POLI HACK DAYS 2024: SUCCESS FOR THE QUALITY ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT GROUP WITH "ECHöBOT"
The Quality Engineering and Management Group is pleased to share that our researcher, Riccardo Gervasi, together with an interdisciplinary team from Politecnico di Torino, has won the POLI HACK DAYS 2024 competition.
The Winning Project: ECHöBOT
The project, titled "ECHöBOT: Enabling Touch and Proprioception in Collaborative Soft Robots Through Ultrasound Sensing", was awarded Best Project.
The focus of this work is to address key challenges in soft robotics, particularly in enabling robots to sense touch and track their movements in real time. Soft robotics offers promising applications in safe human-robot collaboration due to its flexibility and the use of soft materials. However, a lack of efficient sensing systems has limited its industrial use.
Innovation in Sensing and Control
ECHöBOT proposes a wireless ultrasound-based sensor system integrated into a soft robotic arm. By using ultrasound waves to monitor deformation and contact, the system provides real-time feedback for the robot's proprioception and touch control. This innovative approach combines advanced sensing technology with artificial intelligence to enhance the adaptability and safety of robots in collaborative environments.
Looking Ahead
This recognition highlights the potential of interdisciplinary research in advancing robotics. ECHöBOT represents a step forward in making collaborative robotics more accessible and reliable for industrial applications.
Congratulations to Riccardo and the team for their achievement at POLI HACK DAYS 2024. We look forward to seeing how this project develops in the future.
The team was awarded a prize of €20,000, which will be dedicated to further developing and refining the innovative concept behind ECHöBOT. This funding will support the creation of a functional prototype, integrating advanced ultrasound sensing technology and artificial intelligence to enhance the capabilities of soft robotics. The investment aims to bring the project closer to real-world applications, paving the way for safer and more efficient human-robot collaboration in industrial environments.
Project Abstract:
The ECHöBOT project focuses on developing a soft robotic system that utilizes ultrasound sensing to achieve wireless, real-time proprioception and touch control of a soft, metal-free robotic arm. Recently, soft robotics emerged as a promising area of research in collaborative tasks with humans thanks to their enhanced dexterity and compliance with external environments. These qualities guarantee higher safety with respect to actual solutions, as the soft materials reduce the need for traditional electric motors. Even if several prototypes have been developed, widespread industrial application has not been achieved due to challenges in providing effective sensor systems providing safety and reliability. The design of sensors for measuring system position (which is dependent on limb deformation) and the interaction of the robot with the environment is of paramount importance for their application in the industry. In this scenario, we introduce a novel concept: a wireless ultrasound-based sensor system that continuously monitors the robot's deformations and movements allowing a real-time control on robot’s proprioception in the space and touch. The idea is based on sound waves propagation physics. Ultrasound waves propagate through the soft material of the robot and reflect back when they encounter the robot surface. The reflected wave will form an interference pattern that can be recorder and correlated with the robot shape. Whenever the robot surface is modified (for its deflection or its contact with an external object) the interference pattern will modify as well. Our idea is to provide immediate feedback based on these patterns, to allow the robot to adjust its movements and detect contact. In this project, we will develop a proof of concept that integrates an ultrasound transceiver into a soft robotic arm, enabling real-time sensing, control, and touch sensitivity. With the help of artificial intelligence, we will process the ultrasound data and control the robot’s movements. The ability of the robot to have proprioception, feel touch, and adjust in real time is our key innovation that directly addresses Industry 5.0’s focus on safe, human-robot collaboration. ECHöBOT has the potential to revolutionize this field by making robots more adaptable, precise, and responsive, offering a safer, more efficient solution for human-robot collaboration in industrial environments.