In this paper, we present, for the first time, a soft robot control system (SofToss) capable of throwing life-size objects toward target positions. SofToss is an open-loop controller based on deep reinforcement learning that generates, given the target position, an actuation pattern for the tossing task. To deal with the high non-linearity of the dynamics of soft robots, we … [Read more...] about SofToss: Learning to Throw Objects With a Soft Robot
Trajectory
The ILIAD Safety Stack: Human-Aware Infrastructure-Free Navigation of Industrial Mobile Robots
Current intralogistics services require keeping up with e-commerce demands, reducing delivery times and waste, and increasing overall flexibility. As a consequence, the use of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and, more recently, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for logistics operations is steadily increasing. For more about this article see link … [Read more...] about The ILIAD Safety Stack: Human-Aware Infrastructure-Free Navigation of Industrial Mobile Robots
Uncertainty-Aware Trajectory Planning: Using Uncertainty Quantification and Propagation in Traversability Prediction of Planetary Rovers
In an extreme environment, such as Mars or a volcanic area, mobile robots have been used in scientific missions, or as precursors for a future manned mission. The robot called a planetary exploration rover is managed by a space-qualified, radiation-hardened, and low-clock onboard computer, and autonomously travels over challenging terrain. For more about this … [Read more...] about Uncertainty-Aware Trajectory Planning: Using Uncertainty Quantification and Propagation in Traversability Prediction of Planetary Rovers
Open Source Dual-Purpose Acrobot and Pendubot Platform: Benchmarking Control Algorithms for Underactuated Robotics
Recent interest in the control of underactuated robots has surged significantly due to the impressive athletic behaviors shown by robots developed by, e.g., Boston Dynamics ( https://www.bostondynamics.com ), Agility Robotics ( https://agilityrobotics.com/robots ), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [1] . This gives rise to the need for canonical robotic hardware … [Read more...] about Open Source Dual-Purpose Acrobot and Pendubot Platform: Benchmarking Control Algorithms for Underactuated Robotics
Online Tuning of Control Parameters for Off-Road Mobile Robots
This article addresses the problem of online adaptation of control parameters, dedicated to a path tracking problem in off-road conditions. Two approaches are offered to modify the tuning gain of a previously developed adaptive and predictive control law. The first approach is a deterministic method based on dynamic equations of the system, allowing the adaptation of the … [Read more...] about Online Tuning of Control Parameters for Off-Road Mobile Robots
