Related papers: Docking and Undocking a Modular Underactuated Osci…

Here, we report on a new class active particles capable of dynamically programmable motion powered by electricity. We have implemented physical principles that separate the propulsion and steering mechanisms of active motion using optically…

Recently, several approaches have attempted to combine motion generation and control in one loop to equip robots with reactive behaviors, that cannot be achieved with traditional time-indexed tracking controllers. These approaches however…

Locomotion on dynamic rigid surface (i.e., rigid surface accelerating in an inertial frame) presents complex challenges for controller design, which are essential for deploying humanoid robots in dynamic real-world environments such as…

Undulatory locomotion is a means of self-propulsion that relies on the generation and propagation of waves along a body. As a mode of locomotion it is primitive and relatively simple, yet can be remarkably robust. No wonder then, that it is…

Modular battery integrated converters or so called dynamically reconfigurable battery packs are expanding into emerging applications, including electromobility and grid storage. Although they offer many degrees of freedom, the state of the…

Reconfigurable robots are at the forefront of robotics innovation due to their unmatched versatility and adaptability in addressing various tasks through collaborative operations. This paper explores the design and implementation of a novel…

We demonstrate a successful navigation and docking control system for the John Deere Tango autonomous mower, using only a single camera as the input. This vision-only system is of interest because it is inexpensive, simple for production,…

An asymmetric two-link robot supported atop a flat platform by wheels that roll and pivot freely, but do not slip laterally, will develop forward momentum if the joint between the links is actuated internally. In particular, oscillations in…

To succeed in the real world, robots must cope with situations that differ from those seen during training. We study the problem of adapting on-the-fly to such novel scenarios during deployment, by drawing upon a diverse repertoire of…

We identify the nonlinear normal modes spawning from the stable equilibrium of a double pendulum under gravity, and we establish their connection to homoclinic orbits through the unstable upright position as energy increases. This result is…

With the ever growing number of space debris in orbit, the need to prevent further space population is becoming more and more apparent. Refueling, servicing, inspection and deorbiting of spacecraft are some example missions that require…

In this article, we present a control strategy for the problem of safe autonomous docking for a planar floating platform (Slider) that emulates the movement of a satellite. Employing the proposed strategy, Slider approaches a docking port…

Physics governing the locomotion of microorganisms and other microsystems is dominated by viscous damping. An effective swimming strategy involves the non-reciprocal and periodic deformations of the considered body. Here, we show that a…

Modular robotics enables the development of versatile and adaptive robotic systems with autonomous reconfiguration. This paper presents a modular robotic system in which each module has independent actuation, battery power, and control,…

Parallel self-assembly is an efficient approach to accelerate the assembly process for modular robots. However, these approaches cannot accommodate complicated environments with obstacles, which restricts their applications. This paper…

Many soft-body organisms found in nature flourish underwater. Similarly, soft robots are potentially well-suited for underwater environments partly because the problematic effects of gravity, friction, and harmonic oscillations are less…

Modular Aerial Robot Systems (MARS) consist of multiple drone modules that are physically bound together to form a single structure for flight. Exploiting structural redundancy, MARS can be reconfigured into different formations to mitigate…

This paper studies the model of the probe-drogue aerial refueling system under aerodynamic disturbances, and proposes a docking control method based on terminal iterative learning control to compensate for the docking errors caused by…

Spherical robots typically require at least two actuators to achieve controlled 2D planar motion. Here we present Rollbot, the first spherical robot capable of controllably maneuvering on a 2D plane with a single actuator, challenging this…

Mobile manipulation is a fundamental capability that enables robots to interact in expansive environments such as homes and factories. Most existing approaches follow a two-stage paradigm, where the robot first navigates to a docking point…