Legged Mobility in Microgravity

Multi-legged robots may be able to move safely and precisely in microgravity, which is necessary for asteroid exploration and help in space stations.

The development of grasping mechanisms, robot architecture, and mobility strategies specifically for microgravity environments could improve the safety and accuracy of the motion, avoiding failures due to flotation.

This project focuses on managing the momentum generated by the robot's movements, decreasing the induced motion reactions.

Last update: 2023-Oct-20

Related Publications

International Conference

RAMP: Reaction-Aware Motion Planning of Multi-Legged Robots for Locomotion in Microgravity

Warley F. R. Ribeiro, Kentaro Uno, Masazumi Imai, Koki Murase, Kazuya Yoshida

Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), London, United Kingdom. 2023. 

DOI: 10.1109/ICRA48891.2023.10161185

[arXiv]

Award: IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Japan Joint Chapter Young Award (ICRA2023)

Finalist for ICRA 2023 Outstanding  Locomotion Paper

International Conference

Mobility Strategy of Multi-Limbed Climbing Robots for Asteroid Exploration

Warley F. R. Ribeiro, Kentaro Uno, Masazumi Imai, Koki Murase, Baris Can Yalcin, Matteo El Hariry, Miguel A. Olivares-Mendez, Kazuya Yoshida

Proceedings of the 26th International Conference Series on Climbing and Walking Robots and the Support Technologies for Mobile Machines (CLAWAR), Florianopolis, Brazil. 2023. 

DOI: (to be added after publication)

[arXiv]

Award: Industrial Robot Practical Innovation Highly Commended Paper

International Conference

Experimental Verification of Robotic Landing and Locomotion on Asteroids

Baris Can Yalcin, Warley F. R. Ribeiro, Matteo El Hariry, Kentaro Uno, Miguel Olivares-Mendez, Kazuya Yoshida

Proceedings of the 17th Symposium on Advanced Space Technologies in Robotics and Automation (ASTRA), Leiden, The Netherlands. 2023. 

Domestic Conference

The Simulated Micro-Gravity Experiment of the Intra-Vehicular Legged Mobile Robot for ISS Automation (ISS 船内伝い歩き移動ロボットの微小重力模擬移動実験)

Takada Kazuki, Kentaro Uno, Koki Murase, Taku Okawara, Masazumi Imai, Warley F. R. Ribeiro, Seiko Piotr Yamaguchi, Riichi Itakura, Akiko Otsuka, Tetsuya Inagaki, Masaru Wada, Kazuya Yoshida

The Robotics and Mechatronics Conference (Robomech), 1A2-B27. Nagoya, Japan. 2023.

International Conference

Low-reaction trajectory generation for a legged robot in microgravity

Warley F. R. Ribeiro, Kentaro Uno, Kazuya Yoshida

Proceedings of the IEEE/SICE International Symposium on System Integration (SII), Narvik, Norway. 2022. 

DOI: 10.1109/SII52469.2022.9708772

Domestic Conference

Leg Configuration and Gait Planning Study for the ISS Intra-Vehicular Mobile Robot (ISS船内移動ロボットのための脚構成検討と歩容計画)

Masazumi Imai, Kentaro Uno, Warley F. R. Ribeiro, Seiko Piotr Yamaguchi, Riichi Itakura, Masaru Wada, Kazuya Yoshida

Proceedings of JSME Annual Conference on Robotics and Mechatronics  (Robomec), 1P1-H06. Sapporo, Japan. 2022. 

DOI: 10.1299/jsmermd.2022.1P1-H06

Journal

Analysis of Motion Control for a Quadruped Ground-Gripping Robot for Minor Body Exploration on Uneven Terrain

Warley F. R. Ribeiro, Kentaro Uno, Kenji Nagaoka, Kazuya Yoshida

Transactions of the Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences, Aerospace Technology Japan, 19(5), p. 794-801. 2021.

DOI: 10.2322/tastj.19.794

International Conference

Analysis of motion control for a quadruped ground-gripping robot for minor body exploration

Warley F. R. Ribeiro, Kentaro Uno, Kenji Nagaoka, Kazuya Yoshida

Proceedings of the 32nd International Symposium on Space Technology and Science (ISTS), Fukui, Japan. 2019.

Journal

Analysis on motion control based on reaction null space for ground grip robot on an asteroid

Yudai Yuguchi, Warley F. R. Ribeiro, Kenji Nagaoka, Kazuya Yoshida

Transactions of the Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences, Aerospace Technology Japan, 14, Pk 125-Pk 130. 2016.

DOI: 10.2322/tastj.14.Pk_125

International Conference

Experimental evaluation of gripping characteristics based on frictional theory for ground grip locomotive robot on an asteroid

Yudai Yuguchi, Warley F. R. Ribeiro, Kenji Nagaoka, Kazuya Yoshida

Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Seattle, WA, USA. 2015.

DOI: 10.1109/ICRA.2015.7139583