In this project we aim to develop a control framework that enables light and freely moving autonomous robots that can perform complex and versatile operations, involving highly precise and forceful physical interactions, in challenging environments.

Specifically, the robots should not only be able to observe and monitor but should also be able to interact with their environment. Moreover, the robots should be multi-purpose robots, which are not only designed to perform one particular task, like for instance a lawn mower robot, but should instead be equipped with manipulator arms and be able to perform a wide variety of operations with highly precise manipulating forces.

Freely moving robots with manipulator arms that give them interaction capabilities are denoted vehicle-manipulator systems, and making them autonomous, light and cheap, sparks exciting perspectives in marine, domestic, logistic, aerial and space contexts.

We will specifically target the underwater environment, as this poses particularly severe challenges including unmodelled time-varying hydrodynamic forces, uncertain hydrodynamic coefficients and strong environmental disturbances.

People