Related papers: Terrain-Attentive Learning for Efficient 6-DoF Kin…
Controlling Wheeled-legged robots is challenging especially on slippery surfaces due to their dependence on continuous ground contact. Unlike quadrupeds or bipeds, which can leverage multiple fixed contact points for recovery,…
An accurate odometry is essential for legged-wheel robots operating in unstructured terrains such as bumpy roads and staircases. Existing methods often suffer from pose drift due to their ignorance of terrain geometry. We propose a…
We present a self-supervised approach for learning to predict traversable paths for wheeled mobile robots that require good traction to navigate. Our algorithm, termed WayFAST (Waypoint Free Autonomous Systems for Traversability), uses RGB…
We present VertiCoder, a self-supervised representation learning approach for robot mobility on vertically challenging terrain. Using the same pre-training process, VertiCoder can handle four different downstream tasks, including forward…
Terrain traversability analysis is a fundamental issue to achieve the autonomy of a robot at off-road environments. Geometry-based and appearance-based methods have been studied in decades, while behavior-based methods exploiting learning…
We solve the problem of 6-DoF localisation and 3D dense reconstruction in spatial environments as approximate Bayesian inference in a deep state-space model. Our approach leverages both learning and domain knowledge from multiple-view…
This paper presents two visual trackers from the different paradigms of learning and registration based tracking and evaluates their application in image based visual servoing. They can track object motion with four degrees of freedom (DoF)…
Terramechanics plays a critical role in the areas of ground vehicles and ground mobile robots since understanding and estimating the variables influencing the vehicle-terrain interaction may mean the success or the failure of an entire…
In this paper, we present a general learning framework for controlling a quadruped robot that can mimic the behavior of real animals and traverse challenging terrains. Our method consists of two steps: an imitation learning step to learn…
This paper aims to increase the safety and reliability of executing trajectories planned for robots with non-trivial dynamics given a light-weight, approximate dynamics model. Scenarios include mobile robots navigating through workspaces…
Navigating rugged landscapes poses significant challenges for legged locomotion. Multi-legged robots (those with 6 and greater) offer a promising solution for such terrains, largely due to their inherent high static stability, resulting…
We explore the potential to control terrain vehicles using deep reinforcement in scenarios where human operators and traditional control methods are inadequate. This letter presents a controller that perceives, plans, and successfully…
Robot navigation traditionally relies on building an explicit map that is used to plan collision-free trajectories to a desired target. In deformable, complex terrain, using geometric-based approaches can fail to find a path due to…
Developing natural and diverse locomotion controllers for quadruped robots that can adapt to complex terrains while preserving motion style remains a significant challenge. Existing imitation-based methods face a fundamental optimization…
Robotic spacecraft have helped expand our reach for many planetary exploration missions. Most ground mobile planetary exploration robots use wheeled or modified wheeled platforms. Although extraordinarily successful at completing intended…
Mobile robots, such as ground vehicles and quadrotors, are becoming increasingly important in various fields, from logistics to agriculture, where they automate processes in environments that are difficult to access for humans. However, to…
Designing robots capable of traversing uneven terrain and overcoming physical obstacles has been a longstanding challenge in the field of robotics. Walking robots show promise in this regard due to their agility, redundant DOFs and…
In the field of autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) landing, conventional approaches fall short in delivering not only the required precision but also the resilience against environmental disturbances. Yet, learning-based algorithms…
The safe deployment of autonomous vehicles relies on their ability to effectively react to environmental changes. This can require maneuvering on varying surfaces which is still a difficult problem, especially for slippery terrains. To…
Most conventional wheeled robots can only move in flat environments and simply divide their planar workspaces into free spaces and obstacles. Deeming obstacles as non-traversable significantly limits wheeled robots' mobility in real-world,…