Freeform Robot
Modular self-reconfigurable robotic systems have strong self-adaptation and self-healing abilities, which makes them capable of coping with various tasks in complex and changeable environments. Most existing modular self-reconfigurable robots have connection constraints on the mechanical structure. Their relative positioning and motion planning capacities are also limited to the structured environment, which is different from the real and changing environment. To break these limitations, this project aims to develop key technologies for modular self-reconfiguration robots to be applied in unstructured environments. The research results can lay a theoretical and technical foundation for the development of swarm robots and field robots, and can also be widely used in the areas of search and rescue, space exploration, etc.
[2020 IROS Best Paper Award on Robot Mechanisms and Design]
Metal Spheres Swarm Together to Create Freeform Modular Robots – IEEE Spectrum
Magnetic FreeBOT orbs work together to climb large obstacles | Engadget
《超能陆战队》磁性球体机器人成真？中国内地高校近十年来首获机器人顶会IROS最佳论文奖
现实版《超能陆战队》：港中深「新型自重构机器人」获IROS最佳机器人设计提名
Mobile Collaborative Robots
The collaboration between the University of Edinburgh (UoE) and Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society (AIRS) aims at fundamental and applied research in artificial intelligence and robotics. The current research focuses on three scientific pillars: Multi-ContactPlanning and Control, Multi-Agent Collaborative Manipulation, and Robot Perception.
PI: Prof. Sethu Vijayakumar (UoE), Prof. Tin Lun Lam (AIRS)
More information: https://airs.cuhk.edu.cn/en/page/357
http://web.inf.ed.ac.uk/slmc/research/projects-and-grants/uoe-airs-joint-project