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Robots exhibit a rich variety of symmetries arising from their mechanical structure and the properties of their tasks. Although many robotics problems exhibit several symmetries simultaneously, existing approaches typically treat them in…
Direct measurement of the moment-curvature response of sheets or wires up to high curvatures can aid in modeling creasing, pleating, and other forming operations. We consider theoretical issues related to the geometry of pure bending. We…
Shape formation is a basic distributed problem for systems of computational mobile entities. Intensively studied for systems of autonomous mobile robots, it has recently been investigated in the realm of programmable matter. Namely, it has…
Since wearable linkage mechanisms could control the moment transmission from actuator(s) to wearers, they can help ensure that even low-cost wearable systems provide advanced functionality tailored to users' needs. For example, if a hip…
Computational analysis with the finite element method requires geometrically accurate meshes. It is well known that high-order meshes can accurately capture curved surfaces with fewer degrees of freedom in comparison to low-order meshes.…
3D printing enables the fabrication of complex architectures by automating long sequences of additive steps. The increasing sophistication of printers, materials, and generative design promises to make geometric complexity a non-issue in…
Furniture assembly is a crucial yet challenging task for robots, requiring precise dual-arm coordination where one arm manipulates parts while the other provides collaborative support and stabilization. To accomplish this task more…
We propose a model-based, automated, bottom-up approach for design, which is applicable to various physical domains, but in this work we focus on the electrical domain. This bottom-up approach is based on a meta-topology in which each link…
Many remarkably robust, rapid and spontaneous self-assembly phenomena in nature can be modeled geometrically starting from a collection of rigid bunches of spheres. This paper highlights the role of symmetry in sphere-based assembly…
The morphology of a slender soft-robot can be modified by sensing its shape via sensors and exerting moments via actuators embedded along its body. The actuating moments required to morph these soft-robots to a desired shape are often…
Adaptive structures are characterized by their ability to adjust their geometrical and other properties to changing loads or requirements during service. This contribution deals with a method for the design of quasi-static motions of…
Geometric frustration offers a pathway to soft matter self-assembly with controllable finite sizes. While the understanding of frustration in soft matter assembly derives almost exclusively from continuum elastic descriptions, a current…
Soft, amorphous solids such as tissues, foams, and emulsions are composed of deformable particles. However, the effect of single-particle deformability on the collective behavior of soft solids is still poorly understood. We perform…
We present a simple set of data structures, and a collection of methods for constructing and updating the structures, designed to support the use of cohesive elements in simulations of fracture and fragmentation. Initially all interior…
This paper formulates an optimal control problem for a system of rigid bodies that are connected by ball joints and immersed in an irrotational and incompressible fluid. The rigid bodies can translate and rotate in three-dimensional space,…
We investigate computational issues in the distributed model Amoebots of programmable matter. In this model, the computational entities, called particles, are anonymous finite-state machines that operate and move on an hexagonal tasselation…
Molecular robotics is challenging, so it seems best to keep it simple. We consider an abstract molecular robotics model based on simple folding instructions that execute asynchronously. Turning Machines are a simple 1D to 2D folding model,…
When planning motions in a configuration space that has underlying symmetries (e.g. when manipulating one or multiple symmetric objects), the ideal planning algorithm should take advantage of those symmetries to produce shorter…
Manipulation of deformable objects is a desired skill in making robots ubiquitous in manufacturing, service, healthcare, and security. Deformable objects are common in our daily lives, e.g., wires, clothes, bed sheets, etc., and are…
We study the problem of designing systems in order to minimize cost while meeting a given flexibility target. Flexibility is attained by enforcing a joint chance constraint, which ensures that the system will exhibit feasible operation with…