Other Advanced Technology Research

RESEARCH > Other Advanced Technology Research Programs

 

ARM – Autonomous Robotic Manipulation

The DARPA Autonomous Robotic Manipulation – Software (ARM-S) program seeks to advance the state of the art in autonomous dual-arm manipulation. RE2 is the primary integrator and maintainer of the multiple robot platforms that were provided to various research teams around the country. The highly sophisticated robotic platforms consist of two off-the-shelf 7-DOF arms and 3-fingered hands with wrist-mounted force/torque sensors along with pressure sensors in the palm and finger-tips, a high-resolution color camera, stereo cameras, flash lidar 3D camera, two head-mounted microphones, and an innovative 4-DOF neck to allow the software to position and orient the sensor package as desired. Along with integrating the hardware components, RE2 developed a ROS-compatible software interface, operator control unit, and data logging capabilities. Additionally, RE2 has developed higher-level software to have the robot platform perform various manipulation tasks for trade shows and museum exhibits.

ARM Outreach

The purpose of this project was to develop, integrate and deliver a complete simulator of the DARPA ARM robot, a humanoid two-armed robot, that models not only the robot itself but sensor data generated by the robot while interacting with the world around it.  The system provides the user with a fully functional simulated version of the robot that can be used to develop novel manipulation techniques in simulation which can then be tested on a real research-level, state-of-the-art robotics system.  The main objective of creating this system was to provide researchers and the general public the opportunity to utilize a state-of-the-art system even when their own resources are not able to provide that capability.  The goal is to effectively “crowd-source” advanced robotic manipulation research.  RE2 developed the simulator, including custom interfaces to the underlying physics simulation that exactly matched the behavior of the real robot.

DARPA Robotics Challenge

The goal of the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC)  program is to develop and demonstrate innovative robotics technologies for disaster response operations such as in natural disasters or industrial accidents. The technology is intended to allow a robot to perform complex tasks in dangerous or degraded environments considered too dangerous for humans. RE2 was selected as one of 11 teams that are being funded by DARPA to develop software that will run in a government-provided simulation environment. The software must control the simulated robot to perform a variety of different tasks, including walking across rubble, opening a door, climbing a ladder, and driving a utility vehicle. All of the teams will compete in a competition scheduled for June 2013 to determine whose software performs the best in completing the challenge tasks. The top six teams will receive additional funding and a humanoid, bi-pedal walking robot to further develop and test their software.