Past Automation and Intelligent Systems Projects
AUTOMATION AND INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS RESEARCH
UAS Support to Transportation Operations
Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), as a part of a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) contract, will examine the use of UAS in surveying traffic corridors. In this effort, research covers UAS use for traffic congestion, road repairs, accident scenes and other uses.
Smart Homes
UTARI collaborated with H-E-B and Operation Finally Home to provide technology and research integration of automated and robotic devices in home settings. In 2014, we supported the development of two (2) Smart Homes to benefit wounded warriors.
Read more about the HEB Project here.
Rapid and Agile Software Development for the DARPA Disaster Robotics Challenge
Funded through DARPA, UTARI and RE2 worked on the development of a robotic platform to mitigate the effects of natural or man-made disasters, such as the Fukushima Power Plant or the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. In this challenge, human-sized robots will operate in disaster areas and complete challenging tasks such as clearing obstacles, riving vehicles, operating human-made tools, climbing ladders, and exchanging faulty machine parts.
Multimode Assembly and Packaging Systems (MAPS)
MAPS offered customized rapid prototyping and on-demand pilot production solutions for new and existing products through unique sets of custom integrated hardware along with sophisticated software and advanced automation techniques that enable cost and time efficient productization.
Electro-hydro-dynamic (EHD) Printing
EHD was used for both front and back-end manufacturing processes. The capability as a mask-less lithography tool is highly attractive for prototyping and low volume manufacturing as it allows faster and cheaper device iteration cycles. EHD printing also enables the creation of features an order of magnitude smaller than the nozzle size. This makes this technique is an excellent candidate for low cost front-end device fabrication (e.g., OLED, TFT, gas sensors, etc.) as well as back-end packaging (e.g., epoxy dispensing and interconnect printing).
Coordinated Control of Humanoid Robots for Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism
Supported by the TxMRC Consortium and NSF grant, the team worked on the development of a Human-Robot Interaction System for Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The research focused on treating cognitive impairments in children suffering from ASD with the use of the robot Zeno, a robotic platform developed by RoboKind.
Cognitive Enhancement Using Soft, Non-Grasp Manipulation in a Smart Hospital Bed
In collaboration with the Mechanical Engineering departments at UT Arlington and UT Dallas, we worked on developing a Smart-Bed technology that will be used for the prevention and treatment of bed sores and pressure ulcers. This was to be accomplished by development of a flexible sensor sheet, robotic manipulators for distributed pressure nodes, and design tools to control the bed.
Applied Robotics for Installation Base Operations (ARIBO) Roadmap
Applied Robotics for Installation Base Operations (ARIBO)Our research team is developing the Roadmap for Applied Robotics for Installation Base Operations (ARIBO). The roadmap document will be roughly patterned after the FAA UAS Roadmap and will be tailored to the use of infrastructure and autonomous vehicles for carrying out transportation and transport needs and other tasks on federal and non-federal installations.
Funding Agency: TARDEC
ICC Golf ball Sorting
This project uses machine vision to sort used golf balls according to brand and model. As golf balls are conveyed, machine vision and associated algorithms identify the ball markings in order to properly bin the balls as they move past the sensors.
Funding Agency: Innovative Conveyor Concepts
Arm Torque Sensor Prototype
In this effort, a prototype arm torque sensor is being developed that will be used to quantify shoulder stiffness. This is a collaborative effort with the University of North Texas Health Science Center and is led by Dr. Rita Patterson (UNT HSC).
Funding Agency: UNTHSC
UGV / UAV Summer Project
This project explores the cooperative behaviors between a UAS and UGV in support of UGV navigation. Currently the work is being targeted to the UTA Airship and a small UGV but has the future potential to be re-targeted to other UAV systems. The project includes involvement from UTA’s Dr. Atilla Dogan and Dr. Brian Huff.