Control of Cable Robots for Construction Applications

Abstract

The Construction Metrology and Automation Group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is conducting research to provide standards, methodologies, and performance metrics that will assist the development of advanced systems to automate construction tasks. This research includes crane automation, advanced site metrology systems, laser-based 3D imaging, calibrated camera networks, construction object identification and tracking, and sensor integration and process control from Building Information Models. The NIST RoboCrane has factored into much of this research both as a robotics test platform and a sensor/target positioning apparatus. This chapter provides a brief review of the RoboCrane platform, an explanation of control algorithms including the NIST GoMotion controller, and a discussion of crane task decomposition using the Four Dimensional/Real-time Control System approach.