Periodic Reporting for period 2 - STREAM (Smart Tools for Railway work safEty and performAnce iMprovement)
Période du rapport: 2022-06-01 au 2023-08-31
STREAM has reached several objectives through an earnest attempt to capitalize on the SoA gained by research organizations and on the critical innovations of partner companies to achieve the expected impacts outlined below:
Concerning workstream 1 (WS1), which is associated with developing the OTA3M (On-Track Autonomous Multi-purpose Mobile Manipulator), STREAM will positively affect the workers' safety. The OTA3M enables autonomous operations, thus, reducing the need for mentally demanding multitasking operator skills, a significant cause of accidents due to human errors. Moreover, employing sophisticated sensors and control algorithms will enhance the awareness of the machine of the presence of obstacles within the working space. STREAM aims to reduce production costs concerning the current practices. The reduction in the cost of the working methods is directly related to the time required for typical maintenance and quality assessment tasks. Thanks to the employment of robotic control and principles, our solution will improve quality and accuracy of the operations. The accuracy will be improved to an extent not reachable by humans. At the same time, the process quality assessment will be accomplished with the embedded online as-built 3D model and employing image recognition systems.
Concerning workstream 2 (WS2), which is associated with the development of the MMPE (Modular Multitasking Powered Exoskeleton), STREAM will improve the rail workers’ safety and conditions by reducing the effort, fatigue, and risk of injury that rail workers are subjected to while performing working daily activities. The MMPE supports maintenance workers in reducing the load applied at the back due to the strenuous activities carried out by employing controlled motors that transmit forces over the exoskeleton structure to the user. On a social level, in all European countries, it is necessary to provide concrete solutions to address the social and economic realities and challenges of an ageing society. Workers with musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) will suffer and require more prolonged and cyclical sick leave. It is causing problems for the company and future employability. This results in an increase in costs incurred by companies and, above all, will seriously affect workers' quality of life. Exoskeletons can improve individual well-being and quality of life. Thus, sustainable employability is improved and allows workers to perform better even with reduced physical fitness.
Concerning workstream 1 (WS1), which is associated with developing the OTA3M (On-Track Autonomous Multi-purpose Mobile Manipulator), STREAM will positively affect the workers' safety. The OTA3M enables autonomous operations, thus, reducing the need for mentally demanding multitasking operator skills, a significant cause of accidents due to human errors. Moreover, employing sophisticated sensors and control algorithms will enhance the awareness of the machine of the presence of obstacles within the working space. STREAM aims to reduce production costs concerning the current practices. The reduction in the cost of the working methods is directly related to the time required for typical maintenance and quality assessment tasks. Thanks to the employment of robotic control and principles, our solution will improve quality and accuracy of the operations. The accuracy will be improved to an extent not reachable by humans. At the same time, the process quality assessment will be accomplished with the embedded online as-built 3D model and employing image recognition systems.
Concerning workstream 2 (WS2), which is associated with the development of the MMPE (Modular Multitasking Powered Exoskeleton), STREAM will improve the rail workers’ safety and conditions by reducing the effort, fatigue, and risk of injury that rail workers are subjected to while performing working daily activities. The MMPE supports maintenance workers in reducing the load applied at the back due to the strenuous activities carried out by employing controlled motors that transmit forces over the exoskeleton structure to the user. On a social level, in all European countries, it is necessary to provide concrete solutions to address the social and economic realities and challenges of an ageing society. Workers with musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) will suffer and require more prolonged and cyclical sick leave. It is causing problems for the company and future employability. This results in an increase in costs incurred by companies and, above all, will seriously affect workers' quality of life. Exoskeletons can improve individual well-being and quality of life. Thus, sustainable employability is improved and allows workers to perform better even with reduced physical fitness.
Use-Case 1 – Railway track installation and inspection: The purpose of the WS1 is to develop and demonstrate, in an industrially relevant environment (TRL6), the effectiveness of the OTA3M platform in a full-scale prototype featuring multi-purpose autonomous maintenance tasks for hydraulic road-rail wheel systems and hydraulic excavator arms:
•Implementation of the 3D perception system developed to detect obstacles and provide autonomous collision detection and avoidance control methods (D2.3).
•The demonstration of the autonomous running mode was conducted during the final assessment and reported in D6.5.
•The control system was developed to control the robotic arm in 6DOF with high accuracy, it was tested and demonstrated on the OTA3M platform (D3.1 and D3.3)
•The contact force-based controller was demonstrated live on the OTA3M platform with traditional IMU sensors. The controller was also tested with better IMU sensors on the Hiab hydraulic boom. (D3.1 and D3.3)
•The BIM model-based static object detection and dynamic obstacle avoidance algorithms were developed based on artificial potential fields. (D3.2)
•The railway sleeper detection using the template matching method was developed and tested.
•The OTA3M has been assessed at TRL6. Several KPIs were evaluated (D6.4): the reduction of the time required for quality assessment (KPI1), the measurement of the number of failures of the obstacle detection system (KPI2), reduction in exceeding the working gauge and invasion of the operating track (KPI3), reduction of overload forces events against infrastructures (KPI4), the handling and task execution precision and accuracy with 6-DOF excavator arm (KPI5), and the reduction of the load time carried by the workers (KPI6).
Use-Case 2 – Maintenance general manual operation: Work-related MSDs are a fundamental cause of functional impairments and disability among construction and maintenance workers, with the lower back being the most affected. A primary goal is to provide the rail workers with an assistive exoskeleton for handling up to 25kg of manual material:
•The final redesign that integrates all the functionalities of the Exoskeleton and PPE has been implemented and validated with workers on on-site demonstration (D4.3 D4.4).
•The Exoskeleton's weight has been reduced by 20% concerning the SoA version. A final sharpening of the design of the Exoskeleton has been finalized to strengthen the structure for heavy-duty use, dust and splash resistance (D4.3 D4.4).
•The mid-level assistive strategies have been developed for the target worker's tasks. Dynamic and static control strategies have been developed and tested in the field. The high level consists of identifying worker's actions before delivering specific assistance for the working tasks (D.5.1 D5.4 D6.4 and D6.6)
•We have developed an exoskeleton and Smart Suit system to communicate with the IoT monitoring system. The IoT monitoring system hardware (sensors+microcontroller) has been finalized and validated in the project's final tests (D6.6). The overall architecture for continuous data communication between the three wearable systems and storage on the cloud has been set up, ensuring real-time availability for the users of key data collected by the systems on the field. A cloud GUI has been realized, which includes the main information on all wearable systems deployed in the worksite and highlights the status of workers' activities and related alarms (D5.2 D5.3 D5.5).
•The MMPE has been assessed at TRL6. Several KPIs were evaluated (D6.4): the Ergonomic evaluation (KPI7), the reduction of intervertebral compression (KPI8), the reduction of muscular activity (KPI9), the reduction of metabolic cost and perceived exertion level (KPI10), and the Increment of workers' activity duration as the delay of the onset of fatigue (KPI11)
•The design of two certified exoskeletons (according to EN ISO 12100) have been developed and demonstrated at TRL7 (D4.4 D6.6).
•Implementation of the 3D perception system developed to detect obstacles and provide autonomous collision detection and avoidance control methods (D2.3).
•The demonstration of the autonomous running mode was conducted during the final assessment and reported in D6.5.
•The control system was developed to control the robotic arm in 6DOF with high accuracy, it was tested and demonstrated on the OTA3M platform (D3.1 and D3.3)
•The contact force-based controller was demonstrated live on the OTA3M platform with traditional IMU sensors. The controller was also tested with better IMU sensors on the Hiab hydraulic boom. (D3.1 and D3.3)
•The BIM model-based static object detection and dynamic obstacle avoidance algorithms were developed based on artificial potential fields. (D3.2)
•The railway sleeper detection using the template matching method was developed and tested.
•The OTA3M has been assessed at TRL6. Several KPIs were evaluated (D6.4): the reduction of the time required for quality assessment (KPI1), the measurement of the number of failures of the obstacle detection system (KPI2), reduction in exceeding the working gauge and invasion of the operating track (KPI3), reduction of overload forces events against infrastructures (KPI4), the handling and task execution precision and accuracy with 6-DOF excavator arm (KPI5), and the reduction of the load time carried by the workers (KPI6).
Use-Case 2 – Maintenance general manual operation: Work-related MSDs are a fundamental cause of functional impairments and disability among construction and maintenance workers, with the lower back being the most affected. A primary goal is to provide the rail workers with an assistive exoskeleton for handling up to 25kg of manual material:
•The final redesign that integrates all the functionalities of the Exoskeleton and PPE has been implemented and validated with workers on on-site demonstration (D4.3 D4.4).
•The Exoskeleton's weight has been reduced by 20% concerning the SoA version. A final sharpening of the design of the Exoskeleton has been finalized to strengthen the structure for heavy-duty use, dust and splash resistance (D4.3 D4.4).
•The mid-level assistive strategies have been developed for the target worker's tasks. Dynamic and static control strategies have been developed and tested in the field. The high level consists of identifying worker's actions before delivering specific assistance for the working tasks (D.5.1 D5.4 D6.4 and D6.6)
•We have developed an exoskeleton and Smart Suit system to communicate with the IoT monitoring system. The IoT monitoring system hardware (sensors+microcontroller) has been finalized and validated in the project's final tests (D6.6). The overall architecture for continuous data communication between the three wearable systems and storage on the cloud has been set up, ensuring real-time availability for the users of key data collected by the systems on the field. A cloud GUI has been realized, which includes the main information on all wearable systems deployed in the worksite and highlights the status of workers' activities and related alarms (D5.2 D5.3 D5.5).
•The MMPE has been assessed at TRL6. Several KPIs were evaluated (D6.4): the Ergonomic evaluation (KPI7), the reduction of intervertebral compression (KPI8), the reduction of muscular activity (KPI9), the reduction of metabolic cost and perceived exertion level (KPI10), and the Increment of workers' activity duration as the delay of the onset of fatigue (KPI11)
•The design of two certified exoskeletons (according to EN ISO 12100) have been developed and demonstrated at TRL7 (D4.4 D6.6).
Several project Key Exploitable Results have been produced in the project. The list below presents each STREAM potential result:
• For the OTA3M: Any brand RRE kinematic parameter-based OTA3M control system auto-generator. Force sensorless force/motion control algorithms. Intelligent trajectory generation and motion control for excavators. Kinematic and dynamic model calibration toolbox for generic 6 DOF excavators. Multimodal Safety function application for excavators
• For the MMPE: full integration of the exoskeleton with PPEs functionalities. One-size-fit-all and versatile exoskeleton design for heavy-duty use and IP protection. Control strategies for holding, lifting, carrying, and walking. High-level control strategy that interpretate the human activity and select the appropriate assistive strategy. Embedded sensor on suit and algorithm strategy to enable real-time ergonomic risk assessment. IoT framework and monitoring web interface for multiple MMPEs.
• For the OTA3M: Any brand RRE kinematic parameter-based OTA3M control system auto-generator. Force sensorless force/motion control algorithms. Intelligent trajectory generation and motion control for excavators. Kinematic and dynamic model calibration toolbox for generic 6 DOF excavators. Multimodal Safety function application for excavators
• For the MMPE: full integration of the exoskeleton with PPEs functionalities. One-size-fit-all and versatile exoskeleton design for heavy-duty use and IP protection. Control strategies for holding, lifting, carrying, and walking. High-level control strategy that interpretate the human activity and select the appropriate assistive strategy. Embedded sensor on suit and algorithm strategy to enable real-time ergonomic risk assessment. IoT framework and monitoring web interface for multiple MMPEs.