Related papers: CAT(0) geometry, robots, and society

We present a method for the control of robot swarms using two subsets of robots: a larger group of simple, oblivious robots (which we call the workers) that is governed by simple local attraction forces, and a smaller group (the guides)…

Mobile robots rely on maps to navigate through an environment. In the absence of any map, the robots must build the map online from partial observations as they move in the environment. Traditional methods build a map using only direct…

In this paper we show how rule-based decision making can be combined with traditional motion planning techniques to achieve human-like behavior of a self-driving vehicle in complex traffic situations. We give and discuss examples of…

To perform tasks well in a new domain, one must first know something about it. This paper reports on a robot controller for navigation through unfamiliar indoor worlds. Based on spatial affordances, it integrates planning with reactive…

Robots that physically interact with their surroundings, in order to accomplish some tasks or assist humans in their activities, require to exploit contact forces in a safe and proficient manner. Impedance control is considered as a…

Efficient planning in dynamic and uncertain environments is a fundamental challenge in robotics. In the context of trajectory optimization, the feasibility of paths can change as the environment evolves. Therefore, it can be beneficial to…

Multi-robot path planning is difficult due to the combinatorial explosion of the search space with every new robot added. Complete search of the combined state-space soon becomes intractable. In this paper we present a novel form of…

The work studies a number of approaches to solving motion planning problem for a mobile robot with a trailer. Different control models of car-like robots are considered from the differential-geometric point of view. The same models can be…

Multi-robot systems are an efficient method to explore and map an unknown environment. The simulataneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithm is common for single robot systems, however multiple robots can share respective map data in…

This chapter is dedicated to the so-called cuspidal robots, i.e. those robots that can move from one inverse geometric solution to another without meeting a singular confuguration. This feature was discovered quite recently and has then…

Several interesting problems in multi-robot systems can be cast in the framework of distributed optimization. Examples include multi-robot task allocation, vehicle routing, target protection, and surveillance. While the theoretical analysis…

Given a graph $G$, a configuration space of $G$ can be thought of as the set of all possible configurations of "robots" which can move throughout $G$, subject to some constraints. We introduce a type of configuration space which we call…

Modular and reconfigurable robotic systems have been designed to provide a customized solution for the non-repetitive tasks to be performed in a constrained environment. Customized solutions are normally extracted from task-based…

Mapping the surrounding environment is essential for the successful operation of autonomous robots. While extensive research has focused on mapping geometric structures and static objects, the environment is also influenced by the movement…

Robot deployment in realistic dynamic environments is a challenging problem despite the fact that robots can be quite skilled at a large number of isolated tasks. One reason for this is that robots are rarely equipped with powerful…

In robotics motion is often described from an external perspective, i.e., we give information on the obstacle motion in a mathematical manner with respect to a specific (often inertial) reference frame. In the current work, we propose to…

We study the problem of determining optimal coordinated motions for two disc robots in an otherwise obstacle-free plane. Using the total path length traced by the two disc centres as a measure of distance, we give an exact characterization…

The ability to autonomously navigate in unknown environments is important for mobile robots. The map is the core component to achieve this. Most map representations rely on drift-free state estimation and provide a global metric map to…

The optimal control of a mechanical system is of crucial importance in many realms. Typical examples are the determination of a time-minimal path in vehicle dynamics, a minimal energy trajectory in space mission design, or optimal motion…

Micro- and nanorobots are often controlled by global input signals, such as an electromagnetic or gravitational field. These fields move each robot maximally until it hits a stationary obstacle or another stationary robot. This paper…