Chuang Cheng, Hui Zhang, Hui Peng, Zhiqian Zhou, Bailiang Chen, Zhiwen Zeng and Huimin Lu
When the mobile manipulator is traveling on an unconstructed terrain, the external disturbance is generated. The load on the end of the mobile manipulator will be affected…
Abstract
Purpose
When the mobile manipulator is traveling on an unconstructed terrain, the external disturbance is generated. The load on the end of the mobile manipulator will be affected strictly by the disturbance. The purpose of this paper is to reject the disturbance and keep the end effector in a stable pose all the time, a control method is proposed for the onboard manipulator.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the kinematics and dynamics models of the end pose stability control system for the tracked robot are built. Through the guidance of this model information, the control framework based on active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) is designed, which keeps the attitude of the end of the manipulator stable in the pitch, roll and yaw direction. Meanwhile, the control algorithm is operated with cloud computing because the research object, the rescue robot, aims to be lightweight and execute work with remote manipulation.
Findings
The challenging simulation experiments demonstrate that the methodology can achieve valid stability control performance in the challenging terrain road in terms of robustness and real-time.
Originality/value
This research facilitates the stable posture control of the end-effector of the mobile manipulator and maintains it in a suitable stable operating environment. The entire system can normally work even in dynamic disturbance scenarios and uncertain nonlinear modeling. Furthermore, an example is given to guide the parameter tuning of ADRC by using model information and estimate the unknown internal modeling uncertainty, which is difficult to be modeled or identified.
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Keywords
Dan Xiong, Junhao Xiao, Huimin Lu, Zhiwen Zeng, Qinghua Yu, Kaihong Huang, Xiaodong Yi and Zhiqiang Zheng
The purpose of this paper is to design intelligent robots operating in such dynamic environments like the RoboCup Middle-Size League (MSL). In the RoboCup MSL, two teams of five…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to design intelligent robots operating in such dynamic environments like the RoboCup Middle-Size League (MSL). In the RoboCup MSL, two teams of five autonomous robots play on an 18- × 12-m field. Equipped with sensors and on-board computers, each robot should be able to perceive the environment, make decision and control itself to play the soccer game autonomously.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents the design of our soccer robots, participating in RoboCup MSL. The mechanical platform, electrical architecture and software framework are discussed separately. The mechanical platform is designed modularly, so easy maintainability is achieved; the electronic architecture is built on industrial standards using PC-based control technique, which results in high robustness and reliability during the intensive and fierce MSL games; the software is developed upon the open-source Robot Operating System (ROS); thus, the advantages of ROS such as modularity, portability and expansibility are inherited.
Findings
Based on this paper and the open-source hardware and software, the MSL robots can be re-developed easily to participate in the RoboCup MSL. The robots can also be used in other research and education fields, especially for multi-robot systems and distributed artificial intelligence. Furthermore, the main designing ideas proposed in the paper, i.e. using a modular mechanical structure, an industrial electronic system and ROS-based software, provide a common solution for designing general intelligent robots.
Originality/value
The methodology of the intelligent robot design for highly competitive and dynamic RoboCup MSL environments is proposed.
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Guangkuan Deng, Jianyu Zhang and Zhiwen Fan
In this paper, extending the research on the positive effects of marketing channel conflicts, this paper aims to examine how functional and dysfunctional conflicts influence…
Abstract
Purpose
In this paper, extending the research on the positive effects of marketing channel conflicts, this paper aims to examine how functional and dysfunctional conflicts influence channel innovation capability by triggering channel cohesion and investigate the moderating role of a distributor’s network structure.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on social network theory and Coser’s conflict theory, this paper develops a framework, tested using Chinese manufacturers’ data, which incorporated six key variables, namely, functional conflict, dysfunctional conflict, channel cohesion, channel innovation capability, network density and network centrality.
Findings
The empirical results revealed that functional conflict can arouse channel cohesion and that distributor network density and centrality positively moderates this relationship; dysfunctional conflict negatively affects channel cohesion, but distributor network density negatively moderates this relationship; channel cohesion had a mediating effect on the relationship between channel conflict and channel innovation capability.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the research on channel conflict by incorporating the entire channel system’s innovation capability as a positive consequence of channel conflict and expands the channel conflict literature that adopts a network structure perspective.
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Keywords
Sadrac Jean Pierre and Claudel Mombeuil
This paper hypothesized that perceived relative advantage and perceived compatibility would have a positive effect on merchants' intention to accept payments via P2P mobile…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper hypothesized that perceived relative advantage and perceived compatibility would have a positive effect on merchants' intention to accept payments via P2P mobile payment services, while perceived financial risks and perceived costs would have a negative effect. The study also explored the differences in gender, age and experience.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed model is based on the valence framework, where positive utility is represented by relative advantage and perceived compatibility, while negative utility is represented by perceived risks and perceived costs. The data for this study were collected from small business owners (merchants) at the largest public market in the Center Department of Mirebalais, Haiti, using a purposive sampling method.
Findings
The results of a structural equation modeling on a sample of 339 merchants only confirmed the effect of both perceived comparative advantage and perceived compatibility. Furthermore, the multigroup analysis revealed that the perceived comparative advantage is stronger for female merchants, older age groups and merchants who frequently used P2P m-payment for the transfer of remittances. Perceived compatibility is stronger for male merchants, younger age groups and merchants who occasionally used P2P m-payment for the transfer of remittances.
Originality/value
This study was conducted in the economic context of Haiti, where P2P m-payments are commonly used for transferring remittances. Since there are limited studies that examine P2P m-payment acceptance from the perspective of merchants, this study offers valuable insights.