OuijaBots: Omnidirectional Robots for Cooperative Object Transport with Rotation Control Using No Communication

Zijian Wang, Guang Yang, Xuanshuo Su, Mac Schwager

Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems, 2018

Abstract

We propose a distributed force and torque controller for a group of robots to collectively transport objects with both translation and rotation control. No explicit communication among robots is required. This work goes beyond previous works by including rotation control and experimental demonstrations on a custom built robot platform. We prove that follower robots can synchronize both their forces and torques to a leader (either a robot or human) that guides the group, and thus contribute positively to the transport. We introduce a custom-designed omnidirectional robot platform, called the OuijaBot, with sensing and actuation capabilities for cooperative manipulation. Our approach is veriﬁed by experiments with four OuijaBots successfully transporting and rotating a payload through a narrow corridor.

BibTeX

@inproceedings{gros_ouijabots_2018,
  address = {Cham},
  title = {{OuijaBots}: {Omnidirectional} {Robots} for {Cooperative} {Object} {Transport} with {Rotation} {Control} {Using} {No} {Communication}},
  volume = {6},
  isbn = {978-3-319-73006-6 978-3-319-73008-0},
  shorttitle = {{OuijaBots}},
  url = {http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-73008-0_9},
  abstract = {We propose a distributed force and torque controller for a group of robots to collectively transport objects with both translation and rotation control. No explicit communication among robots is required. This work goes beyond previous works by including rotation control and experimental demonstrations on a custom built robot platform. We prove that follower robots can synchronize both their forces and torques to a leader (either a robot or human) that guides the group, and thus contribute positively to the transport. We introduce a custom-designed omnidirectional robot platform, called the OuijaBot, with sensing and actuation capabilities for cooperative manipulation. Our approach is veriﬁed by experiments with four OuijaBots successfully transporting and rotating a payload through a narrow corridor.},
  language = {en},
  urldate = {2020-09-15},
  booktitle = {Distributed {Autonomous} {Robotic} {Systems}},
  publisher = {Springer International Publishing},
  author = {Wang, Zijian and Yang, Guang and Su, Xuanshuo and Schwager, Mac},
  editor = {Groß, Roderich and Kolling, Andreas and Berman, Spring and Frazzoli, Emilio and Martinoli, Alcherio and Matsuno, Fumitoshi and Gauci, Melvin},
  year = {2018},
  keywords = {multi-robot, manipulation, control},
  pages = {117--131}
}