Development of a Real-Time Algorithm for Estimating Electrical Consumption in Robotic Systems.

Nowadays the energy consumption control has become essential in robotic systems due to the growing demand for sustainable and efficient technologies. The thesis focuses on the development of a Real-Time algorithm designed to estimate the power consumption in robotic systems. The objective of the project is the improvement of the existing algorithm, enhancing its precision and ensuring its compatibility across multiple robot families. The research employes a combination of theoretical and practical approach aiming to obtain a reliable tool for monitoring and optimizing power usage during robotic operations. From the theoretical point of view the use of Matlab allows the study and validation of the algorithm behaviour on different robots across a range of different scenarios. The practical approach includes experimental validation using real-world data to enhance the algorithm's performance and robustness. The thesis successfully achieved the objectives of the project improving the precision of the algorithm, both through the components analysis of the robotic system and through dynamic evaluation of the power factor. Also the algorithm's integration capabilities with different robotic systems is reached. However, limitations were noted on robot families with huge payload, where the algorithm encounters difficulties due to bigger DC Bus capacitance, reducing its consistency in those cases. In order to solve this issue, more measurements are required to validate the robotic system behaviour. Future implementations could involve the developing of a graphical interface offering an easier customization option to the specific robot on which the algorithm operates. Additionally, the algorithm could be adapted for energy optimization, integrating it with a motion planner, with the goal of reducing consumption to enhance sustainability in robotic applications.