17 accepted papers
In this paper, we present an in-row and under-canopy autonomous navigation system for cornfields, called the Purdue Agricultural Navigation System or P-AgNav. Our navigation framework is primarily based on range view images from a 3D light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor. P-AgNav is designed fo
In this paper, we introduce magnetic mobile micro-gripping microrobots with two independent actuation modes. By aligning two magnets with slight variations in magnetic moment orientations, we create a net magnetic moment for precise position and orientation control through external fields, while har…
In this paper, we present an in-row and under-canopy Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) framework called the Purdue AgSLAM or P-AgSLAM which is designed for robot pose estimation and agricultural monitoring in cornfields. Our SLAM approach is primarily based on a 3D light detection and ran
In this letter, we present <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Sim-Grasp</i>, a robust 6-DOF two-finger grasping system that integrates advanced language models for enhanced object manipulation in cluttered environments. We introduce the
Automating leaf detection and physical leaf sample collection using Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is a crucial task in precision agriculture. In this paper, we present a deep learning-based approach for detecting and segmenting crop leaves for robotic physical sampling. We discuss a method f…
This paper presents the design and control of a novel microrobot that utilizes two distinct magnetic locomotion methods, a combination of rotating and gradient field control, for precise micro-object manipulation using multiple end-effectors. Rotating magnetic fields induce a tumbling locomotion mod…
Adaptive locomotion is an advanced function of microrobots that can be achieved using smart materials. In this letter, a responsive hydrogel is utilized as a smart material and used to fabricate Helical Adaptive Multi-material MicroRobots (HAMMRs) with deformable tails to achieve adaptive locomotion
This paper describes the development of a modular end-effector system (MEES) for autonomous robotic maintenance and repair tasks. The design consists of the following major components: Robot Side Mating Socket Module (RSMS), End-Effector Side Mating Socket Module (EEMS), the Modular Camera System (M…
In this work, we present a novel agricultural robot called the Purdue AgBot or P-AgBot that has been designed for in-row and under canopy crop monitoring and physical sampling. We suggest approaches to autonomous navigation, crop monitoring, and crop sampling that can be applied in crop rows and und
Adaptive locomotion of microrobots can be achieved by using a smart polymer such as a hydrogel. For hydrogel-based bilayer helical microrobots, the change of environment such as temperature and pH can result in shape deformation into helical shapes differing from their initial state and hence swimmi…
Complete blood cell count, which indicates the density of different blood cells in the human body is extremely important for evaluating the overall health of a person and also for detecting a wide range of disorders, including anemia, infection and leukemia. Hence, automating this task will not only
We present the μMAZE (μ(Micro) Magnetic Actuation Zone control Environment) platform for independent control of multiple magnetic microrobots for performing individual and collaborative micromanipulation tasks. We present a new local magnetic field generating coil system design, microrobot design, a
In this paper, we present a method for pose-estimate-based target tracking (PBTT) that enables the performance of autonomous aerial manipulation operations in unstructured environments using fully on-board computation for both UAV localization and target tracking. The PBTT method does not depend on…
This paper presents a novel approach for autonomously mounting a sensor package on a vertical surface with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The Interacting-BoomCopter (I-BC) UAV uses an on-board webcam and computer along with a horizontally-mounted reversible propeller on its front boom to autonomo…
This letter presents a system for manipulating microscale objects in an obstacle prone environment using push manipulations based on a learned model. The path planning is done using a RRT* search algorithm adapted for this setup and the manipulation is done using a regression model trained on manipu
This letter reports the design and fabrication of wirelessly controlled mobile microrobots with an on-board visionbased two-dimensional microforce sensor for use in force-guided micromanipulation tasks. The microforce sensing mobile microrobots (μFSMM) presented here exhibit compliant end-effectors
This paper presents the design of the Interacting-BoomCopter (I-BoomCopter) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), designed specifically for environmental interactions. The novel design consists of a horizontally mounted four-blade reversible propeller on a front boom that is attached to a standard tri-roto…