报告题目：Latest Development of Autonomous Mobile Robots

报告时间：2017年5月24日（星期三）上午10:10-11:10

报告地点：曲江校区 机械制造系统工程国家重点实验室 西五楼A228会议室

讲座摘要:

Mobile robots are poised to enter outdoor fields, farm, vineyards, and forestryin a bigger wave. Their ability to operate in a natural environment is greatly enhanced with biomimentic locomotion, smart sensing, perception and intelligent control; but achieving a sufficient level of autonomy and reliability for practical industrial adoption still poses great challenges. Automating field operations through robotisation is very relevant to a resource-driven economy as the world is grappled with the efficient utilization of resources. In supporting the national R&D agenda, University of Canterbury has been at the forefront of developing cutting edge robotics technologies and systems for field applications ranging from pruning, industrial inspection, to forestry harvest. The latest developments in untethered wall climbing robot for industrial inspection, biped tree tree-to-tree traversing robot for forestry production on steep terrain will be presented. Due emphasis is placed on novel locomotion and technology development to bridge the gap between the mobile robotics research and industrial adoption. The speaker will also take this opportunity to share the lessons learned and provoke the thoughts about what holds robots back from entering the fields.

讲座人简介：

Prof. XiaoQi Chen is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury. He graduated from South China University of Technology with BEng in Mechanical Engineering in 1984. He was a recipient of China-UK Technical Co-Operation Award for his MSc study in Materials Technology, Brunel University (1985-1986); and PhD study in Electrical Engineering, the University of Liverpool (1986-1989).

Prof. Chen was Senior Research Assistant at Durham University (1989-1990), Research Fellow at Brunel University (1990-1992), and Research Fellow, Research Scientist and Senior Scientist at Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (1992-2006). In 1999, he led a research team that won the prestigious “Singapore National Technology Award” for their success in developing the first-its-kind robotic system for polishing and grinding distorted 3D aerofoils of High Pressure Turbine (HTP) vanes. Prof. Chen joined the University of Canterbury as Director for Mechatronics Engineering in 2006.

Prof. Chen was the founding Chair of IEEE Robotics and Automation New Zealand Chapter. He has served as Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering,Control and Intelligent Systems, and International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems. Prof Chen’s research interests cover mechatronics, mobile robotics, assistive device and technology. He has authored and co-authored over 200 referred publications, and authored and edited four books; and is co-inventor of 10 patents. His pioneering work on wall climbing robot led to a spin-off company Invert Robotics Limited which won 2012 New Zealand Ministry of Science and Innovation Start-Up Award. His team won 2015 Forest Owners Association (New Zealand) Award “Innovation that enhances sector value”.Prof Chen is Elected Fellow of Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) and Elected Fellow of Society of Manufacturing Engineers (USA).