Related papers: A 'MAP' to find high-performing soft robot designs…
Conventional algorithms in autonomous exploration face challenges due to their inability to accurately and efficiently identify the spatial distribution of convex regions in the real-time map. These methods often prioritize navigation…
Conventional formation methods typically rely on fixed hierarchical structures, such as predetermined leaders or predefined formation shapes. These rigid hierarchies can render formations cumbersome and inflexible in complex environments,…
We demonstrate optimization of optical metasurfaces over $10^5$--$10^6$ degrees of freedom in two and three dimensions, 100--1000+ wavelengths ($\lambda$) in diameter, with 100+ parameters per $\lambda^2$. In particular, we show how…
Uncertainties in contact dynamics and object geometry remain significant barriers to robust robotic manipulation. Caging mitigates these uncertainties by constraining an object's mobility without requiring precise contact modeling. However,…
The most common way for robots to handle environmental information is by using maps. At present, each kind of data is hosted on a separate map, which complicates planning because a robot attempting to perform a task needs to access and…
Designing trajectories for manipulation through contact is challenging as it requires reasoning of object \& robot trajectories as well as complex contact sequences simultaneously. In this paper, we present a novel framework for…
We present a novel approach to path planning for robotic manipulators, in which paths are produced via iterative optimisation in the latent space of a generative model of robot poses. Constraints are incorporated through the use of…
Progresses in additive manufacturing technologies allow the realization of finely graded microstructured materials with tunable mechanical properties. This paves the way to a wealth of innovative applications, calling for the combined…
Motion planning is a key tool that allows robots to navigate through an environment without collisions. The problem of robot motion planning has been studied in great detail over the last several decades, with researchers initially focusing…
The principle of hierarchical design is a prominent theme in many natural systems where mechanical efficiency is of importance. Here we establish the properties of a particular hierarchical structure, showing that high mechanical efficiency…
Purpose of Review: This review provides an overview of the state of the art in bioinspired soft robotics with by examining advancements in actuation, functionality, modeling, and control. Recent Findings: Recent research into actuation…
In this work, we present a workspace-based planning framework, which though using redundant workspace key-points to represent robot states, can take advantage of the interpretable geometric information to derive good quality collision-free…
Topological mechanics can realize soft modes in mechanical metamaterials in which the number of degrees of freedom for particle motion is finely balanced by the constraints provided by interparticle interactions. However, solid objects are…
This paper presents a topology optimization framework for structural problems subjected to transient loading. The mechanical model assumes a linear elastic isotropic material, infinitesimal strains, and a dynamic response. The optimization…
This paper proposes an algorithm to find robust reliability-based topology optimized designs under a random-field material model. The initial design domain is made of linear elastic material whose property, i.e., Young's modulus, is modeled…
As soft robot design matures, researchers have converged to sophisticated design paradigms to enable the development of more suitable platforms. Two such paradigms are soft-rigid hybrid robots, which utilize rigid structural materials in…
We present a versatile framework for the computational co-design of legged robots and dynamic maneuvers. Current state-of-the-art approaches are typically based on random sampling or concurrent optimization. We propose a novel bilevel…
Biological systems, such as the octopus, exhibit masterful cross-scale manipulation by adaptively reconfiguring their entire form, a capability that remains elusive in robotics. Conventional soft grippers, while compliant, are mostly…
Autonomous 3D acquisition of outdoor environments poses special challenges. Different from indoor scenes, where the room space is delineated by clear boundaries and separations (e.g., walls and furniture), an outdoor environment is spacious…
3D scene graphs hierarchically represent the environment appropriately organizing different environmental entities in various layers. Our previous work on situational graphs extends the concept of 3D scene graph to SLAM by tightly coupling…