This book provides a comprehensive overview of marine control system design related to underwater robotics applications. In particular, it presents novel optimization-based model predictive control strategies to solve control problems appearing in autonomous underwater vehicle applications. These novel approaches bring unique features, such as constraint handling, prioritization between multiple design objectives, optimal control performance, and robustness against disturbances and uncertainties, into the control system design. They therefore form a more general framework to design marine control systems and can be widely applied. Advanced Model Predictive Control for Autonomous Marine Vehicles balances theoretical rigor – providing thorough analysis and developing provably-correct design conditions – and application perspectives – addressing practical system constraints and implementation issues. Starting with a fixed-point positioning problem for a single vehicle and progressing to the trajectory-tracking and path-following problem of the vehicle, and then to the coordination control of a large-scale multi-robot team, this book addresses the motion control problems, increasing their level of challenge step-by-step. At each step, related subproblems such as path planning, thrust allocation, collision avoidance, and time constraints for real-time implementation are also discussed with solutions. In each chapter of this book, compact and illustrative examples are provided to demonstrate the design and implementation procedures. As a result, this book is useful for both theoretical study and practical engineering design, and the tools provided in the book are readily applicable for real-world implementation.

Explainable AI for Autonomous Vehicles: Concepts, Challenges, and Applications is a comprehensive guide to developing and applying explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) in the context of autonomous vehicles. It begins with an introduction to XAI and its importance in developing autonomous vehicles. It also provides an overview of the challenges and limitations of traditional black-box AI models and how XAI can help address these challenges by providing transparency and interpretability in the decision-making process of autonomous vehicles. The book then covers the state-of-the-art techniques and methods for XAI in autonomous vehicles, including model-agnostic approaches, post-hoc explanations, and local and global interpretability techniques. It also discusses the challenges and applications of XAI in autonomous vehicles, such as enhancing safety and reliability, improving user trust and acceptance, and enhancing overall system performance. Ethical and social considerations are also addressed in the book, such as the impact of XAI on user privacy and autonomy and the potential for bias and discrimination in XAI-based systems. Furthermore, the book provides insights into future directions and emerging trends in XAI for autonomous vehicles, such as integrating XAI with other advanced technologies like machine learning and blockchain and the potential for XAI to enable new applications and services in the autonomous vehicle industry. Overall, the book aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of XAI and its applications in autonomous vehicles to help readers develop effective XAI solutions that can enhance autonomous vehicle systems' safety, reliability, and performance while improving user trust and acceptance. This book: Discusses authentication mechanisms for camera access, encryption protocols for data protection, and access control measures for camera systems. Showcases challenges such as integration with existing systems, privacy, and security concerns while implementing explainable artificial intelligence in autonomous vehicles. Covers explainable artificial intelligence for resource management, optimization, adaptive control, and decision-making. Explains important topics such as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication, remote monitoring, and control. Emphasizes enhancing safety, reliability, overall system performance, and improving user trust in autonomous vehicles. The book is intended to provide researchers, engineers, and practitioners with a comprehensive understanding of XAI's key concepts, challenges, and applications in the context of autonomous vehicles. It is primarily written for senior undergraduate, graduate students, and academic researchers in the fields of electrical engineering, electronics and communication engineering, computer science and engineering, information technology, and automotive engineering.

This book presents the conference proceedings of the 23rd IFToMM China International Conference on Mechanism and Machine Science & Engineering (IFToMM CCMMS 2022). CCMMS was initiated in 1982, and it is the most important forum held in China for the exchange of research ideas, presentation of technical and scientific achievements, and discussion of future directions in the field of mechanism and machine science. The topics include parallel/hybrid mechanism synthesis and analysis, theoretical & computational kinematics, compliant mechanisms and micro/nano-mechanisms, reconfigurable and metamorphic mechanisms, space structures, mechanisms and materials, structure adaptation in space environment and ground testing, large-scale membrane deployable structures, construction and application of super-scale space systems, cams, gears and combining mechanisms, fluid power mechatronics drivetrain, mechanical design theory and methods, dynamics and vibration control, mechatronics, biologically inspired mechanisms and robotics, medical & rehabilitation robotics, mobile robotics, soft robotics, heavy non-road mobile machine, robot applications, engineering education on mechanisms, machines, and robotics. This book provides a state-of-the-art overview of current advances in mechanism and machine science in China. The inspiring ideas presented in the papers enlighten academic research and industrial application. The potential readers include academic researchers and industrial professionals in mechanism and machine science.

The 9-volume set LNAI 14267-14275 constitutes the proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Intelligent Robotics and Applications, ICIRA 2023, which took place in Hangzhou, China, during July 5–7, 2023. The 413 papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 630 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: Part I: Human-Centric Technologies for Seamless Human-Robot Collaboration; Multimodal Collaborative Perception and Fusion; Intelligent Robot Perception in Unknown Environments; Vision-Based Human Robot Interaction and Application. Part II: Vision-Based Human Robot Interaction and Application; Reliable AI on Machine Human Reactions; Wearable Sensors and Robots; Wearable Robots for Assistance, Augmentation and Rehabilitation of Human Movements; Perception and Manipulation of Dexterous Hand for Humanoid Robot. Part III: Perception and Manipulation of Dexterous Hand for Humanoid Robot; Medical Imaging for Biomedical Robotics; Advanced Underwater Robot Technologies; Innovative Design and Performance Evaluation of Robot Mechanisms; Evaluation of Wearable Robots for Assistance and Rehabilitation; 3D Printing Soft Robots. Part IV: 3D Printing Soft Robots; Dielectric Elastomer Actuators for Soft Robotics; Human-like Locomotion and Manipulation; Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning for Smart Robots. Part V: Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning for Smart Robots; Robotic Tactile Sensation, Perception, and Applications; Advanced Sensing and Control Technology for Human-Robot Interaction; Knowledge-Based Robot Decision-Making and Manipulation; Design and Control of Legged Robots. Part VI: Design and Control of Legged Robots; Robots in Tunnelling and Underground Space; Robotic Machining of Complex Components; Clinically Oriented Design in Robotic Surgery and Rehabilitation; Visual and Visual-Tactile Perception for Robotics. Part VII: Visual and Visual-Tactile Perception for Robotics; Perception, Interaction, and Control of Wearable Robots; Marine Robotics and Applications; Multi-Robot Systems for Real World Applications; Physical and Neurological Human-Robot Interaction. Part VIII: Physical and Neurological Human-Robot Interaction; Advanced Motion Control Technologies for Mobile Robots; Intelligent Inspection Robotics; Robotics in Sustainable Manufacturing for Carbon Neutrality; Innovative Design and Performance Evaluation of Robot Mechanisms. Part IX: Innovative Design and Performance Evaluation of Robot Mechanisms; Cutting-Edge Research in Robotics.

Most modern systems involve various engineering disciplines. Mechatronic systems are designed to be dependable and efficient; however, mechatronics engineering faces multiple challenges at the design and exploitation stages. It is essential for engineers to be aware of these challenges and remain up to date with the emerging research in the mechatronics engineering field. Trends, Paradigms, and Advances in Mechatronics Engineering presents the latest advances and applications of mechatronics. It highlights the recent challenges in the field and facilitates understanding of the subject. Covering topics such as the construction industry, design optimization, and low-cost fabrication, this premier reference source is a crucial resource for engineers, computer scientists, construction managers, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.

This book introduces the reader to the hottest topics in current control sciences and robotics, as seen by scientists from Poland and other European countries. Volume 2 comprises 42 chapters, which specifically address topics connected to statistical and stochastic methods in control engineering applications, to optimization and quantum computing, to biological, medical, and ecological systems, to new applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning in automated and connected vehicles, to design and control of autonomous marine, robotics, and vehicles systems, and to other modern topics. The contributions were presented during XXI Polish Control Conference, held in Gliwice, Poland, from June 26 to 29, 2023. This book is extremely useful to all persons who want to know the latest trends in automation and robotics.