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We present a library to automatically embed signal processing and neural network predictions into the material robots are made of. Deep and shallow neural network models are first trained offline using state-of-the-art machine learning…
Untethered soft robots that locomote using electrothermally-responsive materials like shape memory alloy (SMA) face challenging design constraints for sensing actuator states. At the same time, modeling of actuator behaviors faces steep…
Predictive planning is a key capability for robots to efficiently and safely navigate populated environments. Particularly in densely crowded scenes, with uncertain human motion predictions, predictive path planning, and control can become…
In the paper, we present an integrated data-driven modeling framework based on process modeling, material homogenization, mechanistic machine learning, and concurrent multiscale simulation. We are interested in the injection-molded short…
Natural organisms utilize distributed actuation through their musculoskeletal systems to adapt their gait for traversing diverse terrains or to morph their bodies for varied tasks. A longstanding challenge in robotics is to emulate this…
This paper presents a novel framework to realize proprioception and closed-loop control for soft manipulators. Deformations with large elongation and large bending can be precisely predicted using geometry-based sensor signals obtained from…
This work presents a fault-tolerant control scheme for sensory faults in robotic manipulators based on active inference. In the majority of existing schemes, a binary decision of whether a sensor is healthy (functional) or faulty is made…
Convex model predictive controls (MPCs) with a single rigid body model have demonstrated strong performance on real legged robots. However, convex MPCs are limited by their assumptions such as small rotation angle and pre-defined gait,…
Advanced feedforward control methods enable mechatronic systems to perform varying motion tasks with extreme accuracy and throughput. The aim of this paper is to develop a data-driven feedforward controller that addresses input…
This paper introduces a framework for an indoor autonomous mobility system that can perform patient transfers and materials handling. Unlike traditional systems that rely on onboard perception sensors, the proposed approach leverages a…
Motion Cueing Algorithms (MCAs) encode the movement of simulated vehicles into movement that can be reproduced with a motion simulator to provide a realistic driving experience within the capabilities of the machine. This paper introduces a…
Ionic Polymer Metal Composites (IPMCs) are one of the most preferred choices among biocompatible materials for industrial and biomedical applications. Despite their advantages, some of their drawbacks include non-linear and hysteretic…
The technological transition from soft machines to soft robots necessarily passes through the integration of soft electronics and sensors. This allows for the establishment of feedback control systems while preserving the softness of the…
Variable stiffness actuator (VSA) designs are manifold. Conventional model-based control of these nonlinear systems is associated with high effort and design-dependent assumptions. In contrast, machine learning offers a promising…
Model-predictive control (MPC) is a powerful tool for controlling highly dynamic robotic systems subject to complex constraints. However, MPC is computationally demanding, and is often impractical to implement on small, resource-constrained…
Nonprehensile manipulation involves long horizon underactuated object interactions and physical contact with different objects that can inherently introduce a high degree of uncertainty. In this work, we introduce a novel Real-to-Sim reward…
This paper presents a data-driven approach to the design of predictive controllers. The prediction matrices utilized in standard model predictive control (MPC) algorithms are typically constructed using knowledge of a system model such as,…
The Finite Element Method (FEM) is a powerful modeling tool for predicting the behavior of soft robots. However, its use for control can be difficult for non-specialists of numerical computation: it requires an optimization of the…
Planning robust robot manipulation requires good forward models that enable robust plans to be found. This work shows how to achieve this using a forward model learned from robot data to plan push manipulations. We explore learning methods…
Growing demands in the semiconductor industry result in the need for enhanced performance of lithographic equipment. However, position tracking accuracy of high precision mechatronics is often limited by the presence of disturbance sources,…