RSS 2015 workshop

Towards a Unifying Framework for Whole-body and Manipulation Control

Full-day Workshop @ RSS 2015 

July 17th, 2015 - Rome, Italy

Organizers:

• Francesco Nori.
• Robotics Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia.  
• Maximo A. Roa.
• DLR German Aerospace Center, Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics. 
• Daniele Pucci.
• Robotics Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department, Istituto Italiano di Tecnolgia. .
• Edoardo Farnioli.
• Advanced Robotics Department, Istituto Italiano di Tecnolgia.
• Marco Gabiccini.
• Department of Mechanical, Nuclear and Production Engineering, University of Pisa. 
• Antonio Bicchi.
• Istituto Italiano di Tecnolgia and Research Center "E. Piaggio'', University of Pisa.

 Related IEEE technical committees: 

1. TC on "Humanoid Robotics"
2. TC on "Whole-Body Control"
3. TC on "Robotic Hands, Grasping and Manipulation"
4. TC on "Mobile Manipulation"

Abstract:

Manipulation and whole-body motion control are two of the most active research areas in the robotic community. Interestingly enough, there are structural similari- ties between the mathematical models of a robotic hand manipulating an object and a humanoid robot in contact with the environment. For instance, both systems are redun- dant, underactuated, and constrained by the interaction with the environment. Despite these similarities, manipulation and whole-body control have developed along different directions by two hardly connected communities. The relevant differences arise in the modelling of the contacts (e.g. soft-finger contacts vs. rigid contacts), in the adopted stability criteria (e.g. force closure vs. zero moment point conditions), and in the sim- plified models used for control design (e.g. quasi-static manipulation vs. linear inverted pendulum model).

The goal of the present workshop is to invite experts in manipulation and whole-body control to discuss similarities and differences in their respective research areas. Speakers will be invited to discuss the possibility of developing a unique framework that allows both manipulation and whole-body motion control.

Topics:   

• Contacts planning and control
• Whole-body task control
• Compliant whole-body movements
• Dynamics in humanoid robots
• Machine learning and optimization methods for contact planning and control

Program for the day: