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Successful soft robot modeling approaches appearing in recent literature have been based on a variety of distinct theories, including traditional robotic theory, continuum mechanics, and machine learning. Though specific modeling techniques…
Operating robots precisely and at high speeds has been a long-standing goal of robotics research. Balancing these competing demands is key to enabling the seamless collaboration of robots and humans and increasing task performance. However,…
We present a robot learning and planning framework that produces an effective tool-use strategy with the least joint efforts, capable of handling objects different from training. Leveraging a Finite Element Method (FEM)-based simulator that…
Inspired by the octopus and other animals living in water, soft robots should naturally lend themselves to underwater operations, as supported by encouraging validations in deep water scenarios. This work deals with equipping soft arms with…
Aerial manipulation (AM) expands UAV capabilities beyond passive observation to contact-based operations at high altitudes and in otherwise inaccessible environments. Although recent advances show promise, most AM systems are developed in…
Many everyday robot manipulation skills are affordance-dependent, with success determined by whether the robot contacts the functional object region required by the subsequent action. Current simulation data generators obtain contacts from…
Force modulation of robotic manipulators has been extensively studied for several decades. However, it is not yet commonly used in safety-critical applications due to a lack of accurate interaction contact modeling and weak performance…
This paper presents the design, control, and applications of a multi-segment soft robotic arm. In order to design a soft arm with large load capacity, several design principles are proposed by analyzing two kinds of buckling issues, under…
We introduce a novel hybrid methodology combining classical finite element methods (FEM) with neural networks to create a well-performing and generalizable surrogate model for forward and inverse problems. The residual from finite element…
Soft manipulators are known for their superiority in coping with high-safety-demanding interaction tasks, e.g., robot-assisted surgeries, elderly caring, etc. Yet the challenges residing in real-time contact feedback have hindered further…
Soft robots could bring robotic systems to new horizons, by enabling safe human-machine interaction. For precise control, these soft structures require high level position feedback that is not easily achieved through conventional…
The deformable and continuum nature of soft robots promises versatility and adaptability. However, control of modular, multi-limbed soft robots for terrestrial locomotion is challenging due to the complex robot structure, actuator mechanics…
Soft robots offer more flexibility, compliance, and adaptability than traditional rigid robots. They are also typically lighter and cheaper to manufacture. However, their use in real-world applications is limited due to modeling challenges…
Simulating deformable objects under rich interactions remains a fundamental challenge for real-to-sim robot manipulation, with dynamics jointly driven by environmental effects and robot actions. Existing simulators rely on predefined…
The recently proposed soft finite element method (SoftFEM) reduces the stiffness (condition numbers), consequently improving the overall approximation accuracy. The method subtracts a least-square term that penalizes the gradient jumps…
Sensory feedback is essential for the control of soft robotic systems and to enable deployment in a variety of different tasks. Proprioception refers to sensing the robot's own state and is of crucial importance in order to deploy soft…
While soft robot manipulators offer compelling advantages over rigid counterparts, including inherent compliance, safe human-robot interaction, and the ability to conform to complex geometries, accurate forward modeling from low-dimensional…
Learning to manipulate objects efficiently, particularly those involving sustained contact (e.g., pushing, sliding) and articulated parts (e.g., drawers, doors), presents significant challenges. Traditional methods, such as robot-centric…
Arm end-effector stabilization is essential for humanoid loco-manipulation tasks, yet it remains challenging due to the high degrees of freedom and inherent dynamic instability of bipedal robot structures. Previous model-based controllers…
This paper introduces a rescue robot named Sigma 3 which is developed for potential applications such as helping hands for humans where a human can not reach to have an assessment of the hazardous environment. Also, these kinds of robot can…