24 accepted papers
Therapist-in-the-loop robotic rehabilitation has shown the promise to enhance rehabilitation outcomes by integrating the strengths of therapists and robotic systems. However, its broader adoption is limited due to insufficient interaction and limited adaptation capability. This article proposes a no…
Robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery (RAMIS) requires accurate enforcement of the remote center of motion (RCM) constraint to ensure safe tool motion through a trocar. Existing virtual RCM controllers are commonly formulated either at the kinematic level or as task-space objectives, which mak…
Gaussian Processes (GPs), as a nonparametric learning method, offer flexible modeling capabilities and calibrated uncertainty quantification for function approximations. Additionally, GPs support online learning by efficiently incorporating new data with polynomial-time computation, making them well
As of today, automating contact-rich industrial manipulation processes, such as insertion, plugging, and screw-driving, is tedious and requires expert knowledge. The processes consist of programmable, common action units, like moving to a pose and establishing contact. However, the user still has to…
This paper tackles the challenges of automating battery removal from small electronic devices, such as heat cost allocators and smoke detectors. The process is critical for mitigating fire hazards caused by lithium batteries in recycling facilities and for supporting a circular economy. We focus on …
In this paper, we extend the Unified Force-Impedance Control (UFIC) framework for the whole-body control of service mobile robots subject to non-holonomic constraints. This enables the robot to execute complex service tasks that demand both force and impedance control within its whole body workspace
This paper presents GARMI’s successful outdoor demonstration during the Kandahar Ski World Cup, where it performed trophy handovers in sub-zero temperatures. The event highlighted challenges in deploying robots in extreme conditions, including fluctuating temperatures and uneven terrain. GARMI achie
In this work, we model and control a cable-driven, remote-actuated system that includes both friction and compliance in its dynamics. The control objective is to solve a regulation problem using a Model Predictive Controller (MPC). Unlike the flexible-joint robot models, which typically assume frict
Teleoperation with haptic feedback allows users to interact with remote environments while retaining a sense of touch. However, the stability and transparency of these systems are compromised under communication network delay. This paper presents an augmented Model-Mediated Teleoperation with 3D obj
In this work, an upgraded exoskeleton design is presented with enhanced trajectory tracking and mechanical transparency. Compared to the first version, the design features a 3-DoF actuated shoulder joint and a mechanism to regulate the pretension of Bowden cables. Force/torque sensors are installed…
This paper addresses the migration of high-frequency robot controllers to remote computing services, which are connected via a communication channel prone to delays and packet loss. The stability of the networked system is guaranteed by ensuring passivity of each subcomponent in the interconnection,…
This paper presents a teleoperation framework designed for online learning and adaptation of tactile skills, which provides an intuitive interface without need for physical access to execution robot. The proposed tele-teaching approach utilizes periodical Dynamical Movement Primitives (DMP) and Recu…
Flexible manufacturing lines are required to meet the demand for customized and small batch-size products. Even though state-of-the-art tactile robots may provide the versatility for increased adaptability and flexibility, their potential is yet to be fully exploited. To support robotics deployment…
Bowden cables serve as essential components in various mechanical systems, facilitating power transmission from remote actuators to specific destinations. The pretension of Bowden cables profoundly influences system performance, notably in terms of friction. This study investigates the effects of ca…
Despite recent advancements in torque-controlled tactile robots, integrating them into manufacturing settings remains challenging, particularly in complex environments. Simplifying robotic skill programming for non-experts is crucial for increasing robot deployment in manufacturing. This work propos…
With the increasing demand for new healthcare solutions and technologies, such as those resulting from the COVID-19 crisis, and the growing elderly population, exoskeletons for teleoperation are a promising solution for many future medical applications. In this context, we propose two force- sensiti…
As robots become more and more intelligent, the complexity of the algorithms behind them is increasing. Since these algorithms require high computation power from the onboard robot controller, the weight of the robot and energy consumption increases. A promising solution to tackle this issue is to r…
This letter presents an adaptive optimal control strategy for developing assist-as-needed robotic rehabilitation. The primary goal is to encourage patient participation and increase the effectiveness of training sessions by minimizing robot intervention while following a predefined path. To achieve
Identifying the inertial parameters of real robotic manipulators is a fundamental step towards realistic modeling and better controller performances, which is crucial for safe human-robot interaction. Our work introduces a novel framework for identifying a generalized set of base inertial parameters…
Teleoperated robots are believed to play an important role for future applications in industry, medicine and other domains. Examples for this are remote assembly and maintenance, surgery, diagnosis or deep-sea and space exploration. Such applications are made possible by state-of-the-art tactile man…
Tactile robots shall be deployed for dynamic task execution in production lines with small batch sizes. Therefore, these robots should have the ability to respond to changing conditions and be easy to (re-)program. Operating under uncertain environments requires unifying subsystems such as robot mot…
The current crisis surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the amount of responsibility and the workload on our healthcare system and, above all, on the medical staff around the world. In this work, we propose a promising approach to overcome this problem using robot-assisted telediagnostics,
The concept of hybrid zero dynamics is a promising approach for designing exponentially stabilizing controllers for dynamic walking with some degrees of underactuation. By this approach a feedback controller is designed such that a stable periodic orbit, within an invariant submanifold for the hybri…
The problem of image based visual servoing for robots working in a cluttered dynamic environment is addressed in this paper. It is assumed that the environment is observed by depth sensors which allow to measure the distance between any moving obstacle and the robot. Also an eye-in-hand camera is us…