IU Indianapolis ScholarWorks :: Browsing by Subject "Automation"

Browsing by Subject "Automation"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 11

An Automated Grid-Based Robotic Alignment System for Pick and Place Applications
(2013-12) Bearden, Lukas R.; Razban, Ali; Wasfy, Tamer; Li, Lingxi; Anwar, Sohel
This thesis proposes an automated grid-based alignment system utilizing lasers and an array of light-detecting photodiodes. The intent is to create an inexpensive and scalable alignment system for pick-and-place robotic systems. The system utilizes the transformation matrix, geometry, and trigonometry to determine the movements to align the robot with a grid-based array of photodiodes. The alignment system consists of a sending unit utilizing lasers, a receiving module consisting of photodiodes, a data acquisition unit, a computer-based control system, and the robot being aligned. The control system computes the robot movements needed to position the lasers based on the laser positions detected by the photodiodes. A transformation matrix converts movements from the coordinate system of the grid formed by the photodiodes to the coordinate system of the robot. The photodiode grid can detect a single laser spot and move it to any part of the grid, or it can detect up to four laser spots and use their relative positions to determine rotational misalignment of the robot. Testing the alignment consists of detecting the position of a single laser at individual points in a distinct pattern on the grid array of photodiodes, and running the entire alignment process multiple times starting with different misalignment cases. The first test provides a measure of the position detection accuracy of the system, while the second test demonstrates the alignment accuracy and repeatability of the system. The system detects the position of a single laser or multiple lasers by using a method similar to a center-of-gravity calculation. The intensity of each photodiode is multiplied by the X-position of that photodiode. The summed result from each photodiode intensity and position product is divided by the summed value of all of the photodiode intensities to get the X-position of the laser. The same thing is done with the Y-values to get the Y-position of the laser. Results show that with this method the system can read a single laser position value with a resolution of 0.1mm, and with a maximum X-error of 2.9mm and Y-error of 2.0mm. It takes approximately 1.5 seconds to process the reading. The alignment procedure calculates the initial misalignment between the robot and the grid of photodiodes by moving the robot to two distinct points along the robot’s X-axis so that only one laser is over the grid. Using these two detected points, a movement trajectory is generated to move that laser to the X = 0, Y = 0 position on the grid. In the process, this moves the other three lasers over the grid, allowing the system to detect the positions of four lasers and uses the positions to determine the rotational and translational offset needed to align the lasers to the grid of photodiodes. This step is run in a feedback loop to update the adjustment until it is within a permissible error value. The desired result for the complete alignment is a robot manipulator positioning within ±0.5mm along the X and Y-axes. The system shows a maximum error of 0.2mm in the X-direction and 0.5mm in the Y-direction with a run-time of approximately 4 to 5 minutes per alignment. If the permissible error value of the final alignment is tripled the alignment time goes down to 1 to 1.5 minutes and the maximum error goes up to 1.4mm in both the X and Y-directions. The run time of the alignment decreases because the system runs fewer alignment iterations.
The Automated Home Window Project
(2020-04-30) Ashcraft, Samuel; Bessesen, Chad; Burke, Alyssa; Weissbach, Robert
Terry Walden, a homebuilder and the project sponsor, expressed the need for a vinyl window that can be controlled electronically by a cell phone application. The window will be automated using a Wi-Fi Stepper Microcontroller, a NEMA 23 stepper motor, a worm-gear, and an android application. The automated window will operate by pressing a button on the android phone. This button will send a script to the microcontroller board. From there, the board will control the stepper motor that is attached to the worm gear, effectively closing or opening the window depending on which button was pressed. The frame of the window and the window itself are provided by the sponsor. In order to meet sponsor requirements, the entire electrical and mechanical pieces will fit within a 4inch envelope above the window. The window will fully open, or fully close, within 10 seconds and the voltage to each window will not exceed ~24 VDC. There is an overcurrent sensor that will determine when the window is fully open, fully closed, or obstructed by a foreign object for safety. Opening the window will still be possible manually. The system will operate within the sponsor's needs as it meets each requirement listed in the Specifications Requirements table - which can be found in Chapter 2. To verify that the automated window has met the functional specifications, the test procedures were implemented. The testing specifications have been approved by both the sponsor and Dr. Weissbach. The results of the tests can be found in the Test Specifications document of the report and more information can be found in Chapter 5 of this report.
Automated pancreatic cyst screening using natural language processing: a new tool in the early detection of pancreatic cancer
(Elsevier, 2015-05) Roch, Alexandra M.; Mehrabi, Saeed; Krishnan, Anand; Schmidt, Heidi E.; Kesterson, Joseph; Beesley, Chris; Dexter, Paul R.; Palakal, Matthew; Schmidt, C. Max; Department of Surgery, IU School of Medicine
INTRODUCTION: As many as 3% of computed tomography (CT) scans detect pancreatic cysts. Because pancreatic cysts are incidental, ubiquitous and poorly understood, follow-up is often not performed. Pancreatic cysts may have a significant malignant potential and their identification represents a 'window of opportunity' for the early detection of pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this study was to implement an automated Natural Language Processing (NLP)-based pancreatic cyst identification system. METHOD: A multidisciplinary team was assembled. NLP-based identification algorithms were developed based on key words commonly used by physicians to describe pancreatic cysts and programmed for automated search of electronic medical records. A pilot study was conducted prospectively in a single institution. RESULTS: From March to September 2013, 566,233 reports belonging to 50,669 patients were analysed. The mean number of patients reported with a pancreatic cyst was 88/month (range 78-98). The mean sensitivity and specificity were 99.9% and 98.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: NLP is an effective tool to automatically identify patients with pancreatic cysts based on electronic medical records (EMR). This highly accurate system can help capture patients 'at-risk' of pancreatic cancer in a registry.
Automated Ramen Noodle Vending Machine
(2018-12-04) Ragozzino, Dan R.; Goodman, David
Contained in the following report is a complete and detailed document of the design and implementation for the development of an automated ramen noodle vending machine unit. Covered topics include justification and specification development, which considers target consumer audience as well as some considerations for safety ratings and features that are required for consumer appliances. Also covered is the development and implementation phase, entailing translating design into a physical and functional prototype that achieves specifications detailed in the design phase. There are three major components of the development phase: hardware, interface and software. Each component of development is covered in detail, including troubleshooting and on-the-fly changes made to design to accommodate issues that arise during the prototype development. The last section of the document includes some considerations for iterative design. Issues encountered during prototype development will also be documented. A fully detailed operations guide will also be included. In the appendices of the document are the full printout of the software, detailed spec sheets of individual hardware components, as well as documents from the design phase.
Batch Mixing Skid Senior Design Capstone 2024
(2024-05-01) Gibbs, Hayden; Wheeler , Zachary; Isaacs, Laiten; Freije , Elizabeth; Pash , Phillip; Weissbach , Robert
This report will look at the Batch Mixing Skid located in ET222 of the Engineering Technology building. The purpose of the Batch Mixing Skid is to provide a comprehensive solution to demonstrate how various instrumentation can be integrated and utilized to monitor and automate a system. This system uses a PLC and HMI to control solenoid valves and pumps to move water to different tanks, as well as heating and mixing the liquids. This process is designed to replicate what could be seen in an industrial setting, but at a smaller scale. The current Batch Mixing Skid is loud, inefficient, and a burden to use making it difficult for faculty and students within the ECET 35100 to learn about the instrumentation on the Batch Mixing Skid. While this project has been worked on by multiple groups in the past, our goal is to make this system more user-friendly, more efficient, and made to last as well as to create a great platform for students to learn from. We will do this by replacing the systems' plumbing, installing a new PLC and HMI system, rewriting the code from the ground up, as well as other improvements. The goal, outcome, and why this project is significant is that this is a system that will be used by the department for many years to come. This aims to teach students in ECET 35100 more about instrumentation, PLCs, and ladder logic
Development of Automated Fault Recovery Controls for Plug-Flow Biomass Reactors
(2024-05) Jacob, Mariam; Schubert, Peter J.; Li, Lingxi; King, Brian S.
The demand for sustainable and renewable energy sources has prompted significant research and development efforts in the field of biomass gasification. Biomass gasification technology holds significant promise for sustainable energy production, offering a renewable alternative to fossil fuels while mitigating environmental impact. This thesis presents a detailed study on the design, development, and implementation of a Plug-Flow Reactor Biomass Gasifier integrated with an Automated Auger Jam Detection System and a Blower Algorithm to maintain constant reactor pressure by varying blower speed with respect to changes in reactor pressure. The system is based on indirectly- heated pyrolytic gasification technology and is developed using Simulink™. The proposed gasification system use the principles of pyrolysis and gasification to convert biomass feedstock into syngas efficiently. An innovative plug-flow reactor configuration ensures uniform heat distribution and residence time, optimizing gasification performance and product quality. Additionally, the system incorporates an automated auger jam detection system, which utilizes sensor data to detect and mitigate auger jams in real-time, thereby enhancing operational reliability and efficiency. By monitoring these parameters, the system detects deviations from normal operating conditions indicative of auger jams and initiates corrective actions automatically. The detection algorithm is trained using test cases and validated through detailed testing to ensure accurate and reliable performance. The MATLAB™-based implementation offers flexibility, scalability, and ease of integration with existing gasifier control systems. The graphical user interface (GUI) provides operators with real-time monitoring and visualization of system status, auger performance, and detected jam events. Additionally, the system generates alerts and notifications to inform operators of detected jams, enabling timely intervention and preventive maintenance. To maintain consistent gasification conditions, a blower algorithm is developed to regulate airflow and maintain constant reactor pressure within the gasifier. The blower algorithm dynamically adjusts blower speed based on feedback from differential pressure sensors, ensuring optimal gasification performance under varying operating conditions. The integration of the blower algorithm into the gasification system contributes to stable syngas production and improved process control. The development of the Plug-Flow Reactor Biomass Gasifier, Automated Auger Jam Detection System, and Blower Algorithm is accompanied by rigorous simulation studies and experimental validation. Overall, this thesis contributes to the advancement of biomass gasification technology by presenting a detailed study on a plug flow reactor biomass gasifier with indirectly- heated pyrolytic gasification technology with an Automated Auger Jam Detection System and Blower Algorithm. The findings offer valuable insights for researchers, engineers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders supporting the transition towards cleaner and more renewable energy systems.
Distributed Monocular SLAM for Indoor Map Building
(Hindawi, 2017) Egodagamage, Ruwan; Tuceryan, Mihran; Computer and Information Science, School of Science
Utilization and generation of indoor maps are critical elements in accurate indoor tracking. Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is one of the main techniques for such map generation. In SLAM an agent generates a map of an unknown environment while estimating its location in it. Ubiquitous cameras lead to monocular visual SLAM, where a camera is the only sensing device for the SLAM process. In modern applications, multiple mobile agents may be involved in the generation of such maps, thus requiring a distributed computational framework. Each agent can generate its own local map, which can then be combined into a map covering a larger area. By doing so, they can cover a given environment faster than a single agent. Furthermore, they can interact with each other in the same environment, making this framework more practical, especially for collaborative applications such as augmented reality. One of the main challenges of distributed SLAM is identifying overlapping maps, especially when relative starting positions of agents are unknown. In this paper, we are proposing a system having multiple monocular agents, with unknown relative starting positions, which generates a semidense global map of the environment.
Dual-technique assay for the analysis of organophosphorus compounds for environmental and chemical defense applications
(Elsevier, 2022) Dowling, Sarah N.; Manicke, Nicholas E.; Chemistry and Chemical Biology, School of Science
Forensic and environmental sciences often rely on chromatographic separations coupled to mass spectrometry to detect contaminants in complex matrices. However, these methods require lengthy analysis times and sample preparation that is not suitable for analysis in the field. In this work, two analytical methods were combined that are known for their potential for portable analysis. The ambient ionization technique, paper spray mass spectrometry (paper spray-MS) was coupled to paper-based surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (pSERS) to detect toxic organophosphorus molecules from the same substrate, with a total analysis time of less than five minutes. The coupling of these techniques presents a potential for portable Raman screening followed by MS confirmation in a field-forward laboratory. A cartridge insert was designed and 3D printed to facilitate the sample collection and analysis for PS-MS and pSERS. Three chemical warfare agent simulants: dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), diethyl phosphoramidate (DEPA), and diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP) were included in the method due to having similar chemistries to G- and V-series chemical warfare agents (CWAs). Organophosphorus pesticides, malathion and dichlorvos, with similar mechanisms of action to the CWAs, were also included in the method. Because CWAs quickly degrade in the environment, the CWA hydrolysis products, ethyl methylphosphonic acid (EMPA), isopropyl methylphosphonic acid (IMPA), pinacolyl methylphosphonic acid (PinMPA), methylphosphonic acid (MPA), 2-Diethylaminoethanethiol (EDA), and 2-Diisopropylaminoethanethiol (IDA) were also studied. A mixture of the analytes was used to create calibration curves using the dual-polarity, PS-MS method with sub-ng to low ng limits of detection. A dilution series, spanning 3 orders of magnitude, was made using pSERS, also with low ng limits of detection. These experiments show the potential and feasibility for PS-MS coupled to pSERS to be used to rapidly, screen and confirm the presence of organophosphorus molecules, in complex matrices, with portable instrumentation.
The McKinsey Study and the Future of Library Work
(2017-11) Lewis, David W.
Reviews the prospects for the library workforce in light of the McKinsey Global Institute study, A Future That Works: Automation, Employment, and Productivity, on automation and its effect on various jobs and job activities. The McKinsey report projects that library jobs can be automated to a large extent. The paper argues that while the McKinsey report may over estimate the extent that library jobs can be automated, this should be a concern to librarians and libraries.
The Handbook of Latin American Studies: Its Automated History and a Comparison of Available Formats
(1996-06-04) Mundell, P. Sue; North, Tracy; Moyano Martin, Dolores

Browsing by Subject "Automation"

Results Per Page

Sort Options