Dual Arm Steering of Deformable Linear Objects in 2-D and 3-D Environments Using Euler's Elastica Solutions

This paper describes a method for steering deformable linear objects using two robot hands in environments populated by sparsely spaced obstacles. The approach involves manipulating an elastic inextensible rod by varying the gripping endpoint positions and tangents. Closed form solutions that describe the flexible linear object shape in planar environments, Euler's elastica, are described. The paper uses these solutions to formulate criteria for non self-intersection, stability and obstacle avoidance. These criteria are formulated as constraints in the flexible object six-dimensional configuration space that represents the robot gripping endpoint positions and tangents. In particular, this paper introduces a novel criterion that ensures the flexible object stability during steering. All safety criteria are integrated into a scheme for steering flexible linear objects in planar environments, which is lifted into a steering scheme in three-dimensional environments populated by sparsely spaced obstacles. Experiments with a dual-arm robot demonstrate the method.

Implicit collaboration with a drawing machine through dance movements

In this demonstration, we exhibit the initial results of an ongoing body of exploratory work, investigating the potential for creative machines to communicate and collaborate with people through movement as a form of implicit interaction. The paper describes a Wizard-of-Oz demo, where a hidden wizard controls an AxiDraw drawing robot while a participant collaborates with it to draw a custom postcard. This demonstration aims to gather perspectives from the computational fabrication community regarding how practitioners of fabrication with machines experience interacting with a mixed-initiative collaborative machine.