Related papers: Stabilization of Complementarity Systems via Conta…

Force interaction is inevitable when robots face multiple operation scenarios. How to make the robot competent in force control for generalized operations such as multi-tasks still remains a challenging problem. Aiming at the…

This paper addresses the problem of computing optimal impedance schedules for legged locomotion tasks involving complex contact interactions. We formulate the problem of impedance regulation as a trade-off between disturbance rejection and…

Hybrid systems theory has become a powerful approach for designing feedback controllers that achieve dynamically stable bipedal locomotion, both formally and in practice. This paper presents an analytical framework 1) to address…

We propose a novel framework for learning stabilizable nonlinear dynamical systems for continuous control tasks in robotics. The key idea is to develop a new control-theoretic regularizer for dynamics fitting rooted in the notion of…

This paper proposes a controller for stable grasping of unknown-shaped objects by two robotic fingers with tactile fingertips. The grasp is stabilised by rolling the fingertips on the contact surface and applying a desired grasping force to…

Robotic tasks involving contact interactions pose significant challenges for trajectory optimization due to discontinuous dynamics. Conventional formulations typically assume deterministic contact events, which limit robustness and…

We study the design of robust and agile controllers for hybrid underactuated systems. Our approach breaks down the task of creating a stabilizing controller into: 1) learning a mapping that is invariant under optimal control, and 2) driving…

Model predictive control (MPC) of hybrid dynamical systems is challenging because the associated optimization problem is nonsmooth and the resulting feedback law is discontinuous. This paper develops real-time MPC algorithms for nonlinear…

Complex robotic systems require whole-body controllers to deal with contact interactions, handle closed kinematic chains, and track task-space control objectives. However, for many applications, safety-critical controllers are important to…

Robot interaction control is often limited to low dynamics or low flexibility, depending on whether an active or passive approach is chosen. In this work, we introduce a hybrid control scheme that combines the advantages of active and…

In this paper, we present a framework that unites obstacle avoidance and deliberate physical interaction for robotic manipulators. As humans and robots begin to coexist in work and household environments, pure collision avoidance is…

We consider the problem of cooperative manipulation by a mobile multi-manipulator system operating in obstacle-cluttered and highly constrained environments under spatio-temporal task specifications. The task requires transporting a grasped…

In this paper, we discuss a framework for teaching bimanual manipulation tasks by imitation. To this end, we present a system and algorithms for learning compliant and contact-rich robot behavior from human demonstrations. The presented…

In this paper, we explore the conditions for asymptotic stability of the hybrid closed-loop system resulting from the interconnection of a nonlinear plant, an intelligent sensor that generates finite-time convergent estimates of the plant…

Multidimensional systems coupled via complex networks are widespread in nature and thus frequently invoked for a large plethora of interesting applications. From ecology to physics, individual entities in mutual interactions are grouped in…

This paper proposes a general framework for constructing feedback controllers that drive complex dynamical systems to "efficient" steady-state (or slowly varying) operating points. Efficiency is encoded using generalized equations which can…

Living organisms interact with their surroundings in a closed-loop fashion, where sensory inputs dictate the initiation and termination of behaviours. Even simple animals are able to develop and execute complex plans, which has not yet been…

To achieve general-purpose dexterous manipulation, robots must rapidly devise and execute contact-rich behaviors. Existing model-based controllers are incapable of globally optimizing in real-time over the exponential number of possible…

The hybrid nature of multi-contact robotic systems, due to making and breaking contact with the environment, creates significant challenges for high-quality control. Existing model-based methods typically rely on either good prior knowledge…

The current dominant paradigm for robotic manipulation involves two separate stages: manipulator design and control. Because the robot's morphology and how it can be controlled are intimately linked, joint optimization of design and control…