This book is an updated reference of research activities that bring together various theories, methods, and technologies of robotic systems and automation for manufacturing and related fields. The book includes articles on state-of-the-art robotic systems and automation for diverse avenues in automation such as advanced manufacturing, developments in design methodology, kinematics and dynamics analysis, performance analysis and evaluation, intelligent manufacturing, assembly, sensors, control theory and practice, human-machine interface, and so on. This book is an excellent research reference for engineers, researchers, and students that range from senior undergraduates to advanced doctoral students and professionals who are interested in robotics and automation.

This open access book is among the first cross-disciplinary works about Manufacturing 4.0. It includes chapters about the technical, the economic, and the social aspects of this important phenomenon. Together the material presented allows the reader to develop a holistic picture of where the manufacturing industry and the parts of the society that depend on it may be going in the future. Manufacturing 4.0 is not only a technical change, nor is it a purely technically driven change, but it is a societal change that has the potential to disrupt the way societies are constructed both in the positive and in the negative. This book will be of interest to scholars researching manufacturing, technological innovation, innovation management and industry 4.0.

This book gathers the proceedings of the 3rd Latin American Congress on Automation and Robotics, held at Monterrey, Mexico, on November 17–19, 2021. This book presents recent advances in the modeling, design, control, and development of autonomous and robotic systems and explores current exciting applications and future challenges of these technologies. The scope of this book covers a wide range of research fields associated with automation and robotics encountered within engineering, scientific research, and practice. These topics are related to autonomous systems, industrial automation and robotics, modelling and systems identification, simulation procedures and experimental validations, control theory, artificial intelligence, computer vision, sensing and sensor fusion, multi-robot and multi-agent systems, field and service robotics, human robot interaction and interfaces, modelling of robotic systems, and the design of new robotic platforms.

The implementation of robotics and automation in the food sector offers great potential for improved safety, quality and profitability by optimising process monitoring and control. Robotics and automation in the food industry provides a comprehensive overview of current and emerging technologies and their applications in different industry sectors.Part one introduces key technologies and significant areas of development, including automatic process control and robotics in the food industry, sensors for automated quality and safety control, and the development of machine vision systems. Optical sensors and online spectroscopy, gripper technologies, wireless sensor networks (WSN) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are discussed, with consideration of intelligent quality control systems based on fuzzy logic. Part two goes on to investigate robotics and automation in particular unit operations and industry sectors. The automation of bulk sorting and control of food chilling and freezing is considered, followed by chapters on the use of robotics and automation in the processing and packaging of meat, seafood, fresh produce and confectionery. Automatic control of batch thermal processing of canned foods is explored, before a final discussion on automation for a sustainable food industry.With its distinguished editor and international team of expert contributors, Robotics and automation in the food industry is an indispensable guide for engineering professionals in the food industry, and a key introduction for professionals and academics interested in food production, robotics and automation. - Provides a comprehensive overview of current and emerging robotics and automation technologies and their applications in different industry sectors - Chapters in part one cover key technologies and significant areas of development, including automatic process control and robotics in the food industry and sensors for automated quality and safety control - Part two investigates robotics and automation in particular unit operations and industry sectors, including the automation of bulk sorting and the use of robotics and automation in the processing and packaging of meat, seafood, fresh produce and confectionery

The manufacturing industry is a cornerstone of national economy and people’s livelihood. It is the way of transforming resources into products or goods which are required to cater to the needs of the society. Traditional manufacturing companies currently face several challenges such as rapid technological changes, inventory problem, shortened innovation, short product life cycles, volatile demand, low prices, highly customized products, and ability to compete in the global markets. Modern manufacturing is highly competitive due to globalization and fast changes in the global market. This book reviews emerging technologies in manufacturing. These technologies include artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, lean manufacturing, robotics, automation, 3D printing, nanotechnology, industrial Internet of things, and augmented reality. The use of these technologies will have a profound impact on the manufacturing industry. The book consists of 19 chapters. Each chapter addresses a single emerging technology in depth and describes how manufacturing organizations are adopting the technology. The book fills an important niche for manufacturing. It is a comprehensive, jargon-free introductory text on the issues, ideas, theories, and problems on emerging technologies in manufacturing. It is a must-read book for beginners or anyone who wants to be updated about emerging technologies.

This book gathers selected papers presented at the Third International Conference on Mechatronics and Intelligent Robotics (ICMIR 2019), held in Kunming, China, on May 25–26, 2019. The proceedings cover new findings in the following areas of research: mechatronics, intelligent mechatronics, robotics and biomimetics; novel and unconventional mechatronic systems; modeling and control of mechatronic systems; elements, structures and mechanisms of micro- and nano-systems; sensors, wireless sensor networks and multi-sensor data fusion; biomedical and rehabilitation engineering, prosthetics and artificial organs; artificial intelligence (AI), neural networks and fuzzy logic in mechatronics and robotics; industrial automation, process control and networked control systems; telerobotics and human–computer interaction; human–robot interaction; robotics and artificial intelligence; bio-inspired robotics; control algorithms and control systems; design theories and principles; evolutional robotics; field robotics; force sensors, accelerometers and other measuring devices; healthcare robotics; kinematics and dynamics analysis; manufacturing robotics; mathematical and computational methodologies in robotics; medical robotics; parallel robots and manipulators; robotic cognition and emotion; robotic perception and decisions; sensor integration, fusion and perception; and social robotics.

This book presents recent trends in the field as perceived by a global selection of researchers and experts. Subjects covered include motion planning of mobile robots in unknown environments, coordination between mobility and manipulability, computation environments for mobile robots, nonlinear control of mobile robots and environmental modeling using advanced sensing technologies. Issues ranging from progress in applications to fundamental problems are discussed.