Related papers: Enabling Commercial Autonomous Space Robotic Explo…
NASA and ESA are preparing a series of human exploration missions using the four-person Orion crew vehicle, launched by NASA's Space Launch System, and a Lunar Orbiting Platform-Gateway (LOP-G) that enable long duration (>30 days)…
Enhancing robot navigation efficiency is a crucial objective in modern robotics. Robots relying on external navigation systems are often susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and encounter environmental disturbances, resulting…
Advanced communication protocols are critical to enable the coexistence of autonomous robots with humans. Thus, the development of explanatory capabilities is an urgent first step toward autonomous robots. This survey provides an overview…
Multi-robot exploration is a field which tackles the challenge of exploring a previously unknown environment with a number of robots. This is especially relevant for search and rescue operations where time is essential. Current state of the…
Autonomous vehicles have been actively investigated over the past few decades. Several recent works show the potential of autonomous vehicles in urban environments with impressive experimental results. However, these works note that…
Robots are increasingly tested in public spaces, towards a future where urban environments are not only for humans but for autonomous systems. While robots are promising, for convenience and efficiency, there are challenges associated with…
Industrial robots typically require very structured and predictable working environments, and explicit programming, in order to perform well. Therefore, expensive and time-consuming engineering work is a major obstruction when mediating…
The ability to efficiently and effectively explore planetary surfaces is currently limited by the capability of wheeled rovers to traverse challenging terrains, and by pre-programmed data acquisition plans with limited in-situ flexibility.…
Robotics plays a pivotal role in planetary science and exploration, where autonomous and reliable systems are crucial due to the risks and challenges inherent to space environments. The establishment of permanent lunar bases demands robotic…
Exploration and mapping of unknown environments is a fundamental task in applications for autonomous robots. In this article, we present a complete framework for deploying MAVs in autonomous exploration missions in unknown subterranean…
The surface and subsurface of worlds beyond Mars remain largely unexplored. Yet these worlds hold keys to fundamental questions in planetary science - from potentially habitable subsurface oceans on icy moons to ancient records preserved in…
To achieve autonomy in complex real-world exploration missions, we consider deployment strategies for a team of robots with heterogeneous autonomy capabilities. In this work, we formulate a multi-robot exploration mission and compute an…
The Curiosity rover is one of the most complex systems successfully deployed in a planetary exploration mission to date. It was sent by NASA to explore the surface of Mars and to identify potential signs of life. Even though it has limited…
Lunar caves are promising features for long-term and permanent human presence on the moon. However, given their inaccessibility to imaging from survey satellites, the concrete environment within the underground cavities is not well known.…
Space biology research aims to understand fundamental effects of spaceflight on organisms, develop foundational knowledge to support deep space exploration, and ultimately bioengineer spacecraft and habitats to stabilize the ecosystem of…
Space exploration to have the biosignatures of extraterrestrial life on different planets with oceans in our solar system and beyond requires the design and manufacturing of robust and reliable electronic systems that can be used for…
As autonomous driving technology is getting more and more mature today, autonomous delivery companies like Starship, Marble, and Nuro has been making progress in the tests of their autonomous delivery robots. While simulations and…
This paper presents a feasibility study, including simulations and prototype tests, on the autonomous operation of a multi-limbed intra-vehicular robot (mobile manipulator), shortly MLIVR, designed to assist astronauts with logistical tasks…
Over the last decade, the use of autonomous drone systems for surveying, search and rescue, or last-mile delivery has increased exponentially. With the rise of these applications comes the need for highly robust, safety-critical algorithms…
Traditional robots have rigid links and structures that limit their ability to interact with the dynamics of their immediate environment. For example, conventional robot manipulators with rigid links can only manipulate objects using…