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Publications

Publications by José Lima

2023

Robot at Factory 4.0: An Auto-Referee Proposal Based on Artificial Vision

Authors
Ferreira, T; Braun, J; Lima, J; Pinto, VH; Santos, M; Costa, P;

Publication
ROBOT2022: FIFTH IBERIAN ROBOTICS CONFERENCE: ADVANCES IN ROBOTICS, VOL 1

Abstract
The robotization and automation of tasks are relevant processes and of great relevance to be considered nowadays. This work aims to turn the manual action of assigning the score for the robotic competition Robot at Factory 4.0 by an automatic referee. Specifically, the aim is to represent the real space in a set of computational information using computer vision, localization and mapping techniques. One of the crucial processes to achieve this goal involved the adaptive calibration of the parameters of a digital camera through visual references and tracking of objects, which resulted in a fully functional, robust and dynamic system that is capable of mapping the competition's objects accurately and correctly performing the referee's tasks.

2023

Robot at Factory Lite - A Step-by-Step Educational Approach to the Robot Assembly

Authors
Luiz, LE; Pilarski, L; Baidi, K; Braun, J; Oliveira, A; Lima, J; Costa, P;

Publication
ROBOT2022: FIFTH IBERIAN ROBOTICS CONFERENCE: ADVANCES IN ROBOTICS, VOL 1

Abstract
In a robotics scope, an excellent way to test and improve knowledge is through competitions. In other words, it is possible to follow the results in practice, compare them with the development of other teams and improve the current solutions. The Robot At Factory Lite proposal simulates an Industry 4.0 warehouse scenario, applying education through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) methodology, where the participants have to work on a solution to overcome its challenges. Thus, this article presents an initial electromechanical proposal, which is the basis for developing robots for this competition. The presented main concepts aim to inform the possibilities of using the robot's parts and components. Thus, an idea can be sketched in the participants' minds, inspiring them to use their imagination and knowledge through the presentation of this model.

2023

Sensorial Testbed for High-Voltage Tower Inspection with UAVs

Authors
Berger, GS; Oliveira, A; Braun, J; Lima, J; Pinto, MF; Valente, A; Pereira, AI; Cantieri, AR; Wehrmeister, MA;

Publication
ROBOT2022: FIFTH IBERIAN ROBOTICS CONFERENCE: ADVANCES IN ROBOTICS, VOL 2

Abstract
This work presents a methodology for characterizing ultrasonic and LASER sensors aimed at detecting obstacles within the context of electrical inspections by multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). A set of four ultrasonic and LASER sensor models is evaluated against eight target components, typically found in high-voltage towers. The results show that ultrasonic sensor arrays displaced 25. apart reduce the chances of problems related to crosstalk and angular uncertainty. Within the LASER sensor suite, solar exposure directly affects the detection behavior among lower power sensors. Based on the results obtained, a set of sensors capable of detecting multiple obstacles belonging to a high-voltage tower was identified. In this reasoning, it becomes possible to model sensor architectures for multirotor UAVs to detect multiple obstacles and advance in the state of the art in obstacle avoidance systems by UAVs in inspections of high-voltage towers.

2023

Teaching Practical Robotics During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study on Regular and Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulations

Authors
Lima, J; Martins, FN; Costa, P;

Publication
ROBOT2022: FIFTH IBERIAN ROBOTICS CONFERENCE: ADVANCES IN ROBOTICS, VOL 1

Abstract
Laboratory experiments are important pedagogical tools in engineering courses. Restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic made it very difficult or impossible for laboratory classes to take place, resulting on a fast transition to simulation as an approach to guarantee the effectiveness of teaching. Simulation environments are powerful tools that can be adopted for remote classes and self-study. With these tools, students can perform experiments and, in some cases, make use of the laboratory facilities from outside of the University. This paper proposes and describes two free tools developed during the COVID-19 pandemic lock-down that allowed students to work from home, namely a set of simulation experiments and a Hardware-in-the-loop simulator, accessible 24/7. Two approaches in Python and C languages are presented, both in the context of Robotics courses for Engineering students. Successful results and student feedback indicate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches in institutions in Portugal and in the Netherlands.

2023

Cooperative Heterogeneous Robots for Autonomous Insects Trap Monitoring System in a Precision Agriculture Scenario

Authors
Berger, GS; Teixeira, M; Cantieri, A; Lima, J; Pereira, AI; Valente, A; de Castro, GGR; Pinto, MF;

Publication
AGRICULTURE-BASEL

Abstract
The recent advances in precision agriculture are due to the emergence of modern robotics systems. For instance, unmanned aerial systems (UASs) give new possibilities that advance the solution of existing problems in this area in many different aspects. The reason is due to these platforms' ability to perform activities at varying levels of complexity. Therefore, this research presents a multiple-cooperative robot solution for UAS and unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) systems for their joint inspection of olive grove inspect traps. This work evaluated the UAS and UGV vision-based navigation based on a yellow fly trap fixed in the trees to provide visual position data using the You Only Look Once (YOLO) algorithms. The experimental setup evaluated the fuzzy control algorithm applied to the UAS to make it reach the trap efficiently. Experimental tests were conducted in a realistic simulation environment using a robot operating system (ROS) and CoppeliaSim platforms to verify the methodology's performance, and all tests considered specific real-world environmental conditions. A search and landing algorithm based on augmented reality tag (AR-Tag) visual processing was evaluated to allow for the return and landing of the UAS to the UGV base. The outcomes obtained in this work demonstrate the robustness and feasibility of the multiple-cooperative robot architecture for UGVs and UASs applied in the olive inspection scenario.

2023

Data Acquisition Filtering Focused on Optimizing Transmission in a LoRaWAN Network Applied to the WSN Forest Monitoring System

Authors
Brito, T; Azevedo, BF; Mendes, J; Zorawski, M; Fernandes, FP; Pereira, AI; Rufino, J; Lima, J; Costa, P;

Publication
SENSORS

Abstract
Developing innovative systems and operations to monitor forests and send alerts in dangerous situations, such as fires, has become, over the years, a necessary task to protect forests. In this work, a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is employed for forest data acquisition to identify abrupt anomalies when a fire ignition starts. Even though a low-power LoRaWAN network is used, each module still needs to save power as much as possible to avoid periodic maintenance since a current consumption peak happens while sending messages. Moreover, considering the LoRaWAN characteristics, each module should use the bandwidth only when essential. Therefore, four algorithms were tested and calibrated along real and monitored events of a wildfire. The first algorithm is based on the Exponential Smoothing method, Moving Averages techniques are used to define the other two algorithms, and the fourth uses the Least Mean Square. When properly combined, the algorithms can perform a pre-filtering data acquisition before each module uses the LoRaWAN network and, consequently, save energy if there is no necessity to send data. After the validations, using Wildfire Simulation Events (WSE), the developed filter achieves an accuracy rate of 0.73 with 0.5 possible false alerts. These rates do not represent a final warning to firefighters, and a possible improvement can be achieved through cloud-based server algorithms. By comparing the current consumption before and after the proposed implementation, the modules can save almost 53% of their batteries when is no demand to send data. At the same time, the modules can maintain the server informed with a minimum interval of 15 min and recognize abrupt changes in 60 s when fire ignition appears.

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