Projects Home

The Aerospace Robotics Laboratory conducts fundamental research in many different areas including autonomous navigation of space, air, land, and water vehicles, underwater stationkeeping and sea floor mapping, as well as problems for robots climbing in natural terrain. Our past research has included vehicular robotics, redundant and flexible manipulators, high-level sensing systems, human-robot interaction, and software development strategies.

Real-Time Mosaicking

Robotic exploration of remote environments often involves a video survey of scientifically-interesting sites. These video surveys are made challenging by the lack of reliable sensor data during remote exploration tasks, hampering robot navigation and hindering complete video coverage of a site. The real-time mosaicking project aims to aid remote video surveys by using a real-time navigation grade map (mosaic) of the survey area to correct unreliable sensor data and guarantee complete site coverage. Get more information on real-time mosaicking.

Terrain Relative Navigation

A vehicle can estimate its position simply by measuring the shape of nearby terrain and comparing that measurement with a map. This concept is known as Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN).  TRN is well suited to underwater vehicles.  The ARL and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute are interested in characterizing and extending the capabilities of TRN methods.  Get more information on terrain relative navigation.

Institute for Dexterous Space Robotics (IDSR)

The Institute for Dexterous Space Robotics is an initiative started by NASA in 2006 involving research universities deriving novel technologies and solutions for robotic space missions.  Get more information on Stanford's work in autonomous rendezvous and docking with tumbling satellites.

Control of Heavy Lift Helicopter Teams

Aerial transportation of heavy loads into remote locations is traditionally done using large helicopters built for such a task.  As the demand for heavier loads increases the obvious solution is to make larger helicopters.  However, as the size goes up so does the cost and the complexity of the system.  Alternatively, multiple existing helicopters can work cooperatively to achieve the same goal.  Get more information on heavy lift helicopters.

Past Projects