific interventions, implemented among a selection of enterprises of this area as final result of this path. The Automatioc Control Group is responsible for two of them:

• "Tracelogistics" (Finished goods traceability)
• "Processes Management" ( Energy distribution management)

Both demonstrators can be visited at the "Automatica" laboratory of the Electric and Information Engineering Department of the University of Salerno.

Promotional Activities

Withing Agrimation project's divulgative activities, we were present at public meetings as the Menti@contatto 2007 expo, guest of the Regional Competences Center's stand. Among the relevant presences we have welcomed the visit of Luigi Nicolais, italian Minister for Reforms and Innovations in the Public Aministration.

But the principal occasions of contact with us and with the project-involved companies, are the so-called "Workshops".
On April 12, 2007 the University of Salerno gave ospitality to all interested people and enterprises, with the additional opportunity of seeing three working demonstrators in our laboratory, the numbers 202, 203 and 206.