Limbed Robotics: Dynamic Whole-Body Mobility and Manipulation

The Army Research Laboratory Research Associateship Program (ARL-RAP) is pursuing research to increase dynamic mobility and manipulation capabilities of autonomous limbed robots. The goal is to facilitate robust autonomous behaviors for agile traversal and manipulation in complex environments. Physics-based, multi-bodied models are used to construct simulations that aid the development of control authorities and fundamental understanding of the dynamics that govern the robotic system. Behavior development can be model-based, leverage machine learning tools, or combine approaches. These techniques are used across multiple platforms, including wheeled, aerial, quadrupedal, and bipedal systems with or without manipulators. The program is designed to significantly increase the involvement of creative and highly trained scientists and engineers from Academia and Industry in scientific and technical areas of interest and relevance to the Army.