Related papers: MorphoGuard: A Morphology-Based Whole-Body Interac…
Modern, torque-controlled service robots can regulate contact forces when interacting with their environment. Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a powerful method to solve the underlying control problem, allowing to plan for whole-body…
We study the problem of mobile manipulation using legged robots equipped with an arm, namely legged loco-manipulation. The robot legs, while usually utilized for mobility, offer an opportunity to amplify the manipulation capabilities by…
Whole-body contact is an effective strategy for improving the stability and efficiency of the motion of robots. For robots to automatically perform such motions, we propose a posture generation method that employs all available surfaces of…
In robotic manipulation, end-effector compliance is an essential precondition for performing contact-rich tasks, such as machining, assembly, and human-robot interaction. Most robotic arms are position-controlled stiff systems at a hardware…
As robots become more prevalent, optimizing their design for better performance and efficiency is becoming increasingly important. However, current robot design practices overlook the impact of perception and design choices on a robot's…
To enable humanoid robots to work robustly in confined environments, multi-contact motion that makes contacts not only at extremities, such as hands and feet, but also at intermediate areas of the limbs, such as knees and elbows, is…
This study presents a whole-body model predictive control (MPC) of robotic systems with rigid contacts, under a given contact sequence using online switching time optimization (STO). We treat robot dynamics with rigid contacts as a switched…
Evolving virtual creatures is a field with a rich history and recently it has been getting more attention, especially in the soft robotics domain. The compliance of soft materials endows soft robots with complex behavior, but it also makes…
Tailoring the design of robot bodies for control purposes is implicitly performed by engineers, however, a methodology or set of tools is largely absent and optimization of morphology (shape, material properties of robot bodies, etc.) is…
Mobile manipulation is usually achieved by sequentially executing base and manipulator movements. This simplification, however, leads to a loss in efficiency and in some cases a reduction of workspace size. Even though different methods…
Internal computational models of physical bodies are fundamental to the ability of robots and animals alike to plan and control their actions. These "self-models" allow robots to consider outcomes of multiple possible future actions,…
Manipulation with whole-body contact by humanoid robots offers distinct advantages, including enhanced stability and reduced load. On the other hand, we need to address challenges such as the increased computational cost of motion…
Macro-micro manipulators combine a macro manipulator with a large workspace, such as an industrial robot, with a lightweight, high-bandwidth micro manipulator. This enables highly dynamic interaction control while preserving the wide…
We propose a novel hands-free control framework for the Boston Dynamics Spot robot using the Microsoft HoloLens 2 mixed-reality headset. Enabling accessible robot control is critical for allowing individuals with physical disabilities to…
Robot interaction control is often limited to low dynamics or low flexibility, depending on whether an active or passive approach is chosen. In this work, we introduce a hybrid control scheme that combines the advantages of active and…
Quadrupedal manipulators require to be compliant when dealing with external forces during autonomous manipulation, tele-operation or physical human-robot interaction. This paper presents a whole-body controller that allows for the…
Torque control algorithms which consider robot dynamics and contact constraints are important for creating dynamic behaviors for humanoids. As computational power increases, algorithms tend to also increase in complexity. However, it is not…
Evolution sculpts both the body plans and nervous systems of agents together over time. In contrast, in AI and robotics, a robot's body plan is usually designed by hand, and control policies are then optimized for that fixed design. The…
Humanoid robots are drawing significant attention as versatile platforms for complex motor control, human-robot interaction, and general-purpose physical intelligence. However, achieving efficient whole-body control (WBC) in humanoids…
Legged robots have great potential to perform loco-manipulation tasks, yet it is challenging to keep the robot balanced while it interacts with the environment. In this paper we study the use of additional contact points for maximising the…