This paper presents a distributed planning and control architecture for autonomous Multi-Manipulator Systems (MMS). The control architecture is implemented using an agent-based approach. A team of distributed and autonomous agents is deployed to model the flexible assembly system in such a way that the agents negotiate, collaborate, and cooperate to achieve the goals of assembly tasks. The main...

We explore the concept of self-assembling robot systems consisting of simple passive structural modules plus active robotic modules. In particular, we consider a space of 2and 3-DOF robots with rotating grippers which attach to passive structural bars. The resulting systems range from a passive truss with one independent active climbing module to fully self-reconfiguring dynamic structures comp...

We present a user interface that utilizes handtracking and gesture detection to provide a natural and intuitive interface to a semi-autonomous robotic manipulation system. The developed interface leverages humans and robots for what they each do best. The robotic system performs object detection, and grasp and motion planning. The human operator oversees high-level task assignment and manages u...

The drive to planetary exploration, including re-visiting our own moon will inevitably require a level of interaction with these environments that is beyond previous robotic probes. To fully explore these hostile environments will require increasing levels of dexterity. This trend is already evident with the robotic sampling devices of Beagle2, EXOMARS & Mars Science Laboratory 2009. Payload as...

Consider a group of autonomous, mobile robots with the ability to physically connect to one another (self-assemble). The group is said to exhibit functional self-assembly if the robots can choose to selfassemble in response to the demands of their task and environment [15]. We present the first robotic controller capable of functional self-assembly implemented on a real robotic platform. The ta...

The observation of a prompt optical flash from GRB990123 convincingly demonstrated the value of autonomous robotic telescope systems. Pursuing a program of rapid follow-up observations of gamma-ray bursts, the Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment (ROTSE) has developed a next-generation instrument, ROTSE-III, that will continue the search for fast optical transients. The entire system was...

We address the problem of controlling large distributed robotic systems such as factories. We introduce tools which help us compose local, hybrid control programs for a class of distributed robotic systems, assuming a palette of controller for individual tasks is already constructed. These tools, which combine backchaining behaviors with Petri Nets, expand on successful work in sequential compo...

Dynamics simulation plays a key role in the design, verification, and operation planning of the International Space Station manipulator systems because of the difficulties of ground-based physical tests with large flexible robotic systems. Modeling of contact dynamics has become essential to dynamics simulation of space station robotic operations (such as the assembly and maintenance of the sta...

The observation of a prompt optical flash from GRB 990123 convincingly demonstrated the value of autonomous robotic telescope systems. Pursuing a program of rapid follow-up observations of gammaray bursts, the Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment (ROTSE) has developed a next-generation instrument, ROTSE-III, that will continue the search for fast optical transients. The entire system was...

This paper analyzes the performance of a robotic system with two machines in which machines are configured in a circular layout and produce non-identical parts repetitively. The non-destructive testing (NDT) is performed by a stationary robotic arm located in the center of the circle, or a cluster tool. The robotic arm integrates multiple tasks, mainly the NDT of the part and its transition bet...