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A master's thesis from Aalborg University
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Simulation Design of a Robotic Mobile Manipulator for Material Acceleration Platforms

Author

Term

4. term

Publication year

2023

Abstract

Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan autonome robotsystemer kan bruges i Material Acceleration Platforms (MAPs) – automatiserede laboratorieplatforme, der skal accelerere opdagelsen af nye materialer. Vi implementerer en omnidirektionel mobil manipulator, dvs. en mobil robot, der kan køre i alle retninger og har en robotarm, i et laboratorielignende miljø ved hjælp af simulering og etablerede softwareværktøjer. Systemet udvikles i Isaac Sim og styres via ROS-rammen. Den simulerede løsning består af en Summit Xl mobil platform og en Franka Emika Panda robotarm. Bevægelsesplanlægning håndteres med ROS-baserede værktøjer: Navigation Stack 2 til autonom kørsel og MoveIt2 til planlægning og udførelse af armens bevægelser. Gennem omfattende tests opnår vi indsigt i systemets arbejdsgange fra opsætning til kørsel, hvilket peger på både styrker og områder med potentiale for forbedring. Arbejdet danner et praktisk udgangspunkt for videre forskning i mobile manipulatorer og MAPs og bidrager til The Pioneer Center for Accelerating P2X Materials Discovery (CAPeX)'s overordnede mål om at forny måden, nye materialer opdages på.

This thesis examines how autonomous robotic systems can support Material Acceleration Platforms (MAPs)—automated laboratory platforms designed to speed up the discovery of new materials. We implement an omnidirectional mobile manipulator— a mobile robot that can move in any direction and includes a robot arm—within a lab-like setting using simulation and established robotics software. The system is built in Isaac Sim and controlled through the ROS framework. Our simulated setup combines a Summit Xl mobile base with a Franka Emika Panda robot arm. Motion planning relies on ROS-based tools: Navigation Stack 2 for autonomous navigation and MoveIt2 for planning and executing arm trajectories. Through comprehensive testing, we document the system’s workflow from setup to operation, highlighting strengths as well as areas that could be improved. This work provides a practical foundation for further research on mobile manipulators and MAPs, supporting The Pioneer Center for Accelerating P2X Materials Discovery (CAPeX)’s broader goal of transforming how new materials are discovered.

[This summary has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]