Related papers: Contact-Implicit Trajectory Optimization using Ort…
This paper proposes an inverse optimal control method which enables a robot to incrementally learn a control objective function from a collection of trajectory segments. By saying incrementally, it means that the collection of trajectory…
In this paper, we propose new accelerated methods for smooth convex optimization, called contracting proximal methods. At every step of these methods, we need to minimize a contracted version of the objective function augmented by a…
This paper considers the problem of planning trajectories for a team of sensor-equipped robots to reduce uncertainty about a dynamical process. Optimizing the trade-off between information gain and energy cost (e.g., control effort,…
We present a general approach for controlling robotic systems that make and break contact with their environments. Contact-implicit model predictive control (CI-MPC) generalizes linear MPC to contact-rich settings by utilizing a bi-level…
Legged robot locomotion requires the planning of stable reference trajectories, especially while traversing uneven terrain. The proposed trajectory optimization framework is capable of generating dynamically stable base and footstep…
Common methods for learning robot dynamics assume motion is continuous, causing unrealistic model predictions for systems undergoing discontinuous impact and stiction behavior. In this work, we resolve this conflict with a smooth, implicit…
In search and surveillance applications in robotics, it is intuitive to spatially distribute robot trajectories with respect to the probability of locating targets in the domain. Ergodic coverage is one such approach to trajectory planning…
This paper focuses on robustness to disturbance forces and uncertain payloads. We present a novel formulation to optimize the robustness of dynamic trajectories. A straightforward transcription of this formulation into a nonlinear…
Finding robot poses and trajectories represents a foundational aspect of robot motion planning. Despite decades of research, efficiently and robustly addressing these challenges is still difficult. Existing approaches are often plagued by…
In this paper, we improve upon a method for optimal control of quadrupedal robots which utilizes a full-order model of the system. The original method utilizes offline nonlinear optimal control to synthesize a control scheme which…
Hybrid locomotion, which combines multiple modalities of locomotion within a single robot, enables robots to carry out complex tasks in diverse environments. This paper presents a novel method for planning multi-modal locomotion…
Trajectories are optimized for a two-dimensional simplified skateboarding system to allow it to perform a fundamental skateboarding trick called an "ollie". A methodology for generating trick trajectories by controlling the position of a…
This paper presents a topology optimization approach to design 2D contact-aided compliant mechanisms (CCMs) that can trace the desired output paths with more than one kink while experiencing self and/or external contacts. Such CCMs can be…
In this paper, we propose a reinforcement learning-based algorithm for trajectory optimization for constrained dynamical systems. This problem is motivated by the fact that for most robotic systems, the dynamics may not always be known.…
Continuum robots are well suited for navigating confined and fragile environments, such as vascular or endoluminal anatomy, where contact with surrounding structures is often unavoidable. While controlled contact can assist motion,…
Planning trajectories for nonholonomic systems is difficult and computationally expensive. When facing unexpected events, it may therefore be preferable to deform in some way the initially planned trajectory rather than to re-plan entirely…
In this paper, a novel real-time acceleration-continuous path-constrained trajectory planning algorithm is proposed with an appealing built-in tradability mechanism between cruise motion and time-optimal motion. Different from existing…
In a wide range of practical problems, such as forming operations and impact tests, assuming that one of the contacting bodies is rigid is an excellent approximation to the physical phenomenon. In this work, the well-established dual mortar…
Trajectory optimization methods for motion planning attempt to generate trajectories that minimize a suitable objective function. Such methods efficiently find solutions even for high degree-of-freedom robots. However, a globally optimal…
Coordination of dynamical routes can alleviate traffic congestion and is essential for the coming era of autonomous self-driving cars. However, dynamical route coordination is difficult and many existing routing protocols are either static…