Remote control system and method based on substation bionic operation robot

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of force operation robots, in particular to a remote control system and method based on a transformer substation bionic operation robot, and the system comprises a control terminal, computer equipment with high-performance processing capability, a display equipped with a large screen, and operation input equipment. The display module is used for sending operation instructions and displaying robot state information, sensor data and real-time videos in the operation process; the communication module adopts a hybrid communication mode of an optical fiber network and wireless communication and is used for transmitting data between the control terminal and the robot body; the robot body is of a humanoid mechanical structure and comprises a mechanical arm with multiple joints and degrees of freedom, and the tail end of the mechanical arm is provided with multiple tools and is provided with multiple sensors such as a visual sensor, a force sensor, a position sensor and a temperature sensor. The method has the advantages of improving the operation efficiency, improving the operation accuracy, enhancing the safety guarantee and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of force-operated robots, and particularly to a remote control system and method for a substation bionic operation robot. Background Art

[0002] As a key link in power transmission and distribution, many devices in substations need to be regularly inspected, operated, and maintained. Traditional manual operation and maintenance methods face many challenges, such as dangerous environments (high voltage, strong magnetic field, etc.), high labor intensity, low efficiency, and the risk of human operation errors.

[0003] To solve these problems, substation bionic operation robots have emerged. These robots imitate the structure and functions of organisms, for example, they have a robotic arm structure similar to a human hand and flexible movement methods, and can perform tasks in the complex environment of substations. However, to fully utilize their advantages, an efficient and accurate remote control method is the key.

[0004] Existing remote control technologies for substation robots have certain limitations. In terms of communication, the stability and real-time performance of data transmission are insufficient, and signal interruption or delay is likely to occur, affecting the accuracy of operations; in terms of operation control, there is a lack of an intuitive and efficient control interface, and it is difficult for operators to accurately command the robot to perform complex operations; in terms of safety guarantee, the emergency handling ability of the robot in abnormal situations is weak, and there are potential safety hazards.

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides a remote control system and method for a substation bionic operation robot. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a remote control system and method for a substation bionic operation robot in view of the deficiencies of the prior art.

[0007] To solve the above technical problems, the following technical solutions are adopted: A remote control system for a substation bionic operation robot, comprising: A control terminal, a computer device with high-performance processing capabilities, equipped with a large-screen display and an operation input device, used for sending operation instructions, displaying the robot's status information, sensor data, and real-time video during the operation; A communication module, adopting a hybrid communication method of optical fiber network and wireless communication, used for transmitting data between the control terminal and the robot body; The robot body, having a humanoid mechanical structure, including a robotic arm with multiple joints and degrees of freedom, with various tools equipped at the end of the robotic arm, and installed with various sensors such as visual sensors, force sensors, position sensors, and temperature sensors; Among them, the operating system of the control terminal is a custom-developed system with multitasking capabilities. The control software of the control terminal has a pre-editing function for operation instructions, a real-time monitoring function, and is equipped with an intelligent analysis module, which uses deep learning algorithms to analyze the images collected by the vision sensor.

[0008] Based on the above technical solution, a further improvement is that the tools at the end of the robotic arm of the robot body include a special wrench and a clamp.

[0009] Based on the above technical solution, a further improvement is that the fiber optic network in the communication module is used to transmit a large amount of control instructions and video image data, and the wireless communication is 5G technology, which is used to ensure communication in areas where the fiber optic network coverage is insufficient.

[0010] The present invention proposes another technical solution: a remote control method for a substation bionic operation robot, which is characterized by including the following steps: S1. Initialization and connection step: Initialize the robot, including joint calibration, sensor detection, and establishing a communication connection. The operator logs in to the control terminal and performs identity verification to obtain operation permissions; then establish a multi-band hybrid communication link, integrating 5G wireless network and fiber optic wired network to achieve real-time two-way data transmission, and establish a communication redundancy mechanism and adopt encryption algorithms to ensure the security of communication; S2. Task planning and instruction sending step: The operator plans the operation tasks in the control software according to the substation equipment requirements. After determining the operation target, path, and sequence, send the operation instructions to the robot body; S3. Sensor feedback and real-time adjustment step: When the robot executes the task, the sensors collect data and feedback it to the control terminal, and the operator adjusts the operation instructions in real time according to the feedback data; S4. Operation record and safety guarantee step: The system automatically records all information during the operation process and stores it. At the same time, it monitors the operation safety in real time, and automatically takes emergency measures when there are safety risks.

[0011] Based on the above technical solution, a further improvement is that in the task planning and instruction sending step, after the operation instructions are transmitted to the control system of the robot body through the communication module, the control system parses the instructions and converts them into the actions of each joint and actuator of the robot.

[0012] Based on the above technical solution, a further improvement is that in the sensor feedback and real-time adjustment step, when the force sensor feedback shows that the force exceeds the safety threshold, the control software issues an alarm to prompt the operator to adjust the operation instructions.

[0013] On the basis of the above-described technical solution, a further improvement is that in the operation record and safety guarantee step, the operation records are stored in a local database and a cloud server.

[0014] On the basis of the above-described technical solution, a further improvement is that in the robot motion control, an inverse kinematics algorithm is adopted to calculate the joint rotation angles according to the target position and attitude of the end effector of the robotic arm, while considering the kinematic constraints.

[0015] On the basis of the above-described technical solution, a further improvement is that in the interaction operation between the robot and the device, an impedance control algorithm is adopted to adjust the driving torque of the robotic arm joints according to the feedback of the force sensor to control the operation force.

[0016] On the basis of the above-described technical solution, a further improvement is that in the robot path planning, the A* algorithm is adopted to divide the working area of the substation into discrete grid cells, and the optimal path is searched by comprehensively considering the path cost and the estimated cost, while considering the motion ability of the robot and the environmental constraints.

[0017] Due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the following beneficial effects are achieved: (1) Improve operation efficiency: 1. The operator can conveniently and quickly plan operation tasks and send instructions at a remote control terminal, without the need to move and operate frequently inside the substation as in traditional manual operations.

[0018] 2. The function of pre-editing the operation instruction sequence enables the robot to quickly execute a series of complex operation tasks, reducing the operation time.

[0019] (2) Improve operation accuracy 1. The high-precision sensors and intelligent analysis modules of the robot can accurately sense the operation environment and equipment status, thus achieving more accurate operations.

[0020] 2. The operator can adjust the operation instructions in a timely manner through the real-time video image and sensor data feedback, further improving the operation accuracy.

[0021] (3) Enhance safety guarantee 1. The operator is far away from the complex electromagnetic environment and dangerous areas of the substation, avoiding direct safety risks.

[0022] 2. The safety guarantee mechanism of the system can monitor the safety risks during the operation process in real time and take measures in a timely manner, effectively protecting the safety of the substation equipment and the robot itself.

[0023] (4) Improve the level of intelligent operation and maintenance 1. The automatic identification and status judgment functions of the intelligent analysis module for substation equipment contribute to the intelligent management of substation operation and maintenance.

[0024] 2. The storage and analysis of operation records can provide data support for the fault prediction and preventive maintenance of substation equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the drawings: Figure 1 FIG. is a schematic external structure diagram of a remote control system based on a bionic operation robot for a substation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 FIG. is a schematic flow diagram of a remote control method based on a bionic operation robot for a substation according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer and more understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below through the drawings and embodiments. However, it should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the scope of the present invention. In addition, in the following description, the descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted to avoid unnecessarily confusing the concepts of the present invention.

[0028] A remote control system based on a bionic operation robot for a substation includes: A control terminal: includes a computer device with high-performance processing capabilities, equipped with a large-screen display and precise operation input devices (such as customized operating handles, keyboards, etc.). This terminal has powerful graphics processing capabilities and can clearly display the layout of the substation, the position and posture of the robot, and various information feedback by sensors.

[0029] A communication module: adopts a hybrid communication method, including a high-speed fiber optic network and wireless communication (such as 5G technology). The fiber optic network is used to transmit a large amount of control instructions and video image data to ensure high-speed and stable data transmission; 5G wireless communication serves as a backup and flexible supplement, and can ensure real-time communication between the robot and the control terminal in areas where the robot needs to move within a large range and the fiber optic network coverage is insufficient.

[0030] The robot body: The body of the bionic robot has a humanoid mechanical structure, including a robotic arm with multiple joints and degrees of freedom. A variety of tools, such as special wrenches, pliers, etc., are equipped at the end of the robotic arm for operating substation equipment. A large number of sensors, such as vision sensors (high-definition cameras, infrared cameras, etc.), force sensors, position sensors, temperature sensors, etc., are also installed on the robot body.

[0031] Among them, the operating system of the control terminal is a custom-developed system with multitasking capabilities. The control software of the control terminal has a pre-editing function for operation instructions and a real-time monitoring function, and is equipped with an intelligent analysis module, which analyzes the images collected by the vision sensor using deep learning algorithms.

[0032] As a further description of this embodiment: The remote control system further includes: Operating system: A custom-developed robot operating system with multitasking capabilities, capable of simultaneously processing tasks such as robot motion control, sensor data acquisition and analysis, and communication management.

[0033] Control software: Provides an intuitive user interface through which operators can send various operation instructions. The software has a pre-editing function for operation instructions. Operators can pre-write a series of operation instruction sequences and then send them to the robot for execution at one time, improving operation efficiency. At the same time, the control software also has a real-time monitoring function, which can display the status information of the robot, sensor data, and real-time video during the operation process.

[0034] Intelligent analysis module: Analyzes the images collected by the vision sensor using deep learning algorithms, can automatically identify the status of substation equipment (such as whether the equipment is operating normally, whether there are potential fault hazards, etc.), and can also plan the optimal operation path for the robot according to environmental information (such as the position of obstacles, the width of the passage, etc.).

[0035] As a further description of this embodiment: This embodiment further includes a remote control method based on a bionic operation robot for a substation, including the following steps: S1. Initialization and connection step: Before starting remote control, it is necessary to perform initialization operations on the robot. This includes calibrating each joint of the robot to ensure the accurate initial position of the robotic arm; detecting the sensors to ensure that the sensors can collect data normally; establishing a communication connection between the robot and the control terminal, and verifying the stability of the communication through a handshake protocol.

[0036] The operator logs in to the account on the control terminal and performs identity verification, and obtains corresponding operation permissions according to the permission level. Operators with different permission levels can perform operation tasks of different complexities.

[0037] S2. Task planning and instruction sending: The operator plans the operation tasks of the robot in the control software according to the equipment maintenance plan or fault handling requirements of the substation. Task planning includes determining the operation target (such as performing opening and closing operations on a certain circuit breaker), the operation path (avoiding obstacles and dangerous areas), and the operation sequence (such as opening some auxiliary equipment first and then performing the main operation).

[0038] According to the task planning results, the operator sends operation instructions to the robot through the control terminal. The operation instructions are transmitted to the control system of the robot body through the communication module, and the control system analyzes the instructions and converts them into the actions of each joint and actuator of the robot.

[0039] S3. Sensor Feedback and Real-time Adjustment: During the execution of the operation task by the robot, various sensors installed on it continuously collect data and feedback it to the control terminal. The vision sensor sends back real-time image data, and the operator can view the environment around the robot through the control software; the force sensor feedbacks the force condition of the robot when operating the equipment. When the force exceeds the safety threshold, the control software will issue an alarm prompt, and the operator can adjust the operation instructions in a timely manner; position sensors, temperature sensors, etc. also transmit relevant data in real time so that the operator can comprehensively grasp the status of the robot and substation equipment.

[0040] Based on the data feedback from the sensors, the operator can adjust the operation instructions in real time. For example, if a new obstacle appears on the operation path of the robot, the operator can re-plan the path and send a new instruction to the robot; if it is found that the temperature during the equipment operation rises abnormally, the operator can pause the operation and conduct further inspections.

[0041] S4. Operation Record and Safety Guarantee: During the entire remote control process, the system will automatically record all operation instructions, sensor data, video images and other information. These operation records will be stored in the local database and cloud server for future query, analysis and fault tracing.

[0042] A safety guarantee mechanism is established. During the operation of the robot, the system will continuously monitor the status of the robot, the safety of the operation and the status of the substation equipment. If any safety risks are found (such as the robot is about to collide, the operation may cause damage to the equipment, etc.), the system will automatically take emergency measures, such as stopping the operation of the robot, issuing an alarm notification, etc.

[0043] In robot motion control, the inverse kinematics algorithm is adopted to calculate the joint rotation angles according to the target position and posture of the end effector of the robotic arm, while considering kinematic constraints.

[0044] Motion Control Algorithm - Inverse Kinematics Algorithm: When controlling the motion of the robotic arm of the robot, the inverse kinematics algorithm is adopted. For a robotic arm with multiple joints, given the target position and posture of the end effector of the robotic arm in space (for example, when operating substation equipment, the exact position and direction that the end effector needs to reach), the inverse kinematics algorithm is used to calculate the angles that each joint should rotate.

[0045] Specifically, a kinematic model is established based on the robotic arm structure, which describes the mathematical relationship between joint angles and the position and orientation of the end effector. Then, the inverse kinematics problem is solved using analytical or numerical methods. The analytical method can obtain an accurate analytical solution when the robotic arm structure has a specific geometry (such as a robotic arm with a spherical wrist structure); the numerical method (such as the Newton-Raphson iteration method) is applicable to more complex robotic arm structures and solves for joint angles through iterative approximation.

[0046] During the calculation process, kinematic constraints of the robot are considered, such as the range of motion limits of joints, speed limits, etc. For example, the rotational angle of a robotic arm joint cannot exceed the designed maximum and minimum angle ranges, and there is also a certain upper limit for the rotational speed of the joint to ensure the safe and stable movement of the robotic arm.

[0047] When the robot interacts with equipment, an impedance control algorithm is adopted to adjust the driving torque of the robotic arm joints according to the feedback of the force sensor to control the operating force.

[0048] Operating force control algorithm - Impedance control algorithm: When the robotic arm of the robot interacts with substation equipment (such as tightening nuts, opening disconnectors, etc.), the impedance control algorithm is used to control the operating force.

[0049] This algorithm is based on the dynamic relationship between the robot and the environment, regarding the robotic arm as a dynamic system with certain mass, damping, and stiffness characteristics. By adjusting the impedance parameters (mass, damping, and stiffness) of the robotic arm, the response characteristics of the robotic arm when contacting the equipment can be controlled.

[0050] For example, when the end effector of the robotic arm contacts the equipment and applies a force, according to the difference between the actual contact force and the desired force feedback by the force sensor, the driving torque of the robotic arm joints is adjusted so that the robotic arm can operate with the desired force. If the actual contact force is greater than the desired force, increase the damping to reduce the movement speed of the robotic arm and avoid excessive impact on the equipment; if the actual contact force is less than the desired force, appropriately increase the stiffness so that the robotic arm can apply force more effectively.

[0051] The A* algorithm is adopted in the robot path planning. The substation working area is divided into discrete grid cells, and the optimal path is searched by comprehensively considering the path cost and the estimated cost, while also considering the robot's motion ability and environmental constraints.

[0052] Path planning algorithm - A* algorithm: When planning a path for the robot from the starting position to the operation target position, the A* algorithm is adopted. The A* algorithm is a heuristic search algorithm that comprehensively considers the cost of the path (such as path length, penalty for passing through complex areas, etc.) and the estimated cost to reach the target (heuristic function) to find the optimal path.

[0053] First, divide the working area of the substation into discrete grid cells, where each cell represents a possible position of the robot. The starting position and the target position of the robot are used as the starting point and the ending point of the search respectively. During the search process of the algorithm, an open list and a closed list are maintained. The open list is used to store the nodes (grid cells) to be explored, and the closed list is used to store the nodes that have been explored.

[0054] For each node, calculate the sum of its actual cost (such as the length of the path traveled) from the starting node to this node and the estimated cost to the target node (for example, using the Euclidean distance as the heuristic function) as the evaluation function value of this node. Each time, select the node with the smallest evaluation function value from the open list for expansion until the target node is found or the open list is empty.

[0055] During the path planning process, consider the actual movement ability of the robot and environmental constraints. For example, factors such as the turning radius limit of the robot and the inaccessibility of certain areas (such as the presence of obstacles or dangerous areas) are incorporated into the calculation of the path cost to ensure that the planned path is the optimal path that the robot can actually take.

[0056] The A* algorithm is used to plan the optimal path for the robot from the starting position to the operation target position within the working area of the substation. It comprehensively considers the actual cost of the path (such as path length, penalty for passing through complex areas, etc.) and the estimated cost to reach the target (heuristic function) to find the optimal path.

[0057] During the search process, evaluate each possible path node. The evaluation function f(n) = g(n) + h(n), where g(n) is the actual cost from the starting node to the current node, and h(n) is the estimated cost from the current node to the target node n. By continuously selecting the node with the smallest evaluation function value for expansion, the algorithm gradually approaches the target node until the target node is found or the open list (list of nodes to be explored) is empty.

[0058] The environmental modeling divides the working area of the substation into discrete grid cells, where each cell represents a possible position of the robot. This discretized environmental model facilitates the algorithm for search and calculation. For example, according to the actual layout of the substation and the size of the robot, the entire area can be divided into square grids with a side length of a certain length (such as 1 meter).

[0059] For each grid cell, mark its attributes such as whether it is an obstacle, whether it is a dangerous area, whether it is a special operation area, etc. At the same time, it is also necessary to define the cost of the robot moving between different areas. For example, the cost of moving in a non-obstacle area is relatively low, while the cost of passing near an obstacle or a dangerous area is relatively high.

[0060] The starting position and the target position of the search process robot are used as the starting point and the ending point of the search respectively. During the search process of the algorithm, an open list and a closed list are maintained. The open list is used to store the nodes (grid cells) to be explored, and the closed list is used to store the nodes that have been explored.

[0061] Starting from the starting node, calculate the evaluation function values of its adjacent nodes, and add these adjacent nodes to the open list. Then, select the node with the smallest evaluation function value from the open list for expansion, that is, add the adjacent nodes of this node to the open list (if these adjacent nodes are not in the closed list), and add this node itself to the closed list. Repeat this process until the target node is found or the open list is empty.

[0062] When calculating the evaluation function value of an adjacent node, the value of g(n) can be calculated according to the path length that the robot has traveled from the starting node to the current node. For example, for each grid cell passed through, g(n) increases by a fixed cost. The value of h(n) is usually calculated using a heuristic function. For example, the Euclidean distance , where are the coordinates of the current node, are the coordinates of the target node) is used as the estimated cost from the current node to the target node.

[0063] During the path planning process, the actual motion ability of the robot and environmental constraints are considered. The turning radius limit of the robot is an important factor. For example, if the turning radius of the robot is large, then sharp-turning paths need to be avoided when planning the path.

[0064] Factors such as certain areas that cannot be passed through (such as the presence of obstacles or dangerous areas) are all incorporated into the calculation of the path cost. If the robot needs to bypass an obstacle, then the length of the bypassed path will increase the actual cost of the path. At the same time, for special areas (such as maintaining a certain safety distance around the equipment operation area), they also need to be considered in the path planning to ensure that the planned path is the optimal path that the robot can actually implement.

[0065] The above are only specific embodiments of the present invention, but the technical features of the present invention are not limited thereto. Any simple changes, equivalent replacements, or modifications made based on the present invention to solve substantially the same technical problems and achieve substantially the same technical effects are all covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A remote control system based on a substation bionic operating robot, characterized in that: include: The control terminal is a computer device with high-performance processing capabilities, equipped with a large-screen display and operation input devices, used to send operation instructions, display robot status information, sensor data and real-time video during operation; The communication module uses a hybrid communication method of optical fiber network and wireless communication to transmit data between the control terminal and the robot body; The robot body has a humanoid mechanical structure, including a robotic arm with multiple joints and degrees of freedom. The end of the robotic arm is equipped with a variety of tools and is equipped with a variety of sensors such as vision sensors, force sensors, position sensors, and temperature sensors. Among them, the operating system of the control terminal is a custom-developed system with multi-tasking processing capabilities. The control software of the control terminal has the function of pre-editing operation instructions and real-time monitoring, and is equipped with an intelligent analysis module, which uses deep learning algorithms to analyze images collected by visual sensors.

2. The remote control system based on the substation bionic operation robot according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The end tool of the robot arm of the robot body includes a special wrench and a clamp.

3. The remote control system based on the substation bionic operation robot according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The optical fiber network in the communication module is used to transmit a large amount of control instructions and video image data, and the wireless communication is 5G technology, which is used to ensure communication in areas where the optical fiber network coverage is insufficient.

4. A remote control method based on a substation bionic operating robot, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1. Initialization and connection steps: Initialize the robot, including joint calibration, sensor detection, and establishing communication connection. The operator logs in to the control terminal and performs identity authentication to obtain operation permissions; Then, a multi-band hybrid communication link is established, integrating the 5G wireless network and the optical fiber wired network to achieve real-time two-way data transmission, and a communication redundancy mechanism is established and an encryption algorithm is used to ensure the security of communication; S2. Task planning and command sending steps: The operator plans the operation task in the control software according to the requirements of the substation equipment, determines the operation target, path and sequence, and then sends the operation command to the robot body; S3. Sensor feedback and real-time adjustment step: When the robot performs a task, the sensor collects data and feeds it back to the control terminal. The operator adjusts the operation instructions in real time according to the feedback data; S4. Operation records and safety assurance steps: The system automatically records and stores all information during the operation, monitors the operation safety in real time, and automatically takes emergency measures when there is a safety risk.

5. The remote control method based on the substation bionic operation robot according to claim 4 is characterized in that: In the task planning and instruction sending step, after the operation instruction is transmitted to the control system of the robot body through the communication module, the control system parses the instruction and converts it into the action of each joint and actuator of the robot.

6. The remote control method based on the substation bionic operation robot according to claim 4 is characterized in that: In the sensor feedback and real-time adjustment step, when the force sensor feedback force exceeds the safety threshold, the control software issues an alarm to prompt the operator to adjust the operation instructions.

7. The remote control method based on the substation bionic operation robot according to claim 4 is characterized in that: In the operation record and security assurance step, the operation record is stored in a local database and a cloud server.

8. The remote control method based on the substation bionic operation robot according to claim 4 is characterized in that: Inverse kinematics algorithm is used in robot motion control to calculate the joint rotation angle according to the target position and posture of the end effector of the robot arm, while considering the kinematic constraints.

9. The remote control method based on the substation bionic operation robot according to claim 4 is characterized in that: When the robot interacts with the device, an impedance control algorithm is used to adjust the driving torque of the robot arm joint according to the feedback from the force sensor to control the operating force.

10. The remote control method based on the substation bionic operation robot according to claim 4 is characterized in that: The A* algorithm is used in the robot path planning to divide the substation working area into discrete grid units. The optimal path is found by comprehensively considering the path cost and estimated cost, while also considering the robot's motion capabilities and environmental constraints.

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