the performance of women agribusiness cooperatives in oyo state, nigeria was assessed in this study. the study employed a multi-stage sampling technique to select 6 women cooperative groups (aggregating to 175 individuals); 36 individual women; and 4 institutions across 6 lgas in two agricultural zones of the state. findings show that majority (55.6%) of the respondents belong to processing org...

This paper focuses on the optimal motion planning problem for cooperative aerial manipulation. We use the rapidly exploring random trees star (RRT*) algorithm that finds feasible paths quickly and optimizes them. For local planning within RRT*, we developed a trajectory planner using Bezier-curve which utilizes the differential flatness property of the aerial manipulator. Time-parameterization ...

in Proceedings of the 2000 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, San Francisco, April 2000 The augmented object model provided the basis for effective cooperation between multiple robots. These robots were assumed to have a single serial-chain structure. In this paper we discuss the augmented object model in the context of mechanisms involving multiple branches such as human...

In this paper, we present experiments to determine the e ect of di erent virtual xture compliance levels in a human-machine cooperative manipulation system. Subjects used the JHU Steady Hand Robot with vision-based virtual xtures to perform three common tasks: curve following, o -path targeting, and object avoidance. The virtual xtures provided di erent levels of guidance to the operator, rangi...

Transportation of large objects or their manipulation in hazardous environments are tasks where the utilization of groups of mobile robots working in a cooperative fashion can be of great advantage. To execute such tasks, a multirobot formation control framework is necessary in order to coordinate the motions of the robots in the group. In this article, a particular formation control approach c...

This experiment examined asymmetries in the execution of an object manipulation task that requires the coordinated use of both hands. To this end, twenty right-hand-dominant participants performed a bimanual object manipulation task, which required that they reach for and grasp two objects located on a tabletop, fit the two objects through a hole in a horizontally or vertically oriented fitting...

Dynamics and control of mobile manipulators is obviously a more challenging problem compared to fixed-base robots. Including a suspension system for these mobile platforms increases their maneuverability, but considerably adds to their complexity. In this paper, a suspended wheeled mobile platform with two 6-DOF Puma-type manipulators is used to manipulate an object along a given path. To apply...

This paper discusses a class of control algorithms that provide enhanced physical dexterity by imposing passive motion constraints. Such motion constraints are often referred to as virtual xtures. It is shown that algorithms originally designed for vision-based control of manipulators can be easily converted into control algorithms that provide virtual xtures. As a result it is possible to crea...

This paper proposes a task-space control protocol for the collaborative manipulation of a single object by N robotic agents. The proposed methodology is decentralized in the sense that each agent utilizes information associated with its own and the object’s dynamic/kinematic parameters and no on-line communication takes place. Moreover, no feedback of the contact forces/torques is required, the...

This paper proposes a task-space control protocol for the collaborative manipulation of a single object by N robotic agents. The proposed methodology is decentralized in the sense that each agent utilizes information associated with its own and the object’s dynamic/kinematic parameters and no on-line communication takes place. Moreover, no feedback of the contact forces/torques is required, the...