38 | ENDEAVOUR ENGINEERING AND IT EXHIBITION - Program Guide 2017

MECHATRONIC ENGINEERING

Mechatronics blends mechanical, electrical and software engineering to develop advanced systems. Mechatronic engineers create automated systems, featuring robots or automobiles as controllers, and develop advanced manufacturing technologies.

Boeing Mars Rover Jeth Leong, Rupert Allan, William Dai, Kee Kung Chen, Stefan Napau, Gjorgi MicalevskiThis project aspired to design, build and test a Mars rover prototype suitable for researching the viability of human life on Mars. The rover was required to have the following capabilities: traverse Mars-like terrain, a means of collecting small samples, navigation and rock identification using first person view cameras, wireless control both locally and internationally (with the aid of our partner team at Pennsylvania State University) and return to its base station autonomously.

Forklift safety control Marvin Adriano Edwin, Yang ZhouThis project built a driving assistant system to monitor the dynamics (Project name: Forklift safety control, booth S52) and plan the path (Project name: Optimal path planning for safe operation of autonomous forklifts in warehouses, booth S53) for the forklift. The system can determine the section of a planned path where the forklift will rollover at the current speed and give suggestion to the driver or perform brake action.

Optimal path planning for safe operation of autonomous forklifts in warehouses

Thanh Le, Prakhar Bhargava, Simeon BainThe use of forklifts is both widespread and essential to many industries in Australia and around the world. The efficiency and safety of their operations is of huge importance. We worked with Speedshield Technologies to develop a 3D simulation platform that accurately simulates forklift behaviour, then implemented within the simulation a path planning algorithm for forklifts in warehouses. The project builds upon existing path planning algorithms such as Astar, Dubin’s Path, and Hybrid Astar by also incorporating forklift toppling behaviour and therefore guaranteeing safety while increasing the efficiency of warehouse operations. The algorithm may be used in either of the fully autonomous or human interactive settings. This project was conducted in parallel with the project, Forklift safety control (S52).

Exo-Glove (formerly Neuro-Prosthetics Hand)

Cody Shiung, Luke Tornilla, Thomas WilsonThis project’s task is the design and manufacture of a soft, actuated, surface ElectroMyoGraphy (sEMG) driven glove to assist partially paralysed patients in activities of daily living (ADL) and rehabilitation exercises. The device that is to be built in this project is aimed at being an assistive aid which could eventually become available for everyday use.

Machine learning in automotive engine calibration

Mitchell Wei Kern Khoo, Alvin Andriyanto Halim, Jee Yang ChanIn a model-based control approach, there is an important step before designing the controller, which is the creation of a model that simulates the real system. It is thus ideal that this model simulates the real system as closely as possible. This project involves using machine learning techniques to create a model of a diesel engine air path. Current models use least-squares optimisation, which requires approximating the non-linear functions that describe the engine with arbitrary polynomials. The aim of this project is to better match these non-linearities with machine learning.

Control mechanism for variable gap axial flux motor

Mitchell Jacgung, Yisong Ding, Xinghao YangVariable air gap axial flux motors have many benefits when used in electric vehicles as the motor characteristics can be dynamically controlled during operation to allow higher speeds to be reached and improve the energy efficiency. Our project with Regal Australia aimed to design a mechanism that can be attached externally to a variable air gap axial flux motor to control the gap between the rotor and stator inside the motor. The challenges in designing this mechanism included having to design it compactly and ensure that it was efficient when operating.

Sensor system for EMU rehabilitation robot

Max Henty-Scown, Yunlong HuThis project is an extension of the sensor system for the EMU upper body rehabilitation robot, aiming to show the position of the upper arm and shoulder of the patient using the robot, in relation to the robot. It achieves this via an inertial measurement system attached to an armband, which communicates wirelessly to the rest of the sensor system.

Swarm robotics Daniel Moriarty, Marcel Van de WesterloGiven the speed and scalability with which distributed systems are able to solve large and complex problems, the demand for consolidated multi-agent systems is escalating in lieu of expensive, vertically-scaled solutions. The coordination of numerous small robots to achieve a collective global goal on a simple local scale could prove very useful in a number of industry applications. This project aims to analyse recent methods for typical swarm paradigms and assess the concept’s viability through implementation on a number of E-puck educational robots, emulating important swarm problem scenarios like flocking, formation travel, task assignment, consensus and trajectory planning.

Flight dynamics and optimal control simulation

Ashis MohapatraThis project is the dynamics and modelling section of the Flight Dynamics and Optimal Control Simulation project. The goal of this part of the project is to model the dynamics of a fighter aircraft’s dynamics. This model will then be used to produce a controller capable of performing aircraft manoeuvres in an optimal time. The modelling of aircraft flight is a challenge that has taken much research and time for many across the world, as there are always more variables to take into consideration. Factors such as the turbulent flow of air, which occurs at the edges of an aircraft wing, are still not well understood by modern physics. Taking this into account, the aircraft was modelled as best as possible using several written and software resources to investigate and develop a working model for the dynamics of an aircraft.

Artificial intelligence for battery performance modelling

Christadam Lakkis, Kyle Dickson

This project researches the use of neural networks and genetic algorithms to predict future cyclic performance of a lead-acid battery system in real time.

Autonomous power line monitoring UAV

David Mann, Elena Vella, Rowan SkewesWe present an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to fly missions of arbitrary distance by scavenging power from power lines. We demonstrate that our inductive power scavenging system can charge a UAV battery directly from a high voltage power line. We also demonstrate systems for attachment to power lines, situational awareness of power lines through computer vision and autonomous flight.

UAVs are currently hindered by their need to return to base to recharge, with roughly 15 minutes of flight before their battery is drained. By scavenging power along the mission route, our UAV technology enables such applications as autonomous monitoring of entire power transmission networks. This cheap and continuous monitoring enables preventative maintenance which reduces the likelihood of catastrophic faults, along with reducing the upkeep costs in a billion-dollar industry.

Remote control mobile sniper training system

Jordan Smith, Luke Dempsey, Daniel Kelly, Ian LawfordA long distance, remotely controlled, impact resistant robotic platform capable of movement in outdoor environments for the purpose of live fire sniper training. The system consists of a target with precise bullet impact data measurement. The system will require minimal training by users and will be operated by Victoria Police snipers with potential for the development of a software application dependent on time constraints.

Surgical robotics development Kuanyu Chu, Jasper Little, Ian TanGall bladder surgery requires ‘retracting’ a portion of the liver in order for the surgeon to access the gall bladder. Currently, this is performed using a rigid laparoscopic tool, controlled by the surgeon, however this can require multiple incisions due to the tool’s rigidity while being constrained to the incision point. To solve this issue, and make future surgeries as minimally invasive as possible, we have designed a hydraulically-actuated robot that can be placed inside the abdominal cavity for the purpose of ‘retracting’ the liver.

Neuro-prosthetics hand development

Jing Mu, Adam Balogh, Yuqi Tang, Kangliang ChenThis project created a 3D printable neuro-prosthetic hand, making effective use of new advances in technology, that allows the 3D printing of flexible, durable, rubber-like material. Utilising this flexible 3D printed material in place of rigid links allows for the elimination of the complex mechanical design required for multiple linkages, and enables the simplification of actuation and anthropomorphic finger motion. With the aid of custom designed Printed Circuit Boards for the electrical layout, and micro motors for actuation, the project is aimed at enabling the production of these prosthetics at a greatly reduced cost, weight, size and complexity while leading to increased anthropomorphism, availability and affordability to improve on current commercially available hand prosthetics.

Upper limb rehabilitation robot Lauren Jessup, Kirill Kokorin, Zhiqing Li, Koray EdibThe main objective of our project was to develop an upper limb rehabilitation robot, which would be capable of assisting recent stroke patients with exercises. Given that the main base of the robot had already been constructed, the specific aim of this capstone project was to develop the distal element of the robot, thus connecting the robot arm with the intended user. These elements consisted of a set of passive joints and one active joint, to support the subject’s wrist. Overall, the designed mechanism needed to act like a ball joint, centred at the patient’s wrist. In addition, to successfully interface with the existing robot, a set of sensors needed to be implemented within each revolute joint and a controller designed for the pronosupination element.