Cooperative robots

The field is wide where the performance of mobile robot system is demanded. We can list some examples, such as automatic factory whose environment and production plan are frequently changed, and hazardous environments where human beings cannot be exposed. Our research group is now dealing with the problem of planning, sensing, and control. All of them are necessary for handing a common object by a group of mobile robots.

Handling system by cooperative sensing of mobile robots (Fig. 1)

The cooperative transportation system is demanded for sensing strategy that can prevent the task to be in failure by their motion errors. In this research we are now discussing on how to select contacting points on an object, how to obtain properties of an object, and how to utilize a constraint among contacting points given by load distribution to the robots.

Planning for handling objects by cooperative robots with tools (Fig. 2)

If the robots can deal large number of objects at once, the effectiveness of transportation is difinitely raised. We are in research of raising effectiveness of handling plural objects by robots with tools that can be regarded as multipurposed end effector.

Controlling cooperative legged robots loaded by a common object (Fig. 3)

This research consists of two main issues; cooperation of robots by distributed controls, and control of legged robot that can walk across a difference in level. In this system, the strategy of sensing and motion planning is scattered to avoid any trouble caused by a different level of the floor. Two legged robots are controlled independently, without direct communication between them.

Fig. 1 Cooperative Robots with Sensing

Fig. 2 Cooperative Robots with a Tool Fig. 3 Cooperative Legged Robots 　