Semi-autonomous Robotic Disassembly Enhanced by Mixed Reality

TL;DR

This paper presents SARDiM, a semi-autonomous robotic platform enhanced with mixed reality for efficient, safe, and flexible industrial disassembly, demonstrated through EV battery disassembly with improved safety and efficiency.

Contribution

Introduction of SARDiM, a modular platform combining mixed reality, real-time object segmentation, and variable autonomy for industrial disassembly tasks.

Findings

40.61% decrease in joint limit violations with Mode 2

Mode 2-IM4 reduces task time by 2.33% and increases safety

Enhanced safety and efficiency in hazardous environments

Abstract

In this study, we introduce "SARDiM," a modular semi-autonomous platform enhanced with mixed reality for industrial disassembly tasks. Through a case study focused on EV battery disassembly, SARDiM integrates Mixed Reality, object segmentation, teleoperation, force feedback, and variable autonomy. Utilising the ROS, Unity, and MATLAB platforms, alongside a joint impedance controller, SARDiM facilitates teleoperated disassembly. The approach combines FastSAM for real-time object segmentation, generating data which is subsequently processed through a cluster analysis algorithm to determine the centroid and orientation of the components, categorizing them by size and disassembly priority. This data guides the MoveIt platform in trajectory planning for the Franka Robot arm. SARDiM provides the capability to switch between two teleoperation modes: manual and semi-autonomous with variable autonomy. Each was evaluated using four different Interface Methods (IM): direct view, monitor feed, mixed reality with monitor feed, and point cloud mixed reality. Evaluations across the eight IMs demonstrated a 40.61% decrease in joint limit violations using Mode 2. Moreover, Mode 2-IM4 outperformed Mode 1-IM1 by achieving a 2.33%-time reduction while considerably increasing safety, making it optimal for operating in hazardous environments at a safe distance, with the same ease of use as teleoperation with a direct view of the environment.