Explanipedia

Safety-Critical and Distributed Nonlinear Predictive Controllers for Teams of Quadrupedal Robots Open

Basit Muhammad Imran, Jeeseop Kim, Taizoon Chunawala, Alexander Leonessa, Kaveh Akbari Hamed · 2025

This paper presents a novel hierarchical, safety-critical control framework that integrates distributed nonlinear model predictive controllers (DNMPCs) with control barrier functions (CBFs) to enable cooperative locomotion of multi-agent q…

Design and Development of a Locomotion Interface for Virtual Reality Lower-Body Haptic Interaction Open

An-Chi He, Jungsoo Park, Benjamin C. Beiter, Bhaben Kalita, Alexander Leonessa · 2025

This work presents the design, build, control, and preliminary user data of a locomotion interface called ForceBot. It delivers lower-body haptic interaction in virtual reality (VR), enabling users to walk in VR while interacting with vari…

Joint-Space Control of a Structurally Elastic Humanoid Robot Open

Connor W. Herron, Christian Runyon, Isaac Pressgrove, Benjamin C. Beiter, Bhaben Kalita , et al. · 2024

In this work, the joint-control strategy is presented for the humanoid robot, PANDORA, whose structural components are designed to be compliant. As opposed to contemporary approaches which design the elasticity internal to the actuator hou…

Additively Manufactured Open-Source Quadruped Robots for Multi-Robot SLAM Applications Open

Zachary Fuge, Benjamin C. Beiter, Alexander Leonessa · 2024

This work presents the design and development of the quadruped robot Squeaky to be used as a research and learning platform for single and multi-SLAM robotics, computer vision, and reinforcement learning. Affordable robots are becoming nec…

Angular Divergent Component of Motion: A step towards planning Spatial DCM Objectives for Legged Robots Open

Connor W. Herron, Robert Schuller, Benjamin C. Beiter, Robert J. Griffin, Alexander Leonessa , et al. · 2024

In this work, the Divergent Component of Motion (DCM) method is expanded to include angular coordinates for the first time. This work introduces the idea of spatial DCM, which adds an angular objective to the existing linear DCM theory. To…

PANDORA: The Open-Source, Structurally Elastic Humanoid Robot Open

Connor W. Herron, Alexander J. Fuge, Benjamin C. Beiter, Zachary J. Fuge, Nicholas J. Tremaroli , et al. · 2024

In this work, the novel, open-source humanoid robot, PANDORA, is presented where a majority of the structural elements are manufactured using 3D-printed compliant materials. As opposed to contemporary approaches that incorporate the elasti…

iCub3 avatar system: Enabling remote fully immersive embodiment of humanoid robots Open

Stefano Dafarra, Ugo Pattacini, Giulio Romualdi, Lorenzo Rapetti, Riccardo Grieco , et al. · 2024

We present an avatar system designed to facilitate the embodiment of humanoid robots by human operators, validated through iCub3, a humanoid developed at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia. More precisely, the paper makes two contribution…

Design and Development of a Locomotion Interface for Virtual Reality Lower-Body Haptic Interaction Open

An-Chi He, Jungsoo Park, Benjamin C. Beiter, Bhaben Kalita, Alexander Leonessa · 2024

Adaptive Control for Nonlinear Uncertain Systems with Actuator Amplitude and Rate Saturation Constraints Open

Alexander Leonessa, Yannick Morel · 2023

A direct adaptive nonlinear tracking control framework for multivariable nonlinear uncertain systems with actuator amplitude and rate saturation constraints is developed. To guarantee asymptotic stability of the closed-loop tracking error …

Design, development, and analysis of the lower body of next-generation 3D-printed humanoid research platform: PANDORA Open

Alexander J. Fuge, Connor W. Herron, Benjamin C. Beiter, Bhaben Kalita, Alexander Leonessa · 2023

The main contribution of this paper is the design and development of the lower body of PANDORA (3D-Printed Autonomous humaNoid Developed for Open-source Research Applications), a new humanoid robotic platform implementing additive manufact…

Real-Time Model-Free Deep Reinforcement Learning for Force Control of a Series Elastic Actuator Open

Ruturaj Sambhus, Aydın Gokce, Stephen Welch, Connor W. Herron, Alexander Leonessa · 2023

Many state-of-the art robotic applications utilize series elastic actuators (SEAs) with closed-loop force control to achieve complex tasks such as walking, lifting, and manipulation. Model-free PID control methods are more prone to instabi…

Design and Validation of a Low-Level Controller for Hierarchically Controlled Exoskeletons Open

Connor W. Herron, Zachary J. Fuge, Madeline Kogelis, Nicholas J. Tremaroli, Bhaben Kalita , et al. · 2023

In this work, a generalized low-level controller is presented for sensor collection, motor input, and networking with a high-level controller. In hierarchically controlled exoskeletal systems, which utilize series elastic actuators (SEAs),…

Shared Autonomy and Positive Power Control for Powered Exoskeletons Open

Benjamin C. Beiter, Divya Srinivasan, Alexander Leonessa · 2023

A Review on the Development of Pneumatic Artificial Muscle Actuators: Force Model and Application Open

Bhaben Kalita, Alexander Leonessa, Santosha K. Dwivedy · 2022

Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are soft and flexible linear pneumatic actuators which produce human muscle like actuation. Due to these properties, the muscle actuators have an adaptable compliance for various robotic platforms as wel…

Human-Centered Intelligent Training for Emergency Responders Open

Ranjana K. Mehta, Jason Moats, Rohith Karthikeyan, Joseph L. Gabbard, Divya Srinivasan , et al. · 2022

Emergency response (ER) workers perform extremely demanding physical and cognitive tasks that can result in serious injuries and loss of life. Human augmentation technologies have the potential to enhance physical and cognitive work-capaci…

iCub3 Avatar System: Enabling Remote Fully-Immersive Embodiment of Humanoid Robots Open

Stefano Dafarra, Ugo Pattacini, Giulio Romualdi, Lorenzo Rapetti, Riccardo Grieco , et al. · 2022

We present an avatar system designed to facilitate the embodiment of humanoid robots by human operators, validated through iCub3, a humanoid developed at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT). More precisely, the contribution of the pa…

Human‐centered intelligent training for emergency responders Open

Ranjana K. Mehta, Jason Moats, Rohith Karthikeyan, Joseph L. Gabbard, Divya Srinivasan , et al. · 2022

Emergency response (ER) workers perform extremely demanding physical and cognitive tasks that can result in serious injuries and loss of life. Human augmentation technologies have the potential to enhance physical and cognitive work‐capaci…

Grasp Control of a Cable-Driven Robotic Hand Using a PVDF Slip Detection Sensor Open

Negin Nikafrooz, Zachary Fuge, Alexander Leonessa · 2022

Detecting and preventing slip is a major challenge in robotic hand operation, underpinning the robot's ability to perform safe and reliable grasps. Using the robotic hand design from the authors' earlier work, a sensing and control strateg…

A Single-Actuated, Cable-Driven, and Self-Contained Robotic Hand Designed for Adaptive Grasps Open

Negin Nikafrooz, Alexander Leonessa · 2021

Developing a dexterous robotic hand that mimics natural human hand movements is challenging due to complicated hand anatomy. Such a practical design should address several requirements, which are often conflicting and force the designer to…

A Framework for Virtual Reality-Based Motor Skills Training for the Use of Exoskeletons Open

Garret Burks, Young-Jae Lee, Sunwook Kim, Yang Ye, Ben Beiter , et al. · 2021

Human Gait During Level Walking With an Occupational Whole-Body Powered Exoskeleton: Not Yet a Walk in the Park Open

Sunwook Kim, Divya Srinivasan, Maury A. Nussbaum, Alexander Leonessa · 2021

With rapid advancements in exoskeleton technologies, a whole-body powered exoskeleton (WB-PEXO) for augmenting human physical capacity (a ``super-operator'') is generating increasing attention as an integral part of Industry 4.0. Our under…

Differences between Student and Faculty Expectations for a Robotics Capstone Design Project Open

Kevin Sevilla, Maura Borrego, Alexander Leonessa · 2020

Differences between Student and Faculty Expectations for a Robotics Capstone Design ProjectThe typical U.S. engineering curriculum is structured as three years of fairly discrete courses. Inthe final year, students begin to have more freed…

Guest Editorial: Focused Section on Inaugural Edition of TMECH/AIM Emerging Topics Open

Xiang Chen, Xiaobo Tan, Giovanni Berselli, Xiang Chen, Garrett M. Clayton , et al. · 2020

Since the official registration of the word “Mechatronics” as a trademark by Yaskawa Electric Corporation in 1971, explosive growth has been observed in mechatronics research and product development activities. Nowadays, mechatronics and m…

Hierarchical and Safe Motion Control for Cooperative Locomotion of Robotic Guide Dogs and Humans: A Hybrid Systems Approach Open

Kaveh Akbari Hamed, Vinay R. Kamidi, Wen-Loong Ma, Alexander Leonessa, Aaron D. Ames · 2019

This paper presents a hierarchical control strategy based on hybrid systems theory, nonlinear control, and safety-critical systems to enable cooperative locomotion of robotic guide dogs and visually impaired people. We address high-dimensi…

Hierarchical and Safe Motion Control for Cooperative Locomotion of\n Robotic Guide Dogs and Humans: A Hybrid Systems Approach Open

Kaveh Akbari Hamed, Vinay R. Kamidi, Wen-Loong Ma, Alexander Leonessa, Aaron D. Ames · 2019

This paper presents a hierarchical control strategy based on hybrid systems\ntheory, nonlinear control, and safety-critical systems to enable cooperative\nlocomotion of robotic guide dogs and visually impaired people. We address\nhigh-dime…

Straight-Leg Walking Through Underconstrained Whole-Body Control Open

Robert J. Griffin, Georg Wiedebach, Sylvain Bertrand, Alexander Leonessa, Jerry Pratt · 2018

We present an approach for achieving a natural, efficient gait on bipedal robots using straightened legs and toe-off. Our algorithm avoids complex height planning by allowing a whole-body controller to determine the straightest possible le…

Radiation search operations using scene understanding with autonomous UAV and UGV Open

Gordon Christie, Adam Shoemaker, Kevin Kochersberger, Pratap Tokekar, Lance McLean , et al. · 2017

Autonomously searching for hazardous radiation sources requires the ability of the aerial and ground systems to understand the scene they are scouting. In this paper, we present systems, algorithms, and experiments to perform radiation sea…

Classical and adaptive control of ex vivo skeletal muscle contractions using Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Open

Paola Jaramillo Cienfuegos, Adam Shoemaker, Robert W. Grange, Nicole Abaid, Alexander Leonessa · 2017

Functional Electrical Stimulation is a promising approach to treat patients by stimulating the peripheral nerves and their corresponding motor neurons using electrical current. This technique helps maintain muscle mass and promote blood fl…

The effect of binaural beats on verbal working memory and cortical connectivity Open

Christine Beauchene, Nicole Abaid, Rosalyn Moran, Rachel A. Diana, Alexander Leonessa · 2017

Listening to 15 Hz binaural beats during the N-back task activated salient frequency bands and produced networks characterized by higher information transfer as compared to other auditory stimulation conditions.

The Effect of Binaural Beats on Visuospatial Working Memory and Cortical Connectivity Open

Christine Beauchene, Nicole Abaid, Rosalyn Moran, Rachel A. Diana, Alexander Leonessa · 2016

Binaural beats utilize a phenomenon that occurs within the cortex when two different frequencies are presented separately to each ear. This procedure produces a third phantom binaural beat, whose frequency is equal to the difference of the…

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