@article {3700, title = {Deconfliction of Motion Paths With Traffic Inspired Rules}, journal = {IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters}, volume = {4}, year = {2019}, month = {April}, pages = {2227-2234}, keywords = {Automobiles, Autonomous Vehicles, Collision Avoidance, multi-robot systems, Navigation, Physical Human-Robot Interaction, Roads, Robots, Safety}, issn = {2377-3766}, doi = {10.1109/LRA.2019.2899932}, author = {F. Celi and L. Wang and L. Pallottino and M. Egerstedt} } @article {3446, title = {Humanoids at Work: The WALK-MAN Robot in a Postearthquake Scenario}, journal = {IEEE Robotics Automation Magazine}, year = {2018}, pages = {1-1}, keywords = {Buildings, Earthquakes, Hardware, Legged locomotion, Robot sensing systems, Task analysis}, issn = {1070-9932}, doi = {10.1109/MRA.2017.2788801}, author = {F. Negrello and A Settimi and D. Caporale and G. Lentini and M. Poggiani and D. Kanoulas and L. Muratore and Luberto, E. and G. Santaera and L. Ciarleglio and L. Ermini and L. Pallottino and D. G. Caldwell and N. Tsagarakis and A. Bicchi and M. Garabini and M. G. Catalano} } @article {2685, title = {The Change in Fingertip Contact Area as a Novel Proprioceptive Cue}, journal = {Current Biology}, volume = {26}, year = {2016}, month = {05/2016}, pages = {1159{\textendash}1163}, abstract = {

Humans, many animals, and certain robotic hands have deformable fingertip pads. Deformable pads have the advantage of conforming to the objects that are being touched, ensuring a stable grasp for a large range of forces and shapes. Pad deformations change with finger displacements during touch. Pushing a finger against an external surface typically provokes an increase of the gross contact area, potentially providing a relative motion cue, a situation comparable to looming in vision. The rate of increase of the area of contact also depends on the compliance of the object. Because objects normally do not suddenly change compliance, participants may interpret an artificially induced variation in compliance, which coincides with a change in the gross contact area, as a change in finger displacement, and consequently they may misestimate their finger{\textquoteright}s position relative to the touched object. To test this, we asked participants to compare the perceived displacements of their finger while contacting an object varying pseudo-randomly in compliance from trial to trial. Results indicate a bias in the perception of finger displacement induced by the change in compliance, hence in contact area, indicating that participants interpreted the altered cutaneous input as a cue to proprioception. This situation highlights the capacity of the brain to take advantage of knowledge of the mechanical properties of the body and of the external environment.

}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2016.02.052}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982216301348}, author = {A. Moscatelli and M. Bianchi and A. Serio and A. Terekhov and V. Hayward and M. Ernst and A. Bicchi} } @article {2652, title = {Hand synergies: Integration of robotics and neuroscience for understanding the control of biological and artificial hands}, journal = {Physics of Life Reviews}, volume = {17}, year = {2016}, month = {07/2016}, pages = {1-23}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1571064516000269}, author = {M. Santello and M. Bianchi and M Gabiccini and E. Ricciardi and G. Salvietti and D Prattichizzo and M. Ernst and A. Moscatelli and H. Jorntell and A. Kappers and K. Kyriakopulos and A Albu-Schaeffer and C. Castellini and A. Bicchi} } @article {2627, title = {No More Heavy Lifting: Robotic Solutions to the Container Unloading Problem}, journal = {IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine}, volume = {23}, year = {2016}, month = {08/2016}, chapter = {94}, keywords = {Robotics}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1109/MRA.2016.2535098}, url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7553531}, author = {T. Stoyanov and N. Vaskeviciusz and C. A. Mueller and T. Fromm and R. Krug and V. Tincani and R. Mojtahedzadeh and S. Kunaschk and R. M. Ernits and D. R. Canelhas and M. Bonilla and S. Schwertfeger and M. Bonini and H. Halfar and K. Pathak and M. Rohde and G Fantoni and A. Bicchi and A. Birk and A. Lilienthal and W. Echelmeyer} } @inbook {3729, title = {Sensorymotor Synergies: Fusion of Cutaneous Touch and Proprioception in the Perceived Hand Kinematics}, booktitle = {SPRINGER SERIES ON TOUCH AND HAPTIC SYSTEMS}, volume = {Human and Robot Hands}, year = {2016}, url = {https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-26706-7}, author = {A. Moscatelli and M. Bianchi and A. Serio and A. Bicchi and M. Ernst} } @article {2904, title = {Variable Stiffness Actuators: Review on Design and Components}, journal = { IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics }, volume = {21}, year = {2016}, month = {10/2016}, pages = {2418 - 2430}, abstract = {

Variable stiffness actuators (VSAs) are complex mechatronic devices that are developed to build passively compliant, robust, and dexterous robots. Numerous different hardware designs have been developed in the past two decades to address various demands on their functionality. This review paper gives a guide to the design process from the analysis of the desired tasks identifying the relevant attributes and their influence on the selection of different components such as motors, sensors, and springs. The influence on the performance of different principles to generate the passive compliance and the variation of the stiffness are investigated. Furthermore, the design contradictions during the engineering process are explained in order to find the best suiting solution for the given purpose. With this in mind, the topics of output power, potential energy capacity, stiffness range, efficiency, and accuracy are discussed. Finally, the dependencies of control, models, sensor setup, and sensor quality are addressed.

}, keywords = {Robotics}, doi = {10.1109/TMECH.2015.2501019}, url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=\&arnumber=7330025}, author = {S. Wolf and G. Grioli and O. Eiberger and W. Friedl and M. Grebenstein and H. Hoppner and E. Burdet and D. G. Caldwell and R. Carloni and M. G. Catalano and D. Lefeber and S. Stramigioli and N. G. Tsagarakis and M. Van Damme and R. Van Ham and B. Vanderborght and L. C. Visser and A. Bicchi and A Albu-Schaeffer} } @article {2489, title = {cvxEDA: a Convex Optimization Approach to Electrodermal Activity Processing}, journal = {IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering}, year = {2015}, author = {A. Greco and G. Valenza and A Lanata and Scilingo E.P. and L. Citi} } @conference {2086, title = {A change in the fingertip contact area induces an illusory displacement of the finger}, booktitle = {Eurohaptics}, volume = {LNCS - Free Preview Haptics: Neuroscience, Devices, Modeling, and Applications}, year = {2014}, pages = {72 - 79}, publisher = {Springer-Verlag}, organization = {Springer-Verlag}, address = {Versailles, France), June 2014}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-662-44196-1_10}, author = {A. Moscatelli and M. Bianchi and A. Serio and Al Atassi, O. and S. Fani and A. Terekhov and V. Hayward and M. Ernst and A. Bicchi} } @article {2153, title = {Peripheral Machine Interfaces: going beyond traditional surface electromyography}, journal = {Frontiers in Neurorobotics}, volume = {8}, year = {2014}, month = {08/2014}, pages = {1 - 17}, keywords = {Robotics}, doi = {10.3389/fnbot.2014.00022}, author = {C. Castellini and P. Artemiadis and M. Wininger and A. Ajoudani and M. Alimusaj and A. Bicchi and B. Caputo and W. Craelius and S. Dosen and K. Englehart and D. Farina and A. Gijsberts and S. B. Godfrey and L. Hargrove and M. Ison and T. Kuiken and M. Markovic and P. M. Pilarski and R. Rupp and E. Scheme} } @article {1698, title = {Variable Impedance Actuators: a Review}, journal = {Robotics and Autonomous Systems}, volume = {61}, year = {2013}, note = {

Available online 6 August 2013

}, month = {12/2013}, pages = {1601{\textendash}1614}, abstract = {

Variable Impedance Actuators (VIA) have received increasing attention in recent years as many novel applications involving interactions with an unknown and dynamic environment including humans require actuators with dynamics that are not well-achieved by classical stiff actuators. This paper presents an overview of the different VIAs developed and proposes a classification based on the principles through which the variable stiffness and damping are achieved. The main classes are active impedance by control, inherent compliance and damping actuators, inertial actuators, and combinations of them, which are then further divided into subclasses. This classification allows for designers of new devices to orientate and take inspiration and users of VIA{\textquoteright}s to be guided in the design and implementation process for their targeted application.

}, keywords = {Robotics, Soft robotics, Variable Impedance Actuators}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921889013001188}, author = {B. Vanderborght and A Albu-Schaeffer and A. Bicchi and E. Burdet and D. G. Caldwell and R. Carloni and M. G. Catalano and O. Eiberger and W. Friedl and G. Ganesh and M. Garabini and M. Grebenstein and G. Grioli and S. Haddadin and H. Hoppner and A. Jafari and M. Laffranchi and D. Lefeber and F. Petit and S. Stramigioli and N G Tsagarakis and M. Van Damme and R. Van Ham and L. C. Visser and S. Wolf} } @article {1232, title = {Interacting with networks: How does structure relate to controllability in single-leader, consensus networks?}, journal = {Control Systems Magazine}, volume = {32}, year = {2012}, pages = {66 - 73}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {M. Egerstedt and S. Martini and M. Cao and K. Camlibel and A. Bicchi} } @conference {MFZB11, title = {Decentralized Species Classification in Societies of Autonomous and Heterogenous Robots}, booktitle = {2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation}, year = {2011}, month = {May 9 - 13}, pages = {32 - 39}, address = {Shangai, China}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {S. Martini and A. Fagiolini and G. Zichittella and M. Egerstedt and A. Bicchi} } @article {MEB09, title = {Controllability analysis of multi-agent systems using relaxed equitable partitions}, journal = {Int. J. Systems, Control and Communications}, volume = {2}, number = {1,2,3}, year = {2010}, pages = {100-121}, abstract = {

This paper investigates the issue of how to make decentralised networks amenable to external control, i.e. how to ensure that they are appropriately organised so that they can be effectively

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {S. Martini and M. Egerstedt and A. Bicchi} } @conference {FMEBG, title = {Observability and Controllability Detection of Multi-Agent Systems through Decentralized Laplacian Spectrum Estimation}, booktitle = {International Conference on Decision and Control - CDC 2010}, year = {2010}, pages = {5775 - 5780}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {M. Franceschelli and S. Martini and M. Egerstedt and A. Bicchi and A. Giua} } @conference {GFB08, title = {Anytime Control Algorithms for Real-Time Embedded Systems}, booktitle = {Int Conf of Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control}, series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science}, volume = {4981/2008}, year = {2008}, pages = {158 - 171}, publisher = {Springer-Verlag}, organization = {Springer-Verlag}, address = {St. Louis, MO}, abstract = {

In this paper we consider the problem of designing controllers for linear plants to be implemented in embedded platforms under stringent real-time constraints. These include preemptive scheduling schemes, under which the maximum execution time allowed for control software tasks is uncertain. We propose an {\textquoteleft}{\textquoteleft}anytime control{\textquoteright}{\textquoteright} design approach, consisting in a hierarchy of controllers for the same plant. Higher controllers in the hierarchy provide better closed-loop performance, while typically requiring a larger worst-case execution time. We provide a procedure for the design of controllers which, together with a conditioning process of the stochastic scheduling, provides better performance than prevailing worst case-based design, while guaranteeing almost sure stability of the resulting switching system.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {D. Fontanelli and L. Greco and A. Bicchi}, editor = {M. Egerstedt and B. Mishra} } @conference {MMB-CDC08, title = {Controllability Decompositions of Networked Systems Through Quotient Graphs}, booktitle = {Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Decision and Control}, year = {2008}, pages = {5244 - 5249}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {S. Martini and M. Egerstedt and A. Bicchi} } @inbook {HB08-2, title = {The Sense of Touch and its Rendering: Progresses in Haptics Research}, series = {Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics (STAR)}, volume = {45/2008}, year = {2008}, pages = {155-178}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, type = {Chapter}, chapter = {Rheological Device}, address = {Berlin, Heidelberg}, abstract = {

In this work we investigate the possibility of mimicking haptic perception by using rheological materials. An analysis of the rheological behaviour of some "smart fluids", such as Electro-rheological Fluids (ERFs) and Magneto-rheological Fluids (MRFs), is provided to design new haptic interfaces capable of reproducing shape and compliance of some virtual objects. Some theoretical design considerations are discussed and supported by magnetic simulations implemented by means of a numerical code. Several prototypes were designed and realized through a progressive enhancement of performance up to a final 3D immersive device. Furthermore, to assess performance a set of psychophysical tests was carried out and experimental results in terms of softness and shape recognition are reported.

}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, author = {N. Sgambelluri and E. P. Scilingo and R. Rizzo and A. Bicchi}, editor = {A. Bicchi and M. Buss and M. Ernst and A. Peer} } @inbook {HB08-1, title = {The Sense of Touch and its Rendering: Progresses in Haptics Research}, series = {Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics (STAR)}, volume = {45/2008}, year = {2008}, pages = {39 - 60}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, type = {Chapter}, chapter = {The Role of Tactile Flow in Processing Dynamic Haptic Stimuli}, address = {Berlin, Heidelberg}, abstract = {

Dynamic stimuli in visual and tactile sensory modalities share fundamental psychophysical features that can be explained by similar computational models. In vision, information about relative motion between objects and the observer are mainly processed by optic flow, which is a 2D field of velocities associated with variation of brightness patterns in the image plane. It provides important information about cues for region and boundary segmentation, shape recovery, and so on. For instance, radial patterns of optic flow are often used to estimate time before contact with an approaching object. We put forward the hypothesis that a similar behavior can be present in the tactile domain, in which an analogous paradigm to optic flow might exist. Moreover, as optic flow is also invoked to explain several visual illusions, including the well-known "barber-pole" effect and Ouchi

}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, author = {E. P. Scilingo and N. Sgambelluri and A. Bicchi}, editor = {A. Bicchi and M. Buss and M. Ernst and A. Peer} } @article {HB08, title = {The Sense of Touch and its Rendering: Progresses in Haptics Research}, volume = {45/2008}, year = {2008}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Berlin, Heidelberg}, abstract = {

Preface: It is no coincidence that in many languages, deeply involving emotions and feelings are described as "touching". Touch appears indeed to be the most direct, less intellectually mediated sense. As such, it should be a fundamental ingredient of any system aimed at providing compelling sensations of remote presence. Generation of high-definition haptic feedback will be crucially important for driving a sense of Presence in next generation immersive VR and teleoperation systems. The perspective in which this book is conceived is that of understanding and enabling an experience of presence not limited to "being there", but extended to "being in touch" with the virtual or remote surroundings. Despite of numerous technological advances in this field it appears that the development of fully immersive haptic displays cannot proceed by technological innovations alone but requires a deep understanding and utilization of the psychophysical mechanisms of human haptic perception. On one hand, technological innovations are needed to increase the richness and accuracy of physically generated haptic stimuli. The generation of a one-to-one copy of the real world seems, however, to be unfeasible due to the inherent complexity of the necessary devices and stringent physiological and mechanical constraints. On the other hand, advances in the understanding of the information processing of the multidimensional sense of touch contribute to overcome these fundamental technological constraints. Limitations of the human perceptual system can be exploited to provide a realistic haptic sensation without getting all the physical parameters completely right. Perceptual limitations already helped in the design of advanced visual and auditory displays. This book summarizes main results of the TOUCH-HapSys research project financially supported by the 5th Framework IST Programme of the European Union. It provides an important contribution towards a new generation of high-fidelity haptic display technologies. The uniqueness of this book is its interdisciplinary approach highlighting the field of haptic research from a neuropsychological as well as a technological point of view. It provides readers with recent advances in the study of human haptic (kinesthetic, tactile, temperature) and mul-timodal (visual, auditory, haptic) perception mechanisms and with innovations in the field of haptic display technology. It shows that both lines of research are intimately connected, not only because biological sciences inspire and enable technology improvement, but also because novel devices offer new facilities for the experimental testing of psychophysical hypotheses. This book is structured in two parts: A. Fundamental Psychophysical and Neuropsychological Research and B. Technology and Applications. Chapters in part A. concentrate on the study of the basic mechanisms of touch, involving neurophysiology, psychophysics, and functional mappings in the brain. In-depth study of the psychophysiology of the sense of touch establishes connections between haptic fundamental perception and virtual-reality oriented technology. Part B. addresses new technologies to significantly improve haptic and multimodal feedback systems. These include novel actuator designs, software solutions for haptic rendering, and applications. The two parts are not however separated, and the many connections and synergies between the two complementary domains of research are highlighted in the text. Finally the editors would like to thank all the authors for their valuable contributions to this book. The quality and freshness found in each chapter are due to the excellent work carried out by the authors.

}, keywords = {Haptics, Robotics}, editor = {A. Bicchi and M. Buss and M. Ernst and A. Peer} } @conference {PMB08, title = {Steering a Leader-Follower Team via Linear Consensus}, booktitle = {Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control}, series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science}, volume = {4981/2008}, year = {2008}, pages = {642-645}, publisher = {Springer-Verlag}, organization = {Springer-Verlag}, abstract = {

The paper considers the problem of driving a formation of autonomous mobile agents. The group of mobile devices is described as a leader{\textendash}follower network, where the followers update their position using a simple local consensus procedure, while the leaders, whose positions represent the control inputs of the network, are free to move. We characterize the transient behavior of the network, and solve the containment problem without relying on auxiliary sensors.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {F. Pasqualetti and S. Martini and A. Bicchi}, editor = {M. Egerstedt and B. Mishra} } @article {1656, title = {Microfabrication of fractal polymeric structures for capillary morphogenesis: applications in therapeutic angiogenesis and in the engineering of vascularized tissue}, journal = {JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH. PART B, APPLIED BIOMATERIALS}, volume = {81}, year = {2007}, pages = {462{\textendash}468}, keywords = {Bioengineering}, issn = {1552-4981}, author = {BIANCHI, F and ROSI, M. and G. Vozzi and EMANUELI, C. and MADEDDU, P. and A. Ahluwalia} } @article {BBEFKP06, title = {Symbolic Planning and Control of Robot Motion: Finding the Missing Pieces of Current Methods and Ideas}, journal = {Robotics and Automation Magazine}, volume = {14}, number = {1}, year = {2007}, pages = {61-70}, abstract = {

Approaches to robot motion planning and control that involve tools such as automata, languages, temporal logics, and grammars, have been recently termed "symbolic." In this article, we review some existing results, discuss their relevance and applicability, and outline some of the main open questions and challenges in the area.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {C. Belta and A. Bicchi and M. Egerstedt and E. Frazzoli and E. Klavins and G. J. Pappas} } @inbook {PB03-ADHS, title = {Receding-Horizon Control of LTI Systems with Quantized Inputs}, booktitle = {Analysis and Design of Hybrid Systems 2003}, year = {2003}, pages = {259-264}, publisher = {Elsevier}, organization = {Elsevier}, abstract = {

This paper deals with the stabilization problem for a particular class of hybrid systems, namely discrete-time linear systems subject to a uniform (a priori fixed) quantization of the control set. Results of our previous work on the subject provided a description of minimal (in a specific sense) invariant sets that could be rendered maximally attractive under any quantized feedback strategy. In this paper, we consider the design of stabilizing laws that optimize a given cost index on the state and input evolution on a finite, receding horizon. Application of Model Predictive Control techniques for the solution of similar hybrid control problems through Mixed Logical Dynamical reformulations can provide a stabilizing control law, provided that the feasibility hypotheses are met. In this paper, we discuss precisely what are the shortest horizon length and the minimal invariant terminal set for which it can be guaranteed a stabilizing MPC scheme. The final paper will provide an example and simulations of the application of the control scheme to a practical quantized control problem.

}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {B. Picasso and S. Pancanti and A. Bemporad and A. Bicchi}, editor = {Gueguen Engell and Zaytoon} } @inbook {PPSEB02, title = {Synthesis of robust control systems under resource constraints}, booktitle = {Hybrid Systems: Computation and Control}, series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science}, volume = {LNCS 2289}, year = {2002}, pages = {337-350}, publisher = {Springer-Verlag}, organization = {Springer-Verlag}, address = {Heidelberg, Germany}, keywords = {Embedded Control, Robotics}, author = {L. Palopoli and C. Pinello and A. L. Sangiovanni-Vincentelli and L. El-Ghaoui and A. Bicchi}, editor = {M. Greenstreet and C. Tomlin} }