Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Cheatham, John B., Jr.

Publications and source records attributed to Cheatham, John B., Jr..

A simple fuzzy logic real-time camera tracking system

A fuzzy logic control of camera pan and tilt has been implemented to provide real-time camera tracking of a moving object. The user clicks a mouse button to identify the object that is to be tracked. A rapid centroid estimation algorithm is used to estimate the location of the moving object, and based on simple fuzzy membership functions, fuzzy x and y values are input into a six-rule fuzzy logic rule base. The output of this system is de-fuzzified to provide pan and tilt velocities required to keep the image of the object approximately centered in the camera field of view.

Magee, Kevin N.↗

Visualization of redundancy resolution for kinematically redundant robots through the Jacobian null space

We present a unified formulation for the inverse kinematics of redundant arms, based on a special formulation of the null space of the Jacobian. By extending (appropriately re-scaling) previously used null space parameterizations, we obtain, in a unified fashion, the manipulability measure, the null space projector, and particular solutions for the joint velocities. We obtain the minimum norm pseudo-inverse solution as a projection from any particular solution, and the method provides an intuitive visualization of the self-motion. The result is a computationally efficient, consistent approach to computing redundant robot inverse kinematics.

Chen, Yu-Che↗

Summary report: A preliminary investigation into the use of fuzzy logic for the control of redundant manipulators

The Rice University Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Sciences' Robotics Group designed and built an eight degree of freedom redundant manipulator. Fuzzy logic was proposed as a control scheme for tasks not directly controlled by a human operator. In preliminary work, fuzzy logic control was implemented for a camera tracking system and a six degree of freedom manipulator. Both preliminary systems use real time vision data as input to fuzzy controllers. Related projects include integration of tactile sensing and fuzzy control of a redundant snake-like arm that is under construction.

Cheatham, John B., Jr.↗